Senior Brock Burwell has striven to become West Virginia University’s Mountaineer mascot for the past three years, and he has finally made it.

Burwell, a senior from Harrisville majoring in multidisciplinary studies, was named the mascot during the second half of the WVU-Georgetown men’s basketball game on Monday, March 1.

He has been the alternate Mountaineer mascot since 2008 – but his Mountaineer roots go way back.

When Burwell was little, his uncle was the Mountaineer mascot and Burwell frequently tagged along as the “little Mountaineer.”

“The love for this state and WVU is something that I have, and have had, for my entire life. My family has raised me to respect and love this state from my infancy,” Burwell wrote in his application essay. “I am extremely excited at the chance of representing my University and state as the Mountaineer and continue the long-lasting tradition.”

A 2005 graduate of Ritchie County High School, Burwell has served as the president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, team manager of a softball league, chairperson of the Mountaineer Week Beard Growing Competition, member of the Mountain Honorary, WVU Campus Ministries, WVU Sports Management Club, Mountaineer Maniacs and Riverside Ministries.

Burwell has volunteered at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, American Red Cross blood drive events, the Hoss Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House and Rosenbaum Family House, among other things.

“I am very confident that the selection committee has chosen the right candidate. Any of the four candidates would have done a good job, but Brock shows that perseverance pays off. This is his third time trying out and he did not give up. He kept pressing forward for a dream, and that really shows a lot about the kind of person he is and the kind of people Mountaineers are,” said James Staten, chair of the 2010 Mountaineer Mascot Selection Committee. “I also want to thank Rebecca for her year of service and for representing the Mountaineer nation in a positive light.”

Burwell will replace 2009-10 Mountaineer mascot Rebecca Durst of Point Pleasant.

Burwell was chosen from among four finalists. The others were Erik Edwards, a civil engineering major from Morgantown; Adam Harris, a civil engineering major from Morgantown; and Taylor Richmond, a political science major from Beckley.

He will begin his reign as Mountaineer mascot at the April 30
Gold-Blue spring football game at Milan Puskar Stadium.

-WVU-

cd/03/01/10

CONTACT: James Staten, Mountaineer Mascot Selection Committee
304-322-0852, James.Staten@gmail.com