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Merle Norman Stadium
Key Facts
- Opened: 2013
- Home of Beach Volleyball
PROHIBITED ITEMS
Address
3501 S Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Overview
Merle Norman Stadium is the on-campus home to the USC women’s beach volleyball program. Located on the east side of University Park Campus on Figueroa Street across from the Galen Center, it features three courts with sand from the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The palm tree-encircled stadium also has bleachers and a grass berm for spectator seating, a scoreboard and audio system, lighting, restrooms, showers, and multiple team storage areas.
Ground was broken to build the new venue in July of 2012 under the generous donations of Jack and Helen Nethercutt and John and Melinda Muller, and a large sum from an anonymous donor. The Mullers have a daughter (Erica) on the 2013 squad. A USC alumnus, Jack Nethercutt served as vice president of marketing and later President of Merle Norman Cosmetics in 1973. He left the company to pursue other ventures but returned to his presidency in March of 2002 and now serves as Chairman of the Board with his wife Helen as Vice Chairman.
The stadium is named for Nethercutt’s great aunt and namesake of the cosmetics corporation, Merle Nethercutt Norman. Jack and Helen are active in Los Angeles non-profits and charities and are Galen Founders, Scholarship Club members, and Conquest supporters of the USC Trojan Marching Band.
On Thursday, March 7, 2013, USC officially opened and dedicated Merle Norman Stadium in conjunction with the beach volleyball program’s alumni match. The Nethercutts were on hand to cut the ribbon with first Trojan head coach Anna Collier and athletic director Pat Haden. USC All-America alumnae and Olympic beach volleyball silver medalists Jennifer Kessy and April Ross christened the sand in their return to campus for the special match.
The Women of Troy played their first dual match in the stadium on Sunday, March 10, 2013, and earned a 4-1 victory over Loyola Marymount. USC produced a 7-3 mark in 2013 and was 8-0 in 2014 on its home sand at Merle Norman Stadium. USC also went undefeated in 2015 at 10-0. The Trojans are 34-4 all-time at MNS.
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