Athletics

A celebration of nearly 4,500 West Virginia University graduates begins next week with the inaugural GradFest and culminates in commencement ceremonies planned May 13-15.

WVU Men's Basketball Coach Bob Huggins becomes only the third person affiliated with West Virginia University to be honored. Rod Thorn got in as a contributor in 2018 and Jerry West was part of the 1980 Hall of Fame class.

West Virginia University Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President Shane Lyons has named Dawn Plitzuweit as the school's sixth women's basketball coach.

Nitra Perry, an assistant coach for the Mountaineers for two seasons, will serve as interim head coach while a national search is conducted to replace Mike Carey who is retiring after 21 seasons leading the WVU team.

During his 21 years leading the program, Mike Carey guided the Mountaineers to 11 NCAA Tournaments, five WNIT appearances and a program-record 13 straight postseason appearances from 2007-19.

Inspired by the passion and resilience of West Virginia University’s first female Mountaineer Mascot, Natalie Tennant, Mary G. Roush will become the third female in nine decades to don the buckskins and carry the rifle as the 68th Mountaineer Mascot.

In celebration of the Bob Huggins Fish Fry’s 10-year anniversary, supporters contributed a record $2.65 million to benefit lifesaving cancer care and research at the WVU Cancer Institute.

Four students who are eager to represent West Virginia University as the 68th Mountaineer Mascot will compete in a cheer-off during the men’s basketball game vs. Texas at 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 26) in the WVU Coliseum.

West Virginia University will hold its annual Gold-Blue Spring Football Game, presented by Encova, on Saturday, April 23, at 1 p.m., at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.

With the continued spread of the omicron variant and increased hospitalization rates in the state and region, West Virginia University is providing additional guidance on campus health and safety protocols including masking, testing, vaccines and isolation.