West Virginia
WVU Sports Hall of Fame Class Selected – West Virginia University Athletics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Six outstanding contributors to Mountaineer athletics make up the 33rd class of honorees in the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame, announced today by Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker.
The 2023 class includes Trevor Gathman (rifle), Bruce Irvin (football), TeShawne Jackson (gymnastics), Jay Jacobs (broadcaster), Buddy Quertinmont (men’s basketball) and Renee Riccio (women’s swimming & diving). This class brings the total number of inductees to 229.
Induction ceremonies will take place Saturday, Sept. 23, prior to the West Virginia-Texas Tech football game. For tickets, fans can visit WVUGAME.com.
Trevor Gathman
Trevor Gathman was a two-time national champion and seven-time All-American in rifle from 1993-96, leading WVU to three NCAA titles during his career.
Gathman was a first team All-American all four years at West Virginia, earning first-team air rifle honors from 1993-96 and first-team smallbore accolades in 1995-96. He earned second-team smallbore honors in 1993.
A native of Corbett, Oregon, Gathman led WVU to NCAA titles in 1993, 1995 and 1996, and a runner-up finish in 1994. The Mountaineers posted a regular season record of 43-1 during his career.
Gathman was named College Sports Magazine Division I Rifle Athlete of the Year in 1995 and 1996 and the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association Shooter of the NCAA Championship in 1996. He was named the team’s Most Valuable Shooter in 1995 and 1996.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from WVU, Gathman joined the United States Army in 1997 and was assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit International Rifle Team after completing basic and infantry training. He retired from the Army in 2005.
Gathman won five interservice championships from 2001-04, was a 2001 national air rifle bronze medalist, earned silver medalist at the three-position national championships in 1999, was the 1999 NRA iron sight standing national champion, was a three-position gold medalist in 1995 and a prone bronze medalist at the Olympic Festival in 1994.
He won the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and Army Superior Unit Award.
Gathman and his wife, Dixi, have two daughters, Miah and Anna, and live in Belleville, West Virginia.
Bruce Irvin
Bruce Irvin was an All-America linebacker in 2010 and 2011 and a first round NFL Draft pick in 2012.
As a senior in 2011, Irvin was tabbed First Team All-Big East after finishing fourth in the conference in sacks and tying for 28th nationally. He tied for seventh in the league in tackles for loss and tied for third in forced fumbles. Irvin led WVU in sacks (8.5), forced fumbles (3) and tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (15).
The Atlanta native collected a career-high seven tackles while adding two sacks versus Pitt. He was named a Fourth Team All-American by Phil Steele. In his first season as a junior at WVU in 2010, he was tabbed Honorable Mention All-American by SI.com. Irvin was named Second Team All-Big East after he finished second in the nation in sacks. He led the Big East in sacks and tied for fourth in tackles for loss. Irvin recorded a season-high four solo tackles against Maryland, including a season-high three sacks for 22 yards.
Irvin finished his WVU career fourth on the career sack chart (22.5) and third on WVU’s single-season sack chart (14).
The Seattle Seahawks selected Irvin in the first round (15th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft. He was the highest selected Mountaineer since Adam Jones in 2005. Irvin was also the first defensive end and fourth defensive lineman selected in 2012.
He had three stints with Seattle (2012-15, 2020 and 2022) and also played for Oakland (2016-18), Atlanta (2018), Carolina (2019) and Chicago (2021). Irvin played in two Super Bowls, XLVIII and XLIX, winning XLVIII against Denver in 2014, 43-8, a game in which he made two solo tackles.
For his NFL career, he had 340 total tackles, 55 1/2 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three interceptions, 13 pass deflections and two defensive touchdowns. Irvin was the NFL forced fumbles co-leader in 2016 and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2012.
Irvin was active in the community, especially during his time with Raiders. For his efforts, he was honored in 2017 as Oakland’s representative for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. It is considered one of the league’s most prestigious honors, recognizing an NFL Player for outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field.
Along with his own charities, Irvin hosted football clinics in Charleston, West Virginia and assisted with his teammates efforts. He volunteered with food banks, helped distribute food to families, visited children’s hospitals, participated in the team’s Crucial Catch community event – (breast cancer survivors), joined members of the local Girls Inc., advocating change together program and made financial contributions to help relief efforts for those affected by Northern California wildfires.
Irvin was a First Team All-American at Mt. San Antonio College prior to arriving at WVU. He played high school football at Stephenson High School.
Irvin returned to WVU in 2018 to earn his Regents Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Education and Human Services. He and his wife, Jonnie, have three sons, Brayden, Brody and Beau.
TeShawne Jackson
TeShawne Jackson owns the most career perfect-10 scores in WVU gymnastics history with seven from 2000-03.
Jackson had a well-decorated four-year career, winning the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) vault and all-around titles in 2001 and 2002, tying the WVU career record for individual conference titles with four.
In addition to holding the WVU school record of seven perfect scores, Jackson owns the Mountaineer career record for most scores of 9.9 or higher on vault and floor with 23 and 21, respectively. She holds school records of 10.0 on the vault (four times) and floor exercise (three times).
Jackson is the only WVU gymnast to score two 10.0s in one meet and owns the WVU Coliseum vault (10.0) and floor exercise (10.0) individual records. She tallied 48 career scores of 9.9 or better, a program record.
She scored 39.0+ in the all-around 15 times, ranking seventh in program history. Jackson competed in 51 career meets (14th all-time), ranks 13th in career points (1,636.95), ranks 14th in program history in career all-around meets (32) and tallied 506.625 points in 2002, the 17h-best season point total in history.
As a freshman, Jackson helped the Mountaineers advance to the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive season. She finished first on floor exercise at the 2000 NCAA Regional Championships, tying for the top event finish in program history and becoming the first Mountaineer gymnast to win floor at an NCAA Regional. She qualified for the 2002 NCAA National Championships in the all-around, boasting a WVU record 9.85 at an NCAA National Championships event.
WVU recorded a combined 77-31 record during Jackson’s career and claimed the EAGL team title in 2001.
Jackson was a 10-time All-EAGL honoree, earning seven All-EAGL First Team accolades, including four straight All-EAGL Vault First Team Awards. A 2003 team captain, she was the team MVP in 2002 and captured the 2003 Joseph Medrick Award for the team’s top all-around gymnast.
The Brooklyn, New York native, has a gymnastics move named after her, which is recognized in the Code of Points (tour jeté ring ½).
In 2000, Jackson captured the NCAA North Central Regional Championship in floor exercise and was an individual national qualifier in 1999 at Junior Nationals before qualifying as a collegiate gymnast in 2000 and 2002.
Jackson graduated from WVU in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a co-concentration in athletic coaching education.
Following graduation, she has coached at numerous gymnastics training centers and has coached collegiately, including assistant coach stops at Ball State, William & Mary, Iowa State and Utah State. Jackson has tutored multiple club gymnasts who have obtained full college scholarships and multiple national champions. She also has led multiple teams to earn the North Carolina Club of the Year honors.
In 2019, Jackson was inducted into the Region 8 Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
Jay Jacobs
Former WVU cager Jay Jacobs has been analyzing Mountaineer men’s basketball games for nearly five decades on West Virginia University telecasts and more recently on the radio network.
The Morgantown native was initially hired by Paul Miller as a basketball analyst for Mountaineer Sports Network (MSN) television in 1977, forming a three-way pairing with the late Jack Fleming and Woody O’Hara. He also did television work for Home Team Sports, Creative Sports Marketing and ESPN during Sun Belt Conference games before transitioning primarily to radio in the mid-1990s when he teamed with Fleming, and then with veteran play-by-play man Tony Caridi starting with the 1996-97 season.
During his time broadcasting Mountaineer basketball, Jacobs has been on hand to analyze some of the greatest moments in WVU basketball history, including eight trips to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, an Elite Eight appearance in 2005 and a trip to the Final Four in 2010.
In all, Jacobs has been involved with 20 NCAA Tournament teams, not to mention the two appearances WVU made in 1959-60 when he was a player.
Through the years, Jacobs did radio and television work for the women’s basketball program as well.
Jacobs, an all-state player and the all-time leading scorer at Morgantown High, was part of the Jerry West era at WVU – considered the “Golden Era” of Mountaineer basketball.
Following graduation, Jacobs coached four years at Union High in Benwood, West Virginia, and then several more at Thomas Johnson High in Frederick, Maryland, through the 1973-74 season when he left coaching for an administrative job in the Frederick County school system.
In 1996, he retired from his job as assistant principal at Ballenger Middle School to devote his full time to WVU basketball.
In addition to game broadcasts, Jacobs is also a popular contributor to the weekly basketball radio shows. During each season, the dedicated Jacobs faithfully makes the two-plus-hour, wintertime drive across the Maryland and West Virginia mountains to work basketball games and shows.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from WVU in physical education in 1961 and a master’s degree in secondary education with an emphasis in administration in 1962.
Jay and his wife, Bonnie, currently reside in Walkersville, Maryland. They have one son, John, and one daughter, the late Lisa Quick, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Jules “Buddy” Quertinmont
The late Buddy Quertinmont helped the men’s basketball team to three Southern Conference titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances during his career from 1961-65.
Quertinmont, the first recruit signed by the late George King, played in 68 career varsity games, making 46 starts. At the conclusion of his four-year Mountaineer career, he had tallied a total of 1,053 points.
He was WVU’s top scorer on the 1961-62 freshman team, averaging 24.3 points per game, totaling 364 points for the season. That was the fourth-highest mark in WVU freshman history. He finished his varsity career with 689 points, 178 rebounds and 97 assists.
After playing behind All-America guard Rod Thorn as a sophomore, he was a starter his last two seasons, averaging 10.3 points as a junior and 14.5 points as a senior. Quertinmont tallied 20 points or more in a game 10 times as a Mountaineer.
The Point Marion, Pennsylvania, native scored a career-best 32 points against Duke on Feb. 6, 1965, at Cameron Indoor Stadium. He also notched 30 points against George Washington.
WVU won the Southern Conference Tournament titles in 1963 and 1965 and the Southern Conference regular season championship in 1963.
Following graduation, he played professionally in the Eastern Basketball League for the Scranton Miners. His high school career point total of 2,066 is still the school district’s second-most points ever scored and is sixth in Fayette County history. Quertinmont was a member of the first class to graduate from the new Albert Gallatin High in 1961. His 687 points as a senior led the entire state of Pennsylvania. He was a three-time all-county and two-time all-state selection.
He remained involved with his alma mater as owner and operator of Point Marion Ford from 1970 until his retirement in 2012. In the mid-1970s, Quertinmont, along with Lyle Horton and Coach Bobby Bowden, founded the Mountaineer Wheels Club to provide automobiles to WVU coaches. He was a longtime member of the Mountaineer Athletic Club and WVU Sports Hall of Fame Committee. He also served as the president of the WVU Varsity Club and the WVU Letterman’s Club. As a member of the WVU Touchdown Club, Quertinmont was the recipient of the Proficiency Award.
Quertinmont was inducted into the Fayette County (Pa.) Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Pittsburgh Area Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
He died in Morgantown on Dec. 3, 2017, at the age of 74. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Brenda, son Buddy Jr., who played college basketball at Washington & Jefferson and daughter, Lori (Martin), who was a four-year letterwinner in women’s basketball for the Mountaineers and was one of the key members of WVU’s NCAA Tournament team in 1992. The Quertinmonts have three grandchildren: Jacob, Maggie and Will.
Renee Riccio
The late Renee Riccio was a three-time All-American in swimming & diving during her collegiate career from 1989-93. She was the first WVU swimmer to earn two All-America honors in the same season.
Riccio was considered coach Kevin Gilson’s top recruit in the late 1980s. She came to WVU after spending two years at The Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey. She had accomplished everything she could at Altoona High in Altoona, Pennsylvania, from setting a national YMCA record in the 50-yard freestyle as a 10-year-old to breaking every record Altoona had before enrolling at Peddie when she was 16.
A member of the 2008 Blair County Sports Hall of Fame, Riccio became the team’s top swimmer when she arrived in 1990. Riccio is one of just seven female swimmers in school history to qualify for at least three NCAA championships, encompassing seven different events in all. She earned All-America honors in 1991 in the 100 fly and in 1992 in the 100 and 200 fly.
Riccio graduated with four school records in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 I.M. and 400 I.M. Her 200 I.M. time of 2:02.38 posted in 1993 is the sixth-fastest in school history, and her 200 fly clocking of 2:00.06 ranks fifth.
During Riccio’s senior season, WVU was three points shy of having an undefeated campaign with victories over Pitt, Virginia Tech and Maryland. The team also won the Atlantic 10 and Eastern Championships. Riccio was team captain and conference MVP from her sophomore to her senior years. She was undefeated in dual-meet competition her entire career.
Riccio was one of 42 swimmers to qualify for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials and she ended up finishing 13th in the prelims with a time of 1:02.16. Riccio was a member of the Senior National Championship Fort Lauderdale Swim Team in 1992.
Riccio met her husband, Frank McCutchan, while both were members of the WVU team and after moves to Atlanta, Charlotte and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, the couple made Morgantown their home for 20 years.
Riccio worked as a physical therapy aid, swim coach, and after taking several years off to stay home with her children, a swim instructor for children with special needs at SteppingStones of Morgantown. She volunteered extensively for Monongalia County Schools, including as a volunteer coach of the University High swim team.
Riccio passed away on August 24, 2021, after a year-long battle with melanoma.
Riccio is also survived by her two children, Jacqueline, who recently completed her WVU swimming & diving career, earning a victory in the 100 backstroke at the 2023 Big 12 Swimming & Diving Championships, and Frankie, who has just started his career on the WVU men’s swimming & diving team.
West Virginia
West Virginia falls at 10th-ranked Houston, 70-54 – WV MetroNews
West Virginia hung tough for large stretches of Wednesday’s clash against 10th-ranked Houston at Fertitta Center.
Ultimately, the Cougars’ offensive efficiency and ability to generate stops — particularly in the latter stages of the contest — ruled out in helping the home team claim a 70-54 victory.
“It seemed like every mistake we made defensively, they burned us on them,” first-year WVU head coach Darian DeVries said. “That was a credit to them. They’re a really good team with really good players. We got it down there several times and weren’t able to get us that next big play to get us back to even.”
The Mountaineers (12-4, 3-2) got off to a solid start thanks in large part to Javon Small’s trio of three-pointers within a span of four possessions. The last one gave WVU a 15-12 lead, and the advantage grew to 18-13 moments later when freshman Jonathan Powell made a challenged triple.
But Houston (13-3, 5-0) countered with 11 unanswered points, tying the game at 18 on an L.J. Cryer triple and going in front for good when Emanuel Sharp connected from long range.
J’Wan Roberts gave the Mountaineers problems in and around the paint throughout the night, and his short jumper 6:10 before halftime made it a double-digit margin for the first time as the Cougars led, 31-21.
WVU’s deficit was 36-27 following a Sencire Harris bucket, but Roberts accounted for the final four points of the half to send Houston to the intermission with a 13-point advantage.
“We came into the game playing 1-on-1 on the interior and he made us pay for that,” DeVries said. “We doubled a couple times and he made us pay for that, too. He’s a really good player and he puts you in some tough positions and surrounded with really good pieces on top of that. We were hanging around and had a really good rhythm to the game. Those costly turnovers were a big key.”
Toby Okani and Powell opened the second half with threes on WVU’s first two possessions, and when Harris converted a fast break opportunity on the next one, the Mountaineers were to within five at 40-35.
Although Houston built its advantage back up to 49-36, West Virginia got three threes and 12 points from Amani Hansberry over a matter of 2:38 to pull to within 51-48.
Houston countered with 14 unanswered points to put the game out of reach, starting with a Ja’Vier Francis dunk and later getting a conventional three-point play from Milos Uzan and a Terrance Arceneaux three.
Hansberry accounted for six of WVU’s nine second-half field goals, and nobody else on the Mountaineers made a basket over the final 18 minutes.
“Javon got off to a great start and in the second half, we weren’t able to get him loose quite as much. A couple times, maybe he came off some staggers and things that he had a little bit of a look, but they close so quickly that we couldn’t get him free as much,” DeVries said. “We were able to get Amani a little separated because they were putting two to the ball and Javon. We got some looks there that he was able to knock down to get us back in that game.”
Houston shot 25 for 51 and 11 of 26 on threes.
The Cougars scored 25 points off WVU 12 turnovers, while the Mountaineers managed nine points off seven Cougar turnovers.
“They did a great job capitalizing on our turnovers,” DeVries said. “We didn’t have a lot of them. Twelve is a higher number than we’d like, and the ones we did turnover were a lot of live ball turnovers that they were able to get down in transition. We made some mistakes on some ball screens and went under a few and gave some pretty clean looks there and they capitalized on them and really made us pay.”
Roberts made 10-of-13 shots and led all players with 22 points. Cryer added five of his team’s 11 threes and scored 18, while Sharp added 14.
Hansberry led WVU with 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Small scored 13 to go with a game-high eight assists.
Houston has yet to allow more than 57 points in a Big 12 game this season.
West Virginia
Democrats want WV Supreme Court to clarify House seat vacated over man's house arrest – WV MetroNews
West Virginia’s Democratic Party wants the state Supreme Court to weigh in over a House of Delegates move to vacate a seat won by a Berkeley County man who is now confined at his home on charges that he threatened people who would have been his legislative colleagues.
The filing by Democrats contends the House of Delegates acted inconsistently by vacating the seat won by Joseph de Soto since he was among seven elected delegates who were not present to take the oath of office on an organizational day last week — but he was the only one knocked out in perpetuity.
De Soto was elected as a Republican but changed his political affiliation to Democrat the day before he was arrested. Democrats say West Virginia precedent means a Democrat should be named to fill the seat.
“This is not just about one seat,” said Mike Pushkin, chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party. “This is about defending the rule of law and ensuring that the people of District 91 have their rightful representation in the House of Delegates. The actions taken by the House of Delegates undermine the integrity of our democratic process.”
The writ of mandamus filed with the West Virginia Supreme Court names House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, and Gov. Patrick Morrisey, each in their official capacity.
Debate broke out on the House floor a week ago, Jan. 8, over whether the proper, constitutional procedure was being followed as the seat won by de Soto was vacated.
De Soto was arrested in December and charged with making threats of terrorist acts, referring to statements he is accused of making to several delegates. He is listed as a pre-trial felon.
Because de Soto was not present with most other delegates to take the oath of office last week, he was not seated.
Members of the House of Delegates then went a step farther by introducing a resolution to declare the seat vacant. Conceivably, that would allow a new representative to be selected prior to the start of the 60-day regular session on Feb. 12.
The vacancy was declared on the grounds of Article XI, Section 16 of the West Virginia Constitution. A key portion of that section says: “Any member who shall refuse to take the oath herein prescribed, shall forfeit his seat.”
Debate among some delegates then focused on whether de Soto’s failure to take the oath of office because of the arrest and home confinement constitutes refusal to do so.
That’s a point that the Democratic Party has asked the state Supreme Court to resolve.
A question being directed to the justices is “Whether the House of Delegates can declare vacant the seat of a duly elected,
qualified, and ready-to-serve delegate for reasons related to misconduct.”
Another question has focused on the party of the delegate to be appointed to replace de Soto. The final line of the resolution designates the Republican Executive Committee of Berkeley County to begin action on the vacancy.
The rational of the Republican supermajority in the House is that because de Soto was never officially seated, the fact that he had registered as a Democrat weeks prior to this would have no bearing on the situation.
The Democrats are seeking clarity from the Supreme Court.
They are asking justices if a person holding the office immediately preceding a declared vacancy in a House of Delegate seat would include a person who was duly elected, assumed office on Dec. 1 following the election, as provided in West Virginia state code, but who had not yet taken the oath of office.
The Berkeley County Democratic Executive Committee says it has gone ahead and submitted this list of qualified nominees for Governor Morrisey’s consideration:
- David Michaels – Hedgesville, WV
- Stephen Willingham – Hedgesville, WV
- Timothy Lee – Inwood, WV
“It’s imperative that the law and the constitution be followed in this matter,” said Tammy Offutt, chair of the Berkeley County Democratic Executive Committee.
“We expect the Governor to respect the clear requirements of West Virginia law by appointing one of the three above-named individuals to fill the 91st Delegate District seat.”
State Republican Party Chairman Matthew Herridge responded by saying, “The West Virginia Republican Party is concluding its legislative vacancy nomination process for the 91st District this week, and that will be submitted to Governor Morrisey for his appointment.”
West Virginia
Community Care of West Virginia receives $500,000 from Biden-Harris Administration to expand hours of operation
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently announced a $60 million investment in 125 HRSA-funded community health centers that serve nearly 4.2 million people to expand their hours of operation to improve access to health care services.
Community Care of West Virginia received $500,000 in funding.
Health centers receiving this new funding will add an additional 20 hours of operation a week on average to support the critical clinical and administrative staff necessary to add early morning (before work), night and weekend hours.
Since health centers see patients regardless of their ability to pay, this expansion of operating hours will be particularly critical for people who are uninsured, underinsured, or have Medicaid coverage and struggle to find affordable care outside of traditional business hours and cannot afford expensive visits to urgent care, retail clinics or emergency departments. This funding will also help health center patients with common challenges in accessing health care such as taking a child to the doctor after work or getting a timely appointment when not feeling well on the weekend. It will help connect patients to preventive services and resources for health-related social needs to improve health outcomes. Many patients currently forgo care altogether in these circumstances, putting their health at greater risk and leading to more expensive visits to emergency departments when conditions get more serious.
“No one should have to delay or skip a trip to the doctor because of work or school. The millions of Americans who can’t miss their daytime work shift, whose kids are in school, who have limited child care, or who face transportation challenges deserve the same access to quality care,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These investments will help to extend operating hours, especially for patients in rural or underserved communities nationwide. I’m proud to be part of an Administration that leaves nobody behind.”
“Today’s action is another example of the Biden-Harris Administration taking action to address the challenges families face in getting health care services,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “Having the option to get to the doctor before or after work or on the weekend not only helps families get the care they need, but it also helps relieve some of the stress and burden on families trying to arrange care. HRSA’s investment is expanding access to care in a way that recognizes the day-to-day realities of working families across the country.”
HRSA-supported health centers provide access to primary care services — regardless of an individual’s ability to pay — for over 31 million patients at more than 15,000 service sites in high need communities. More than 90 percent of health center patients have incomes below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
For a list of the awardees, visit: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/funding/funding-opportunities/expanded-hours/fy-25-awards
To find a health center, visit: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov
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