Hall of Fame
A star lineman on the great West Liberty football teams of the late 1940s, Dr. Albert M. Blatnik went on to have a tremendous impact on the hilltop campus as a beloved coach, administrator and professor. Blatnik helped lead Coach Joe Bartell's football team to a sparkling 32-3-3 mark from 1946-49 and was later honored with a berth on the 50th Anniversary All-Time All-WVIAC football team.
He began his education career as a teacher and coach at St. Clairsville (Ohio) and Bridgeport (Ohio) High Schools, where he coached John Havlicek in basketball and Joe Niekro in baseball. Blatnik returned to WLSC in 1957 as a coach and professor of Physical Education. In addition to coaching football, basketball and baseball, he later became athletic director and Director of the School of Health and Physical Education.
Blatnik oversaw a significant expansion of the Hilltopper athletic programs and facilities. The sports of tennis, wrestling, swimming and cross country were added during his tenure as athletic director while major enhancements were also made at the football and baseball fields. In addition, he was responsible for developing and expanding the School of Health and Physical Education curriculum, increasing the number of full-time teaching faculty from four to 15.
At the time of his induction, Dr. Blatnik was in his third decade as a professor at his alma mater and a long-standing member of the Ohio County Board of Education.
