Mountaineer Morning Links: Friday (4/10/15) Edition

New Baseball stadium gets christened today, football practice & draft reports, WVUPros news, Big 12 roundup & more.

By WVUIE97@WVUIE97 Apr 10, 2015, 9:32am EDT

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Ommegang Brewery's Three Eyed Raven Dark Saison Ale because winter is coming.

What You May Have Missed:

Rifle Competes at World Cup - WVU Athletics
Three members of the national champion West Virginia University rifle team, along with coach Jon Hammond, will compete in the 2015 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Changwon Rifle/Pistol World Cup, April 10-16, in Changwon, Korea.

ST158: West Virginia’s feisty and ferocious true freshman Zeke Moisey - Mat Talk
It’d been 12 years since an unseeded wrestler had reached the NCAA Division I championship finals. Back then, they only seeded to 12. With the field now seeded at 16, having an unseeded wrestler reach the finals is less likely.

Fan Shirt 2015 - West Virginia University
View the designs below and cast your vote. When you vote, you enter to win the 2015 Official WVU Fan Shirt. The winning design will be announced at the Gold-Blue Game on April 25th.

Kevin Koken was catalyst of the unbeaten 1988 WVU offensive line - Beckley Register-Herald
Kevin Koken, a Youngstown, Ohio, native, was the starting center of West Virginia University’s first football team to ever go through a regular season undefeated and untied.

News of Note:

Baseball

Baseball Hosts Butler in Ballpark Grand Opening - WVU Athletics
The WVU baseball team will host a three-game series against Butler.

Wind, outfield walls among quirks of Monongalia County Ballpark - Charleston Daily Mail
Players and coaches gasped when they stepped on the field for the first time this week.

Yard work - WVU Sports with Mike Casazza
What’s sort of cool about all of this is that despite the three week delay, WVU opens with 11 straight home games.

West Virginia opens home season tonight against Butler Bulldogs - Daily Athenaeum
West Virginia will play its home opener today as it welcomes the Butler Bulldogs to the new Monongalia County Ballpark.

Munden breaking out in senior season - Daily Athenaeum
One of those Texans to follow Mazey to Morgantown is senior short stop Taylor Munden, who arrived in Morgantown the same year as his coach after spending a season at Marion Military Institute.

WVU shortstop has his moment of fame - Charleston Gazette
There’s a good chance that, no matter how long Taylor Munden continues to play the game, the most spectacular play he’ll ever make is already behind him.

Mountaineer Insider - WVU Athletics
This week's inside look at Mountaineer sports provides a preview of Friday's big night at the new Monongalia County Ballpark, with interviews with Matt Wells, associate athletic director, and shortstop Taylor Munden.

Gold & Blue Now: Thursday, April 9 - WV MetroNews
Coach Randy Mazey prepares his team as it opens the new ballpark this weekend. Skyler Howard also discusses how second year in the West Virginia system is proceeding.

Gold and Blue Now: Friday April, 10 - WV MetroNews
Taylor Munden talks about the new ballpark opening tonight. We also hear from Bob Huggins as he heads into the offseason wanting to still press.

A Look Inside WVU's Mon County Ballpark - BGN
West Virginia opens Mon County Ballpark on Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch against Butler. Here's an inside look at the facility, with on field views and a view of the Evansdale campus as seen from the hillside by the stadium.

Four-Star General to Dedicate New Ballpark - WVU Athletics
Gen. Earl Anderson will be in Morgantown Friday afternoon.

Baseball Promotional Schedule Released - WVU Athletics
The WVU baseball promotional schedule has been released.

New ballpark night and day for WVU: VIDEO AND PHOTOS - Times West Virginian
West Virginia opens its new ballpark against Butler with a 6:15 p.m. game today. Ceremonies begin at 6 p.m.

Home Run Haven - Exponent Telegram
WVU's new ballpark expected to be a hitter's paradise

Power surge in process - Exponent Telegram
Baseball, the grand old game, is changing, and West Virginia is going right along with it.

Ballpark Set to Open - WVSports.com
Tonight in Morgantown, the West Virginia baseball program will play its 31st game of the season, but the first in its new home, Monongalia County Ballpark as Butler visits for the first of a three game series.

WATCH: WVU Baseball Gives Tour of New Mon Co. Ballpark - WVillustrated
The West Virginia University Athletic Department took the local media on a tour of the brand new Monongalia County Ballpark on Thursday afternoon, giving fans a sneak peak of what to expect for Fri...

Mon County ballpark still ‘a work in progress’ on eve of opening day - WV MetroNews
West Virginia is scheduled to open its $21-million baseball stadium on Friday evening.

Monongalia County Ballpark - WVU Athletics
Construction Timelapse

Mon County Ballpark Photo Gallery photos - WVSports.com

Football

Police chief: WVU football player repeatedly warned before arrest - WV MetroNews
Chief Ed Preston says Kyle Rose struck officer.

WVU Spring Football: Defensive Perspective - BGN
As we continue our rich plethora of video interviews and drill sessions, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and cornerback Terrell Chestnut discuss their individual and team performances and give their thoughts on the goals and development desired at their respective positions.

West Virginia returning experienced secondary - Daily Athenaeum
Once considered the Achilles heel of the Mountaineer defense, the secondary figures to be one of its greatest strengths next season.

Top-10 player spring update: West Virginia Mountaineers - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
A look at the top 10 players on the West Virginia Mountaineers as things currently stand during the spring season.

WVU Spring Football Outlook: Running Backs - BGN
The names are well-known, but the roles are still to be defined as the running back corps nears the halfway point of spring football practice at West Virginia.

Draft

Latest Kevin White Draft Projections See More Changes - EerSports
EerSports takes a look at the latest draft projections for West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White with the draft exactly three weeks away.

2015 NFL Draft visits tracker: Kevin White to visit New York Giants, per report - Big Blue View
Could the Giants really go wide receiver in the first round? What does this visit mean? Is it a smokescreen? Do the Giants have serious interest? Let us know what you think.

Could Kevin White climb as high as No. 2 in the NFL Draft? - College To Pro Sports
At this point, it looks like White will get drafted in the Top 10.

Second Option: Plight of a No. 2 Wide Receiver in the NFL Draft - Bleacher Report
While White developed into one of college football's top wide receivers, Alford showed how explosive he can truly be.

Hoops

Pursuit of Nebraska junior-college guard indicates WVU expects attrition - WV MetroNews
Northeast (Neb.) Community College sophomore Buay Tuach is a slasher who averaged 16.7 points and 6.2 rebounds.

Recruiting:

Morris Hoping For WVU Offer - BGN
Jonah Morris has already put together an impressive offer list, and the Akron Hoban wide receiver is hearing from several top programs. The 2016 prospect is hoping West Virginia will offer.