General | 9/30/2020 3:40:00 PM

    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The completion date for the massive expansion and renovation of the West Liberty University weight room is rapidly approaching so it won't be long until hundreds of Hilltopper student-athletes will be entering the "Panhandle Performance Zone."
    "With nearly 500 student-athletes on campus – a 25 percent increase in just the last four years – we needed a bigger, more modern facility to better support their growth and development," Athletic Director Lynn Ullom said. "With the expanded training area and across the board enhancements and branding, this will be an absolute game-changer for every one of our 20 intercollegiate sports."
    The Panhandle Performance Zone will be merely the latest in a series of athletic facility upgrades – West Family Stadium, Belmont Savings Bank Practice Facility, West Family Athletic Complex, etc. – all driven by generous support from a number of private donors.
    West Liberty Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Dan Hopkins played a major role in planning and development for the project. When completed, the new facility will feature a significantly larger footprint along with new HVAC and lighting systems as well as new flooring and new equipment under a unified branding concept.
    After the decision was made to go forward, a $500,000 budget was established. Leadership gifts from Gary E. West ('58) and Herman "Bucky" Kopf ('64) provided the opportunity to ask Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration, WLU's longstanding partner in academics and athletics, to help complete the job.
    "Once the executive team at Panhandle – Vice President Bob Contraguerro Jr. and Vice President of Marketing Josh Contraguerro – realized the impact this project would have on our students, they said the decision to participate was a no-brainer," West Liberty Vice President for External Affairs Jason Koegler said.
    "They stepped up to the plate and offered their construction services as an in-kind donation. Thus, a recognition opportunity was offered and agreed upon as the 'Panhandle Performance Zone.' These community partnerships are one of the main reasons West Liberty is recognized throughout the region as a university on the rise," Koegler added. "We are very grateful for their continued support."
    Workers are currently putting the finishing touches on the Panhandle Performance Zone with the official opening ceremony set for some time during the fall semester.