Roger K. Alford

Roger K. Alford was inducted into the inaugural College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. He was previously inducted into the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 1996.

Born in Steubenville, Ohio, Alford was a three-year letterwinner as an offensive guard for WVU from 1963-65. He helped the Mountaineers to a 17–14 record during that span and played a key role in the team’s 1964 upset of ninth-ranked Syracuse and appearance in the Liberty Bowl—the program’s first bowl trip in a decade. Alford, along with fullback Dick Leftridge, was among the first African American student-athletes to receive a scholarship at WVU. He was later named to WVU’s All-Time Team for the 1960s.

Alford earned four degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in physical education from WVU in 1966, a physical therapy certification from Ohio State University, a master’s in health education from West Chester State University, and a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1975. His career spanned roles in physical therapy, athletic training, and eventually dentistry, where he opened his own practice and earned recognition for his professional excellence and community impact.

He was an active member of the American Dental Association, National Dental Association, Wolverine Dental Society, and the Academy of General Dentistry. A committed civic leader, Alford was a lifetime member of both the NAACP and the WVU Alumni Association.

His many honors included four consecutive Wolverine Dental Society Community Service Awards, selection as WVU Homecoming Parade Marshal in 1991, and induction into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

Alford passed away in 1996.