Voting begins today (Jan. 31) for the Ultimate Mountaineer Fan and the newest WVU hat.
West Virginia University fans will have the opportunity to choose the next Ultimate Mountaineer Fan and the newest WVU hat in a vote, which starts today (Jan. 31).
The three finalists for Ultimate Mountaineer Fan worked with WVU licensee Top of the World to develop a unique hat. The hat with the most votes will be sold at WVU retailers this spring. The finalist that designs the winning hat will win a free trip for two to the Big 12 Conference men’s basketball tournament in Kansas City in March.
Fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite hat and Ultimate Mountaineer Fan finalist until Feb. 7. You can vote at http://wvusports.com/wvufan.
The finalists for Ultimate Mountaineer Fan are:
Joe Riffe’s earliest memory as a Mountaineer fan was watching the 1989 Fiesta Bowl for the national championship with his dad, uncles and grandfather. Riffe grew up McDowell County, where he had to listen to most WVU football and basketball game on the radio. He was able to watch his beloved Mountaineers in person for the first time when he was 15 and said he’ll never forget walking through the gate for the first time.
“Some of my best (and worst) memories in my life revolve around the Mountaineers,” he said.
Riffe’s mesh hat was inspired by the fact our fan base takes pride in its home state and home team. By integrating the classic iconic gold “Flying WV” and the state outline with “home” written inside, he was able to characterize the unique bond between WVU and the state of West Virginia.
Rick Harshbarger has been a Mountaineer fan since birth, and he can remember he and his father visiting the tallest mountain nearby to be able to hear a static-filled radio account of football and basketball games. Traveling from the Eastern Panhandle, he hasn’t missed a home football game since 1985 and a home basketball game since 1987 - a streak of 454 games!
“I have traveled to hundreds of games in snow and ice, some measured in feet not inches,” he said. “One time, I left a Morgantown hospital bed to attend and then went back to the hospital after the basketball game.”
Harshbarger’s navy-colored hat embodies WVU’s strong connection to the state, through the use of the state outline with the Mountaineer in the center. The words “pride,” “tradition” and “hail” were included in the design because he feels they symbolize the state of West Virginia and WVU.
Krista Kessinger’s wedding in 2014 was decked out in gold and blue. She walked down the aisle to “Simple Gifts,” the groomsmen wore WVU polo shirts, the bridesmaids wore gold and blue dresses and carried canvases that spelled out “WVU” as they entered the wedding. They even marched back up the aisle to the WVU fight song (and of course ended the night with “Country Roads”). She became a Mountaineer fan thanks to her grandfather and, despite living near Hokie territory, she tries to make at least one football and basketball game each season.
“Whenever I head to Morgantown I am overcome with excitement and pride,” she said. “WVU represents the heartbeat of our state. Our teams know what the University means to all of us West Virginians.”
Kessinger’s gold-colored hat represents the spirit of Mountaineer Nation. She believes being a Mountaineer is part of the state’s culture and that WVU is the pulse of West Virginia.
In total, more than 400 Mountaineer fans entered the Ultimate Mountaineer Fan competition. The winner of this year’s competition will be announced in February.
The winning hat will be sold at select statewide WVU retailers and online at http://shopwvu.com.
For official contest rules, visit http://wvusports.com/wvufan.
WVU is partnering with the IMG College Licensing and Top of the World to present this year’s Ultimate Mountaineer Fan competition.
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CONTACT: Nikki Goodenow, Trademark Licensing
304.293.4756; Nikki.Goodenow@mail.wvu.edu
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