Hall of Fame
A four-time All-West Virginia Conference cross country standout who qualified for three NAIA National Cross Country meets, Alan Saunders is remembered as one of the top distance runners in school history. An all-state track and cross country standout at nearby Wheeling High School before coming to West Liberty in 1969, Saunders didn't miss a beat when he put on the Black and Gold.
He was a 4-time first-team All-West Virginia Conference cross country pick in a time when only the top five runners in the WVIAC championship meet received first-team honors. Saunders' talents also played well on the national stage as he qualified for the NAIA National Cross Country Championships in 1970, 1971 and 1972.
Along with helping lead West Liberty to multiple WVIAC cross country titles, Saunders also played a key role on the Hilltoppers' powerful track squads by placing in the WVIAC Track Meet in the mile and half-mile runs all four years.
After graduation, Saunders taught for nearly two decades in Fort Myers, Fla. before joining the investment world with A.G. Edwards, Inc. He retired from the First National Bank of Christiansburg, Va. in 2007.
