The Men of Armour Campaign
Join us as we raise the funds to name the Head Football Strength Coach Office after Bill Gillespie. The effort to name the Football Head Strength Coach Office after Bill Gillespie was initiated by several football alumni in response to the Men of Armour Campaign: an effort to name the football weight room after the evangelical feats-of-strength ministry led by football athletes and coaches in the `80's and `90's. Led by a matching gift from a football alumnus of up to $125,000, gifts of any amount can honor the overall campaign, as well as the donor through Liberty Athletic's Legacy Giving program.
Payment Plans & Pledges
Those interested in setting up a payment plan or pledging to the campaign may do so by contacting Paul Rutigliano, Assistant AD - Director of Letterwinners Engagement at 434-582-2043 or pwritugliano@liberty.edu, or Jeff Alder, Assistant AD - Director of Major Giving at 434-582-2381 or jtalder@liberty.edu. Payments may be scheduled monthly, or for larger gifts, pledged for up to 5 years.
About Bill
Bill Gillespie served many roles at Liberty University, including as Assistant AD for Strength & Conditioning, but he is best known for the lives of the men and women he continues to impact. Gillespie has more than 20 years of experience in collegiate strength and conditioning and two years of experience at the professional level after serving as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks from 2003 until just prior to his return to Liberty in 2005. During his time on staff, Gillespie has been part of a program that has won eight Big South titles (2007-10, 2012-14, 2016) and saw the program make its first-ever appearance in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 2014. Gillespie got his coaching start at the collegiate level here at Liberty. He served as assistant strength and conditioning coach from 1983-91, while also serving the university as assistant track and field coach in 1983-85 and 1987-91 and head track and field coach in 1986. After leaving Liberty in 1991, Gillespie spent 11 years as a member of the strength and conditioning staff at Washington. Gillespie is a world-renowned weightlifter, as he is a 62-time world record holder in the bench press after a lift of 804.5 lbs. at the WABDL World Cup Bench Press and Deadlift Championships in April of 2009. He is also a 23-time world champion in the bench press. Gillespie, a member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA) Master Strength and Conditioning Coach program, received his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Liberty in 1983. While at Liberty, Gillespie was a four-time All-American and a two-time small college national champion in the shot put and a two-year letterwinner on the football team. Gillespie is the former school record in the shot put with an outdoor mark of 55' 8 ½", a mark which stood for 24 years. He was also Liberty's 1983 recipient of the Rock Royer/Mac Rivera award, given annual to Liberty's top graduating student-athlete.
Tax Information & Privileges
Gifts do not count toward seating and parking privileges but may be 100% tax deductible (see your tax advisor). Donations greater than $500 will be recognized in the weight room. For all naming opportunities, please visit www.LibertyFlames.com/LegacyGiving.