Frank Loria

Frank Loria (1947 – November 14, 1970) was an American football defensive back. He was born in the town of Clarksburg, West Virginia in Harrison County and was a three sport athlete at Notre Dame Catholic High School.

He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team from 1965–1967, helping the Hokies to a berth in the 1966 Liberty Bowl. Loria was named consensus All-American in 1967.

Loria joined the Marshall University coaching staff as the defensive backs coach. He died in the Southern Airlines Flight 932 airplane crash, that killed most of Marshall's football team, on November 14, 1970.

Loria played safety in the same defensive backfield with Frank Beamer, former head coach at Virginia Tech. It is indicative of Loria's stature, as well as Beamer's humility, that when Frank Beamer was once asked if he ever thought about "what if" that plane had not crashed, that he replied to the effect that he thought it was quite possible that Loria might be the coach at Tech, and that he himself might be an assistant.

His number, #10, is one of only four numbers retired by Virginia Tech. Loria was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on December 7, 1999, along with the man he played for, former Virginia Tech Coach the late Jerry Claiborne. The local Clarksburg Columbian Club honors his memory every year by hosting the Frank Loria Dinner, where the first team All Harrison County football players attend. The Loria award is given to the most outstanding high school football player in the county. Notable guest speakers at the dinner have been Frank Beamer, former Marshall coach Red Dawson, WVU football coach Bill Stewart, and WVU basketball coach Bob Huggins.

In 1984, Loria was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.