WVU football fans are grouchy, but here’s what’s ‘up’ in Mountaineer land
To say that WVU football fans are grouchy would be kind.
As a former sports writer and columnist who covered the Mountaineers, my phone still gets blown up after a loss, especially an ugly one like last weekend’s stinker against Kansas State. (Maybe a small surprise might be in store at Arizona this week? WVU is only a 3-point underdog as the Wildcats are also stumbling.)
Men’s basketball is almost here, but expectations are tempered as WVU recovers from the implosion at the end of the Bob Huggins era. The Mountaineers were slotted No. 13 in the Big 12 preseason poll. Five league teams are in the Associated Press preseason Top 10 and The Athletic claims in its Sept. 24 headline that “the sport’s top league is only getting better.”
But c’mon. Things can’t be all gloom and doom for WVU athletics, right? Right?
Thankfully, no. Not at all, in fact. There’s a TON of upbeat news.
The men’s soccer team is again, well, kicking butt. Previously ranked No. 1, they defeated South Carolina 1-0 to move to 9-1-3 with a match against Georgia State set for Wednesday.
Before that, the Mountaineers tripped up, losing to Dayton 5-1, but remain No. 12 in the latest Men’s Soccer Committee rankings. (No. 9 Marshall gives the Mountain State two teams in there.)
Top Drawer Soccer has WVU No. 8 and Marshall No. 3. Both are in the Sun Belt, in case you were unaware. Exciting times for Mountaineer coach Dan Stratford and fans.
We saw the Mountaineer women hoopers almost stun Iowa in last season’s NCAA tournament and that momentum seems to be continuing under coach Mark Kellogg.
West Virginia was placed at No. 5 in the rugged Big 12 preseason rankings (behind Kansas State, Iowa State, Baylor and TCU) and JJ Quinerly made the preseason All-Big 12 team.
More importantly, last season’s run earned so much respect the Mountaineers start the season No. 16 in the Associated Press poll. They’ll make four appearances on national networks, including three at home, this season. (WVU plays Towson on Nov. 5. That’s an ESPN+ deal.)
While on the subject of women’s sports, Nikki Izzo-Brown’s soccer team just beat Colorado 2-0 win on Senior Day at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown on Sunday afternoon to move to 11-4-2, 7-2-1 Big 12. They aren’t ranked but are receiving votes in the coaches poll. They’ll cap the regular season by traveling to Houston on Friday, Oct. 25.
Oh, and cross country anyone?
Just today, Tuesday, the Mountaineer cross country team was selected No. 4 in the NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. It’s the highest for WVU since No. 4 in 2008.
One of my favorite WVU athletes right now, senior Ceili McCabe, set a program record in the women’s 6k this past Saturday at the Wisconsin Pre Nationals meet in Madison, Wisconsin. The Mountaineers earned fourth place on Saturday, out of 33 teams.
McCabe claimed a fourth-place finish, with a personal best time of 19:10.8. Also, freshman Joy Naukot had her collegiate debut in the women’s 6k, running the fastest time for a West Virginia freshman, 19:37.4. With the time, Naukot crossed the finish line in tenth place.
Next, the Mountaineers compete at the Big 12 Championship on Nov. 1 at Baylor.
Also, the WVU golf team was impressive this season, closing out fall in the Bahamas Oct. 25-27.
At the Big 12 Match Play Championships, WVU was 2-2-1 with wins over Colorado and UCF as well as a tie against No. 24-ranked Utah.
And we can’t forget the rifle team, correct? All it has done is win 17 regular season matches. It’s now No. 2-ranked after collecting its fourth win of the season and the first in the Great America Rifle Conference by downing No. 13 Memphis on Saturday.
A kicker to go on? Three former Mountaineer basketball players are on opening night NBA rosters: Jevon Carter with Chicago, Miles McBride with the New York Knicks and – how about this? — Jesse Edwards with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So, if the WVU football team has you a little down, well, scroll down. There’s much, much good news in Mountaineer Land.
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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.