Football | 7/31/2017 2:22:00 PM

    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University weight room has received a major upgrade thanks to a generous donation from a Hilltopper alumnus.
    H.R. "Bucky" Kopf, a 1964 West Liberty graduate from Avon Lake, Ohio, recently provided funding for the purchase of a full set of Iron Grip polyurethane dumbbells to replace the aging dumbbells in the WLU weight room. The new dumbbells arrived just in time for the start of a new academic year.
    "We are really thankful for Mr. Kopf's donation," West Liberty strength and conditioning coordinator Dan Hopkins said. "This is a very significant improvement that will positively impact our entire athletic program. We have hundreds of student-athletes from all of our sports who utilize the weight room throughout the year and this really moves the ball forward for everybody."
    The Hilltoppers received 30 pairs of dumbbells, ranging in weight from 5 to 130 pounds. Hopkins said the state-of-the-art polyurethane construction is a major plus for equipment that will be in near-constant use and also pointed out another important aspect.
    "These are probably the best dumbbells on the market," he said. "They're the same ones you see in the weight room of (two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion) Northwest Missouri State. The polyurethane is virtually indestructible so they won't chip or peel like the old rubber-coated ones and on top of everything else, they all have that big West Liberty logo on the end so they look fantastic.
    "Our players have been blowing up my Instagram with pictures of the new dumbbells and that's exactly the kind of thing that makes a big impression on recruits. This is a pretty big deal for us and we really appreciate Mr. Kopp's generosity."
    A three-year football and baseball letterman during his time on the hilltop, Kopf is the founder of Kopf Builders, one of the largest homebuilders and developers in the Greater Cleveland area. Extremely active in his community, he is a member of the West Liberty University Wall of Fame, the Avon Lake High School Sports Hall of Fame and the North Coast Home Builders Hall of Fame.
    The Hilltopper football team kicks off the 2017 season at home against Urbana on Aug. 31. Kickoff for the special Thursday night opener is set for 7 p.m. at West Family Stadium.