Statue Unveiling on Sept. 4 to Celebrate Coach Duvall

Fairmont State University and the Department of Athletics will honor legendary coach Harold “Deacon” Duvall on Thursday, Sept. 4, prior to the season opener against Notre Dame College.

Fans attending the game are advised to arrive a few minutes early to witness the unveiling of the Deacon Duvall statue that will be permanently displayed at Duvall-Rosier Field. The unveiling is planned for 6:50 p.m., and kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Former players Steve Lipscomb, Kenny Miller, Gary Moyer and Paul Clovis have presented the statue of Coach Duvall to Fairmont State University to honor the accomplishments of their former coach and mentor.

A member of the Class of 1965, Lipscomb played at Fairmont from 1961 to 1964 and was a four-year Letterman, 1962 leading scorer, first team WV All Conference defensive back and was named 2007 Letterman of Distinction by the Fairmont State Athletic Association. Miller, also a member of the Class of 1965, played for Fairmont State from 1961 to 1963; he was quarterback and defensive back, was named Outstanding Player in the 1962 Homecoming game and also played basketball. A member of the class of 1964, Gary Moyer played for Fairmont State in 1959 and 1961 through 1963, was a four-year Letterman and earned All WV Conference Honors on Offense in 1962. Clovis, a member of the Class of 1963, played for Fairmont State in 1963 and 1964 as a lineman; he later became Athletic Director and coached football and cross country at Hampshire High School in Romney.

Duvall was the head football coach at Fairmont State from 1952 to 1971 and compiled a record of 125-42-3 on the FSU sideline. Coach Duvall had the highest winning-percentage of any coach in West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) history (73.5 percent).

Fairmont State also won the 1967 NAIA National Championship and made two national playoff appearances under Duvall. Fairmont State was the first team in the state of West Virginia to win a National Championship in football and no other WVIAC school won a National Championship in football before the league split in 2013. In addition, Duvall led the Falcons to 15 winning seasons, eight WVIAC Championships and four undefeated seasons during his career.

The FSU football program has also requested that the home opener be a “maroon out,” asking all fans to wear maroon in support of the Falcons.

 

Deacon DuvallFootballDuvall-Rosier Field