One of the most well-known and respected athletes and coaches in the region, WLU Hall of Famer Joe Sarver is working with the distance runners in Coach Justin Simpson's fast-rising program.
   Sarver was a dominating presence for the Hilltoppers’ track and cross-country teams during the late 1970s. A 9-time All-WVIAC honoree and the 1979 WVIAC Track and Cross-Country Male Athlete of the Year, Sarver qualified to compete in five national championships and still holds the school and WVIAC record at 10,000 meters.
   An elite distance runner for decades, Sarver has also coached numerous athletes to national and international success. A member of the Pittsburgh Marathon and Wheeling 20K Halls of Fame, he is the USATF Three Rivers distance running regional chair.
   West Liberty’s Outstanding Senior Chemist in 1980, Sarver holds a master’s degree in Polymer Science from Carnegie Mellon and has obtained a dozen U.S. patents in his work as a Laser Scientist.
   Joe was inducted into the West Liberty University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.
   He and his wife, Judy, – also a WLU alum – reside in Washington, Pa. They have two daughters, Danielle and Janine.
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