West Virginia

Neal Brown Describes What WVU Football Means to West Virginia on National Show

Published

2 years ago

August 18, 2024

Neal Brown Describes What WVU Football Means to West Virginia on National Show

With anticipation building on kickoff of a season, WVU head coach Neal Brown made an appearance on a popular national college football show to talk some Mountaineers in 2024.

And while talking to Mary Smith and Ryan McGee on their “Marty and McGee” show, Brown touched on what West Virginia football means to the state.

First, Brown told a story about WVU fans staying all night after his Mountaineers beat Virginia Tech in Blacksburg in 2022 to sing Country Roads. He then compared WVU to Arkansas and Nebraska as major programs as the only Power Four school in states without any professional teams within the major leagues.

On #MartyndMcGee a GREAT chat w @NealBrown_WVU
(I believe WVU could make CFP if they play to their ability)
•Deep importance of @WVUfootball to folks in Wild Wonderful.
•Great rivalries w PennSt/Pitt
•9-4 in 2023. What now?
•QB Garrett Greene 🚀
•Jogger pants?
•Dirty Myrtle pic.twitter.com/ulT2wbd8gi
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) August 17, 2024
Advertisement

“It probably took me a couple years to fully understand that the makeup of our team and how we played…and the culture and identity of who we are really needed to match the people. And we gotta be a physical, mentally and physically tough team, because that’s who our people are. Man, college football is special,” said Brown.

After waxing poetic on WVU and West Virginia, Brown reiterated some comments he’s made throughout the offseason about feeling his team and players are being overlooked nationally, how the new format of the College Football Playoff provides easier access and how his team needs to be ready for their regional rivalry matchups with Penn State and Pitt prior to the start of conference play.

Both hosts agreed that Brown’s team could surprise people this season and win the Big 12.

Much to Brown’s chagrin, the Mountaineers were left out of the top 25 of both the Coaches Poll and the Associated Press’ poll.

WVU head coach Neal Brown talking to reporters after winning the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 27, 2023. (Mike Asti / WV Sports Now)

“If you just look at our resume, how we finished the year, quality wins we had last year with what we had coming back, that resume is going to get in the Top 25. So what gives? I don’t know. Our top players are being undervalued,” said Brown when prompted for his reaction to entering the season on the outside looking in.

But regardless, Brown is fired up. In fact, WVU’s head coach admitted to being more fired up at the start of fall camp this year than any other year since he’s been in Morgantown.

“I’ll start with this, I’m fired up about this group. So this is year 22 for me as a coach, year 10 as a head coach, and probably as excited as I’ve been,” said Brown while kicking off fall camp.

“I really feel comfortable with our staff, and it’s layered. Everybody can coach, which I think is a good rule. I think that’ll help us especially in fall camp, and within our development guys once we get into season. Our support areas are really strong right now, academic strength conditioning, nutrition, sports psych, athletic training, our medical group. I feel like they were really strong in those support areas. I really liked the leadership of this team. If you look at the guys that have been here and grown through our culture, really pleased where that’s at,” he added.

For a related story, another national media member says WVU can make the College Football Playoff without winning a Big 12 title.

Could WVU Make the College Football Playoff Without Big 12 Title?

Source link

Click to comment

West Virginia

Weir High senior Hailey Hans named 2026 West Virginia student journalist of the year

Published

8 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Weir High senior Hailey Hans named 2026 West Virginia student journalist of the year

Hancock County, WV — A Weir High School senior has been recognized as the 2026 West Virginia Student Journalist of the Year.

Hailey Hans was selected for the statewide honor after building a journalism portfolio since her freshman year. She also serves as the staff manager of Weir Student Media, where she oversees articles and is in charge of deadlines.

“When I was a freshman I was placed in the journalism one class, and I actually tried to get pulled from the class. But, then after I sat in the class and I learned a little bit, that’s where my love grew and then from there I continued to take classes, I helped pass a law, and I got to these national conventions. Where it just lit a fire inside me,” Hans said.

Hans is planning to attend West Liberty University in the fall to study education with a minor in journalism, with the goal of becoming a journalism teacher. She will now submit her portfolio for the national-level contest.

Source link

West Virginia

Big 12 Conference Bracket Matchups, Dates, and Start Times

Published

21 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Big 12 Conference Bracket Matchups, Dates, and Start Times

The regular season is now behind us, and we are moving on to the next chapter of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, the week of conference tournaments.

With their win on Friday over UCF and thanks to TCU taking care of business against Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon, the West Virginia Mountaineers have locked up the No. 7 seed in the Big 12 tournament, meaning they will receive a first-round bye. Ross Hodge’s squad will await the winner of No. 10 BYU and No. 15 Kansas State.

While most may think it’s best to pull for K-State to spring the upset, it’s actually probably better if BYU wins. Why? Well, simply because beating Kansas State isn’t going to boost your resume. If there’s any chance at an at-large bid for the Mountaineers, they need to beat more quality teams. Beating BYU a second time would go a long way, and then springing the upset against Houston in the quarterfinals would really open some eyes.

Anyways, here is a look at all of the matchups and the entire bracket.

First round byes: Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia, UCF

Double byes: Arizona, Houston, Kansas, Texas Tech

Tuesday (First Round)

Game 1: No. 12 Arizona State vs. No. 13 Baylor, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 2: No. 9 Cincinnati vs. No. 16 Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 3: No. 10 BYU vs. No. 15 Kansas State, 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 4: No. 11 Colorado vs. No. 14 Oklahoma State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Wednesday (Second Round)

Game 5: No. 5 Iowa State vs. winner of No. 12 Arizona State/No. 13 Baylor, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 6: No. 8 UCF vs. winner of No. 9 Cincinnati/No. 16 Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPNU

Game 7: No. 7 West Virginia vs. winner of No. 10 BYU/No. 15 Kansas State, 7 p.m. on ESPNU

Game 8: No. 6 TCU vs. winner of No. 11 Colorado/No. 14 Oklahoma State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2/U

Thursday (Quarterfinals)

Game 9: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. Game 5 winner, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 10: No. 1 Arizona vs. Game 6 winner, 3 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 11: No. 2 Houston vs. Game 7 winner, 7 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 12: No. 3 Kansas vs. Game 8 winner, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Friday (Semifinals)

Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Saturday (Championship)

Game 15: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 6 p.m. on ESPN

Full Bracket

Big 12

Source link

West Virginia

Gia Cooke hits clutch 3-pointer and No. 15 West Virginia women land in Big 12 Tournament title game

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Gia Cooke hits clutch 3-pointer and No. 15 West Virginia women land in Big 12 Tournament title game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gia Cooke scored 14 points and her go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute helped No. 15 West Virginia escape with a 48-47 victory over Colorado in a Big 12 Tournament semifinal on Saturday night.

A 3-pointer by Desiree Wooten gave sixth-seeded Colorado a 45-43 lead with 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. On West Virginia’s next possession, Cooke’s offensive rebound led to her clutch 3-pointer that gave the second-seeded Mountaineers a 46-45 lead with 38 seconds remaining.

After a miss by Colorado, Jordan Harrison made two free throws for a three-point West Virginia lead at 16 seconds. Wooten was then fouled on a 3-point try with two seconds left but made only two free throws. Cooke was fouled immediately but missed both free throws, leaving Colorado one last chance. Instead, a steal by Harrison preserved the win for West Virginia.

The sluggish performance was not indicative of two teams that came into the matchup on a roll. Colorado had won seven of nine games and the Mountaineers had won eight of nine.

Harrison led West Virginia (26-6) with 15 points and Kierra Wheeler contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Zyanna Walker scored 16 points and Wooten 12 off the bench for Colorado (22-11).

West Virginia led 13-12 after one quarter, then neither team made a shot in the final six minutes of a dismal second quarter. The Mountaineers missed their last 10 attempts, the Buffaloes their last six, and the score was 17-17 at halftime.

West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison chases after the ball after knocking the ball away from Colorado’s Jade Masogayo during second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel

The Mountaineers opened up a 12-point lead in the third quarter, but missed their last nine shots. Still, they took a 34-30 lead to the fourth quarter.