BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Fifteen West Virginia high school juniors have been named finalists in the West Virginia Scholar Program and are in the running for a full-ride scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Online voting begins June 9 and will end June 18. The winners will be announced at a luncheon at Wesleyan in late June.

The 2025 WV Scholar Finalists:

Emily Lewis – Ripley High School

Lucas Raney – Woodrow Wilson High School

Magdalyn Smith – Spring Mills High School

Isabella Hersey – Marion County Technical Center

Trey Mcdonough – Doddridge County High School

Andrew Harris – Elkins High School

Madeline Steele – St. Mary’s High School

Ladora Cutright – Buckhannon-Upshur High School

Olivia Edwards – Ripley High School

Wyatt Braham (pronounced BRAM) – Preston High School 

Bethany Archer – Lewis – Bridgeport High School

Rhubarb (Rhuby) Ronan – Huntington High School

Owen Herrick – Magnolia High School

Gabrielle Saurino – Preston High School

Logan Vanfosson – Greenbrier East High School

West Virginia Wesleyan Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing John Waltz said the program has changed many lives over the course of 18 years.

“We have been doing this long enough now that there are winners of this program who are doctors, lawyers and other things right in our state, right in our community. So, it has been amazing to see these folks make this kind of impact.” said Waltz. “It really makes the program worthwhile.”

The winner of the scholarship will receive four years of tuition, room and board.

First and second runners-up will also receive scholarships awards.

In addition to WVWC and MetroNews, the West Virginia Scholar Program is sponsored by Greer Industries, Friends of Coal, West Virginia Hospital Association, the West Virginia Farm Bureau and ZMM Architects & Engineers.

One of the biggest things for transfer guard Treysen Eaglestaff when he opened up his recruitment was finding the right fit where he can be himself on the floor.

West Virginia had that and more.

Eaglestaff appeared on the 3 Guys Before the Game podcast and was asked about his role with the Mountaineers this coming season and he emphasized that he just wanted to play in his final year.

The transfer guard is coming off a season at North Dakota where he averaged 18.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 41.6-percent from the field and 35.9-percent from three making him an attractive option in the transfer portal.

After backing off his initial transfer portal commitment to South Carolina, Eaglestaff opened up his recruitment and picked the Mountaineers.

“Whoever is going to let me play and be myself I’ll take that opportunity and coach Hodge emphasized that he has a lot of trust in me and my abilities. I think my role is to be a playmaker,” Eaglestaff said.

Eaglestaff said that he could be used both on and off the ball. He is excited to help his team win.

The talented transfer admitted that once he elected to open his recruitment Gonzaga, BYU and Washington all got involved in his recruitment but the allure of the roster that Hodge had put together with the Mountaineers also was very attractive to him as well outside his own opportunities.

West Virginia had already added Chattanooga transfer guard Honor Huff who made the most three-pointers in college basketball last season and that provides another offensive threat for teams to worry about. The program also already had a proven point guard in Jasper Floyd that plays defense.

“And myself as a playmaker having those two as just the guard position alone I just felt that opens up a lot,” Eaglestaff said.

That doesn’t even include the rest of the roster with pieces such as Brenen Lorient, Harlan Obioha, Chance Moore and Jackson Fields.

“I just thought we had a good chance to win,” Eaglestaff said.

An Olympic gold medal winner is facing a misdemeanor charge after she was arrested in her West Virginia hometown.

Gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton was charged with driving under the influence following her arrest in Fairmont on May 17. The Associated Press reported a person in a Porsche was driving erratically.

According to the criminal complaint, Retton smelled of alcohol and was slurring her words, and she failed a field sobriety test. Officers also reported observing a container of wine in the passenger seat, according to the Associated Press.

Retton, 57, was released after posting bond.

One of the true American legends of Olympic competition, Retton was 16 when she became the first American female gymnast to win the all-around at the 1984 games in Los Angeles.

She also won two silver and two bronze medals and is credited with helping to bring gymnastics into the mainstream in the United States.

Gymnastics remains among one of the most popular sports during the summer Olympics, often featuring in primetime coverage.

The U.S. has won every all-around gold medal since 2000 including Carly Patterson (2004), Nastia Liukin (2008), Gabby Douglas (2012), Simone Biles (2016, 2024) and Sunisa Lee (2021).