For nearly half a century, Roger Blalock (HHS’69) was a prominent figure on Purdue’s campus.

He was a two-year basketball letterwinner, averaging 12.3 points per game during the 1966–67 season. While his college career was cut short when he suffered a broken ankle against Butler in December 1967, he would remain a giant figure in Purdue sports for years to come.

Off the court, he was one of the more-than 100 protestors to participate in the legendary red brick protest following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.

True to the symbolism of the brick and the desire to build up a more inclusive university, Blalock stayed on after his time as a student, becoming an assistant coach for Purdue’s basketball team from 1974 to 1979. Blalock also held a number of positions off the court, including in the Office of Admissions as a financial aid counselor, assistant director, and associate director. Blalock joined the athletics department in 1994, eventually becoming senior associate athletics director in 2004, where he served until his 2012 retirement.

“I can think of no better career than the one I have had,” said Blalock on his retirement. “To be a Purdue alum and a former student-athlete, the opportunity to return and serve as a member of the athletics department staff has been very special.”

After his passing in 2012, Blalock’s legacy lives on in the lives he touched during his time with us.

Read more about Blalock’s legacy at Purdue from his 2012 retirement announcement.