As we celebrate the 163rd anniversary of our state’s admission into the Union, Mountaineer fans are still catching their breath from a remarkable run through the College World Series and one of the most successful years across WVU Athletics in recent memory.
The more I thought about it, the more the timing felt appropriate. Because the story of West Virginia and the story of West Virginia University Athletics have some parallels. Neither was handed respect. Read more: West Virginia Day: built, not given
When West Virginia became the nation’s 35th state on June 20, 1863, it wasn’t the result of a simple vote or a declaration. It was a years-long fight for recognition.
The people of western Virginia believed they deserved a voice, representation and the right to chart their own future. There were political battles, legal challenges and plenty of people who questioned whether the new state should even exist.
Sound familiar?
For much of its history, WVU Athletics has occupied a similar place in the national conversation. The Mountaineers have often been viewed as outsiders looking in.
Just this week on our network, State Senator Mike Oliverio discussed WVU’s failed pursuit of ACC membership years ago, noting that concerns about the university’s academic profile played a role in the conference’s decision. Whether fair or not, that perception is one West Virginians know all too well.
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It’s a stigma that has followed both the university and the state for generations – a constant need to prove that we belong. Good enough to compete, perhaps, but never fully accepted among the sport’s established powers.
Yet West Virginians have never been particularly interested in waiting for someone else’s approval.
That stubborn determination helped create a state. And it has helped build a university athletic department that is increasingly impossible to ignore.
WVU’s day
The rifle team is once again a national champion, continuing one of the greatest dynasties in collegiate athletics. The women’s basketball program has become a consistent national contender and one of the most respected programs in the Big 12. The men’s basketball program found renewed energy and momentum, giving fans reason to believe brighter days are ahead.
The baseball team didn’t just reach Omaha; it represented the entire state on one of college sports’ biggest stages. The men’s golf program continues to compete at a national level, earning postseason appearances and bringing home conference honors.
The soccer programs have consistently battled among the nation’s elite, while gymnastics continues to produce All-Americans and conference champions. Now football is in the midst of a new chapter with Rich Rodriguez returning to restore the edge and belief that once made the Mountaineers a national force.
No, WVU hasn’t won a football national championship. The trophy case isn’t overflowing with titles in every sport. But that’s not really the point. West Virginia wasn’t created because someone finally gave it permission to matter. It became a state because its people refused to accept that they didn’t. More than 160 years later, WVU Athletics carries that same spirit.
The Mountaineers are no longer asking for a seat at the table — they’re pulling up a chair.
