West Virginia
Ofri Naveh Chooses to Remain at West Virginia for Sophomore Year
Ofri Naveh, West Virginia forward, announced on Wednesday afternoon that he will remain at WVU next season and forego entering the transfer portal.
Naveh is the last scholarship player remaining from this past season’s roster.
Naveh posted the following on social media.
“Dear Mountaineer Nation,
“I am thrilled to announce my decision to remain a part of the West Virginia family and forego entering the transfer portal. After careful consideration, I have found that my heart remains in Morgantown, and I am committed to continuing my journey as a Mountaineer.
“There are several reasons behind my choice to stay, each of which holds significant importance to me:
“Love for the University and Morgantown: WVU is more than just a school to me; it’s a home. The unparalleled support from the community specially in such a tough time for me and my family back home, and the infectious spirit of Morgantown have truly captured my heart. I am proud to represent this incredible institution both on and off the court.
“Coaching Staff: I want to express my sincere gratitude to coach Devries and the staff for their belief in me. Their trust and confidence have motivated me to push myself beyond limits, and I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to collaborate with them on the court. Together, we will push for greatness and continue to uphold the proud legacy of Mountaineer basketball. I would also like to thank our previous coaching staff for giving me this amazing opportunity last spring.
“Commitment to Development: My decision to stay also reflects my dedication to personal growth and development. I have been fortunate to work closely with our exceptional strength & conditioning team, trainers, and support staff, who have played a pivotal role in shaping my skills and athleticism. I am excited to build upon this foundation and showcase the results of our hard work to our loyal fans.
“As I embark on this new chapter with renewed enthusiasm and determination, I am reminded of the words that echo through the hills of West Virginia: HAIL WV! Together, let us continue to embody the Mountaineer spirit and pursue excellence in everything we do.
“Thank you for your unwavering support, and I cannot wait to make you proud on the court. Go Mountaineers!”
Naveh joined West Virginia’s program last August under former head coach Josh Eilert. Naveh has a connection with ex-assistant Da’Sean Butler. The 6-foot-6 forward from Israel played in 24 games and started in seven of those for the Mountaineers. Naveh averaged 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes his freshman year.
BOONE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – We have a traffic alert for drivers in the Danville area of Boone County.
Starting on Friday, they should expect delays as crew perform work on the Jill Micah Hess Bridge along U.S. 119.
According to the West Virginia Department of Transportation, northbound traffic will be shifted from the slow lane to the fast lane.
This will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and drivers are asked to expect delays.
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West Virginia
Community Catalyst Grant applications are open through West Virginia First Foundation through June 30 – WV MetroNews
The West Virginia First Foundation, which was established to use drug lawsuit settlement money to try to alleviate problems related to addiction, reported having access to $378.5 million in financial resources and noted that more than $34 million in grants have been awarded since the organization’s start.
The West Virginia First Foundation met for a few minutes Thursday at Ascend West Virginia in Charleston. The meeting was also available for view through streaming.
Executive Director Jonathan Board highlighted the launch of the Community Catalyst Grant application and a statewide needs assessment intended to identify service gaps.
Designed as a three-year, outcomes-driven investment, the program will support projects focused on public safety response, day report centers and generational prevention efforts. The program opened for applications on June 1 and remains open through June 30.
“We’re very encouraged by the interest and engagement so far,” Board said.
The board also approved a $4 million funding request for the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. The project is focused on expanding access to innovative addiction treatment and recovery support tools while building the technology and infrastructure needed to support implementation across West Virginia.
Additional details about the project and funding agreement are to be released in the coming weeks following the completion of final documentation. West Virginia First Foundation and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute plan to issue a joint announcement once the agreement process is complete.
“They’ve gone through a very rigorous process for the correct funding,” Board said. “Their team has presented an opportunity to fund a project that will build technology, training and support systems of care needed to expand access to an innovative addiction treatment approach throughout the state of West Virginia, and really beyond.”
The West Virginia First Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2023 to manage and distribute 72.5% of the state’s opioid settlement funds, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The organization is aimed at combatting the addiction crisis through grants and regional projects.
The next regular meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Directors is scheduled for Sept. 17 although it’s subject to change.
West Virginia may have come up empty-handed in two tries against North Carolina in the College World Series, but they earned the respect of their head coach, Scott Forbes, who was incredibly complimentary of the Mountaineers following Wednesday’s game.
“I want to congratulate West Virginia. A heck of a team, a heck of a run,” he opened his postgame press conference with. “They are very well coached. They just play the game the right way. It’s a credit to their coaching staff. They come at you a lot of ways. A lot of speed, deep pitching staff, so we really had to work in those two games to beat them. I’ve been in their shoes, and I know what that feels like, and it’s a stinker. But man, they got a lot to be proud of, and they should be extremely proud of how they represented their university.”
The culture at WVU is as strong as it gets
Multiple times this season, West Virginia looked like they were well on their way to a loss and were rewarded with a win because they never stopped playing hard. Everyone thinks of the two games against Kentucky in the Morgantown Regional, and rightfully so, but they also came back to win after trailing by eight against UCF and after trailing by five to BYU.
For a moment, there was a belief that the magical moment was going to come again during Wednesday’s game against Forbes’ Tar Heels. With two outs in the 7th and trailing 12-1, Armani Guzman busted his tail down the first base line to beat out a grounder to short. It ultimately led to a five-run inning for the Mountaineers, all of a sudden turning a laugher into a semi-interesting game. Gavin Kelly hit a solo home run in the 8th to make it a five-run deficit, and in the ninth, Ben Lumsden just missed a three-run shot that would have really put pressure on North Carolina, even with two outs.
To have your team still playing hard when trailing by 11 with their season likely about to come to an end, it says a lot about the character of this group, but also how deeply ingrained the culture is at WVU. There’s a reason this program has turned the corner over the last 14 or so years and is continuing to trend up. They’ve had the right people in place leading it.
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