West Virginia Mountaineers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Virginia Mountaineers |
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| University | West Virginia University |
| Conference | Big 12 (primary) Sun Belt (men's soccer) Great America Rifle Conference (rifle) |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletic director | Wren Baker |
| Location | Morgantown, West Virginia |
| Varsity teams | 18 |
| Football stadium | Milan Puskar Stadium |
| Basketball arena | WVU Coliseum |
| Baseball stadium | Monongalia County Ballpark |
| Mascot | The Mountaineer |
| Nickname | Mountaineers |
| Fight song | Hail, West Virginia (official) Fight Mountaineers (official) Take Me Home, Country Roads (unofficial) |
| Colors | Old Gold and Blue |
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the sports teams that represent West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The university is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in Division I. The Mountaineers joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012. The men's soccer team also plays in the Sun Belt Conference.
WVU currently has 18 sports teams. This includes seven sports for men, ten for women, and one sport for both (rifle). Men's golf was the newest sport added in the 2015–16 school year.
Contents
- Winning Big: Championships and Awards
- Sports at WVU: What They Play
- Football: The Mountaineer Gridiron
- Baseball: On the Diamond
- Men's Basketball: Hoops Action
- Women's Basketball: Lady Mountaineers on the Court
- Cross Country: Running the Course
- Men's Golf: On the Green
- Gymnastics: Flipping and Twisting
- Rifle: Aiming for Gold
- Women's Rowing: On the Water
- Men's Soccer: Kicking It In
- Women's Soccer: Scoring Goals
- Swimming and Diving: Making a Splash
- Women's Tennis: Serving Up Wins
- Women's Track: On the Track
- Women's Volleyball: Spiking It Up
- Wrestling: Grappling for Victory
- Other Sports Clubs
- WVU Traditions: Fun and Spirit
- Sports Traditions: What Fans Do
- Fanbase: Loyal Supporters
- Notable Athletes: WVU Stars
- See also
Winning Big: Championships and Awards
Team Championships: National Titles
West Virginia University teams have won 20 national championships from the NCAA.
- Men's Teams (1)
- Boxing: 1938 (this win was not officially recognized by the NCAA)
- Co-ed Teams (19)
- Rifle: 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Other National Team Wins
WVU has also won national titles that were not given by the NCAA.
- Men's basketball: 1942
- Rifle: 1913, 1961, 1964, 1966
- Cricket: 2019, 2020, 2022
Individual and Relay Championships
West Virginia athletes have won 38 national championships on their own or in relay races.
- Men's Athletes (24)
- Boxing: 3 wins
- Indoor track and field: 1 win
- Rifle: 15 wins (8 in smallbore, 7 in air rifle)
- Wrestling: 5 wins
- Women's Athletes (14)
- Indoor track and field: 1 win
- Outdoor track and field: 2 wins
- Rifle: 11 wins (4 in smallbore, 7 in air rifle)
Sports at WVU: What They Play
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Football | Gymnastics |
| Golf | Rowing |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| Swimming & diving | Swimming & diving |
| Wrestling | Tennis |
| Track & field† | |
| Volleyball | |
| Co-ed sports | |
| Rifle | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor. | |
Football: The Mountaineer Gridiron
Football is a very popular sport at WVU. The team plays in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). They play their home games at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown. The Mountaineers are part of the Big 12 Conference.
As of 2013, WVU football had won 712 games. This makes them 14th in wins among NCAA FBS teams. They have the most wins among teams that have never won a National Championship. The Mountaineers have had 80 winning seasons. This includes one undefeated season in 1922 (10–0–1). They have also had five seasons with 11 wins. The team has won 15 conference championships.
- Stadium: Milan Puskar Stadium at Mountaineer Field
- Head coach: Neal Brown
- Conference: Big 12
- All-time record: 701 wins, 456 losses, 45 ties (.583 winning percentage)
- Bowl game record: 14 wins, 17 losses
- Conference titles: 15 (8 Southern Conference, 7 Big East Conference)
- Highest Coaches Poll ranking: #1 in 2007
- Highest AP Poll ranking: #2 in 2007
Baseball: On the Diamond
- Playing field: Monongalia County Ballpark (seats 2,500)
- Head coach: Randy Mazey
- Most wins in a season: 40 (1994)
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 13
- Last NCAA appearance: 2023
- Players who made it to the Major Leagues: 26
Men's Basketball: Hoops Action
- Playing arena: WVU Coliseum (seats 14,000)
- Head coach: Josh Eilert (interim)
- Most wins in a season: 31 in 2010
- Big East Conference Champion: 2010
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 31
- Last NCAA appearance: 2021
- NCAA Final Four: 1959, 2010
- NIT Championships: 2 (1942, 2007)
- Players drafted into the NBA: 28
- Players who played in the NBA: 14
Women's Basketball: Lady Mountaineers on the Court
- Playing arena: WVU Coliseum (seats 14,000)
- Head coach: Mark Kellogg
- Most wins in a season: 30 in 2014
- Big 12 Conference Champion: 2017
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 11
- Last NCAA appearance: 2017
- Players drafted: 3
- Players in the WNBA: 2
Cross Country: Running the Course
- Head coach: Sean Cleary
- NCAA appearances: 11
- Highest NCAA finish: 4th
- Last NCAA appearance: 2021
Men's Golf: On the Green
WVU had a men's golf team from 1933 to 1982. The sport was brought back in the 2015–16 school year.
- Head coach: Sean Covich
- Practice and competition courses: Seven courses in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
- In 2019, the team reached the top 25 ranking for the first time.
- In 2021, they won their third straight Mountaineer Invitational.
Gymnastics: Flipping and Twisting
- Competition arena: WVU Coliseum (seats 14,000)
- Head coach: Jason Butts
- Most wins in a season: 26 in 1992
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 3
- Last NCAA appearance: 2000
Rifle: Aiming for Gold
The WVU rifle team is part of the Great America Rifle Conference. They have won the most NCAA Rifle Championships of any school, with 19 titles.
- Playing facility: WVU Shell Building
- Head coach: Jon Hammond
- NCAA Team Championships: 19
- Olympians: 13
- Gold medal winner: Virginia "Ginny" Thrasher at Rio 2016
Women's Rowing: On the Water
- Playing facility: WVU Boathouse
- Head coach: Jimmy King
Men's Soccer: Kicking It In
- Playing field: Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium (seats 1,600)
- Head coach: Daniel Stratford
- Most wins in a season: 15 in 2006
- NCAA tournament appearances: 15
- Last NCAA appearance: 2021
Women's Soccer: Scoring Goals
- Playing field: Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium (seats 1,600)
- Head coach: Nikki Izzo-Brown
- Most wins in a season: 23 in 2016
- BIG EAST Conference Champions: 2007, 2010, 2011
- BIG 12 Conference Champions: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2022
- NCAA tournament appearances: 21 (lost in finals 2016)
- Last NCAA appearance: 2020
Swimming and Diving: Making a Splash
- Playing facility: Mylan Park
- Head coach: Vic Riggs
- Men's Most wins in a season: 13 in 2007
- Women's Most wins in a season: 9 in 1990
- Olympians: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
Women's Tennis: Serving Up Wins
- Playing facility: Mountaineer Tennis Courts
- Head coach: Miha Lisac
- Most wins in a season: 21 in 1990
Women's Track: On the Track
- Playing facility: Mountaineer Track, Shell Indoor Track
- Head coach: Sean Cleary
- Olympians: 7
- NCAA National Champions: 3
Women's Volleyball: Spiking It Up
- Playing arena: WVU Coliseum (seats 14,000)
- Head coach: Reed Sunahara
- Most wins in a season: 35 in 1979
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 1
- Last NCAA appearance: 2021
Wrestling: Grappling for Victory
- Founded: 1921
- Playing facility: WVU Coliseum (seats 14,000)
- Head coach: Tim Flynn
- Most wins in a season: 14 in 1976 and 1990
- NCAA individual appearances: 67
- Best NCAA team finish: 6th in 1991
- National Champions: 3
Other Sports Clubs
Rugby: Tackling the Competition
The West Virginia Rugby Football Club started in 1974. It is the oldest club sport at WVU. In 2013, WVU won the Keystone Conference. They also made it to the D1-AA national playoffs in 2014.
Cricket: Batting for WVU
The West Virginia Cricket Club plays in American College Cricket. They won the American College Cricket National Championship in 2019. They also won the 2020 and 2022 national championships.
WVU Traditions: Fun and Spirit
Mascot: The Mountaineer
The Mountaineer became the school's official mascot in 1890. A new Mountaineer is chosen each year. They get a scholarship, a special buckskin suit, and a rifle. The mascot travels with most sports teams.
Logos: The Flying WV
The "Flying WV" is the most famous logo for West Virginia athletics. It first appeared in 1980. It became the official university logo in 1983.
Songs: Tunes of the Mountaineers
The official fight songs are "Fight Mountaineers" and "Hail, West Virginia." "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver is the unofficial song. Fans love to sing it at games. The West Virginia University Alma Mater is sung before every home football game.
Colors: Gold and Blue
The school colors are "old gold and blue." These colors were chosen in 1890. A brighter gold is now used for logos and merchandise. This makes the colors stand out more at sporting events. The university wants people to say "gold and blue," not "blue and gold." This helps tell them apart from their rival, the University of Pittsburgh.
Marching Band: The Pride of West Virginia
The West Virginia University Mountaineer Marching Band is called "The Pride of West Virginia." It has 390 members. The band plays at every home football game. They also perform at many other events. The band won the Sudler Trophy in 1997. This is a very important award for college bands.
Sports Traditions: What Fans Do
Firing of the Musket
The Mountaineer mascot carries a musket. They fire a blank shot into the air to start games. This tells the crowd to cheer loudly. The Mountaineer also fires the musket every time the football team scores.
Formation of the State
The Pride of West Virginia forms the shape of the state of West Virginia. They do this during the pregame show at all home football games. The state shape moves down the field. Then it turns to face the student section. This happens while the crowd chants "Let's Go...Mountaineers."
Cheers: Getting Loud
The "Let's Go...Mountaineers" cheer started at football games. One side of the stadium yells "Let's Go..." The other side yells "Mountaineers." This chant can go on for a long time. It has spread to basketball and soccer games too.
When fans expect a first down in football, they raise their arms and yell. After the announcer says "First down, West Virginia," fans lower and raise their arms three times. They also yell "WVU!" Then they clap and point to the end zone.
Carpet Roll: A Special Entrance
In 1955, a special gold and blue carpet was rolled out for basketball players. They used it to enter the court for warm-ups. This tradition stopped in the 1960s. But it was brought back in 1978.
Fanbase: Loyal Supporters
West Virginia does not have professional sports teams. So, people in the state strongly support West Virginia University and its teams. WVU fans are known for traveling to support their Mountaineers. Many people watch WVU games on TV.
Former basketball coach Bob Huggins said there is a "strong bond" between the university and the people of West Virginia. Former player Da'Sean Butler said he chose WVU because "everybody loves our school to death."
WVU fans are also known for being welcoming. After a sad event for the University of Connecticut football team, WVU fans showed great kindness. A banner at Mountaineer Field said, "Today we are all Huskies." Connecticut fans were impressed by the warmth they received.
Student Section: The Energy of the Crowd
Some WVU fans, especially in the student sections, are known for being very energetic. In the past, there were some issues with fans getting overly excited after games. However, this behavior has become much calmer in recent years.
Notable Athletes: WVU Stars
- Joe Alexander - former NBA player
- Tavon Austin - football player
- Kadeisha Buchanan – Canada women's national soccer player
- Marc Bulger - former NFL quarterback
- Jevon Carter - NBA player
- Gale Catlett - former West Virginia basketball head coach with the most wins
- Chuck Howley - WVU five-sport athlete, former NFL linebacker, Super Bowl MVP
- Sam Huff - former NFL linebacker, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Bob Huggins - former WVU basketball player and head coach
- Rodney "Hot Rod" Hundley - first pick in the 1957 NBA draft
- James Jett - All-American sprinter and NFL wide receiver
- Adam "Pacman" Jones - former NFL cornerback
- Oliver Luck - former NFL quarterback and WVU athletic director
- Pat McAfee - former NFL punter
- Geno Smith - NFL quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks
- Darryl Talley - former NFL Linebacker
- Rod Thorn - former WVU basketball player, in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Virginia Thrasher - sports shooter, won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Jerry West - WVU and NBA basketball player, in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, model for NBA logo
- Pat White - former NFL quarterback and Minor League Baseball player
See also
In Spanish: West Virginia Mountaineers para niños
