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Merritt James Norvell Jr. (February 12, 1941 – October 19, 2020) was an American college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at Michigan State University from 1995 to 1998.

Norvell attended Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Illinois, where he starred in four sports. He moved on to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers as a halfback and was a member of the 1962 Wisconsin Badgers football team that played in the 1963 Rose Bowl.

Norvell died on October 19, 2020, in Lansing, Michigan. Norvell's son, Jay Norvell, is a football coach and former player.

References

1. Ebling, Jack (May 26, 1995). "Winning Team Complete". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. p. 1C. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
2. Ebling, Jack (May 26, 1995). "Ebling: Winning team complete (continued)". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. p. 4C. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
3. "Former Michigan St. AD Merritt Norvell Jr., of Jacksonville, dies at 79". The State Journal-Register. Springfield, Illinois. October 20, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
4. Paul, Tony (October 20, 2020). "MSU pioneer Merritt Norvell, one of nation's first Black athletic directors, dies at 79". The Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
5. Feuerherd, Vic (September 2, 1990). "All in the family". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 1E. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
6. Feuerherd, Vic (September 2, 1990). "Badger football is family affair (continued)". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 6E. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .

• 1941 births
• 2020 deaths
• American football halfbacks
• Michigan State Spartans athletic directors
• Wisconsin Badgers football players
• Sportspeople from Jacksonville, Illinois
• Players of American football from Illinois
• African-American college athletic directors in the United States