KEARNEY, NE — On the University of Nebraska-Kearney campus, Loper students are now strolling by “The Loper.”

UNK installed a 10-foot-tall, 12-hundred pound bronze pronghorn antelope sculpture on Tuesday. Senior Director of Communications Todd Gottula says the monument is the centerpiece of the new 26th Street Mall.

“This is going to be a highly visible area on campus here very soon," Gottula said. "We’re reworking and redeveloping the area. We’ve been looking for a focal point and we found that with this sculpture.”

Mark Lundeen is the sculptor and simply calls his creation “The Loper." It's connection to campus runs deeper than just the school mascot. Lundeen is a Holdrege native, a Kearney State College graduate and former Loper football player. He moved onto campus in 1977.

“I was in Men’s Hall, which is right down the street probably, you know, 300 feet from where it was placed," Lundeen said. "I’ve wanted to do something for Kearney for 40 years and I’m finally glad that I got the chance to do it.”

He first talked with former athletic director and golf coach Dick Beechner about a possible statue decades ago and made a scale model in 2008. He was given creative freedom to depict the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere.

“I wanted to portray strength and beauty and majesty,” Lundeen said.

Lundeen lives in Loveland, Colorado now. The sculptor with pieces at the U.S. Capitol and Baseball Hall of Fame is leaving his mark on his alma mater.

“I finally got to come home to Kearney to finally unveil something in Kearney. That’s nice,” Lundeen said.

The statue is the western-most fixture of the new mall area. UNK is transforming a former parking lot into a green space.

“There’s nothing better than a nice outdoor space," Gottula said. "Outdoor spaces are improved with artwork and community art, and this sculpture just really fits in well here.”

The sculpture was paid for through private donations. It will be dedicated during homecoming week Oct. 24-29.