The Rise of West Virginia Baseball

Less than a decade ago, the West Virginia baseball program faced the possibility of coming to an end when the university was admitted into the Big 12 Conference. After years of struggling due to a lack of funding, the program seemed like it would not be able to compete in its new conference. The WVU Director of Athletics at the time, Oliver Luck, decided that instead of abandoning the program, it would be best if the school went “all in” on baseball.

Now, the Mountaineer baseball program is not only thriving in the Big 12, but it is also competing at a national level. WVU has been nationally ranked for a majority of this season and it looks like the program is absolutely heading in the right direction under coach Randy Mazey. The program has also reached an amazing milestone, by being selected to host a regional at Monongalia County Ballpark in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Check out what coach Mazey had to say about the selection and how the team found out:

It is very likely that the West Virginia athletic department will attempt to keep coach Mazey in Morgantown with a new contract after this season. Keeping Mazey at WVU will help keep the program on the right path, as the Mountaineers continue to go “all in” and climb towards the top of college baseball.

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The West Virginia baseball team has had fantastic pitching throughout the season, but when the Mountaineers on the mound have slipped up, center fielder Brandon White has been there to save the day with his incredible catches. White had a particularly strong week at the Big 12 Championship, as he helped lead the Mountaineers to the championship game and earned All-Tournament Team honors.

The West Virginia golf team is also heading in the right direction. Following the team’s NCAA Regional appearance, WVU sophomore Matt Sharpstene has earned Division I PING All-Midwest Region Team honors. Sharpstene finished eight tournaments in the top 15 this season, and he is believed to be the first Mountaineer to ever receive recognition on the PING All-Region Team.

It’s already starting to look like the NCAA made a good decision when it selected West Virginia to host a regional in this year’s NCAA Tournament. All-session tickets for the weekend of baseball at Monongalia County Ballpark are sold out. It looks like WVU’s home stadium will be packed with gold and blue, as the Mountaineers host Texas A&M, Duke, and Fordham this weekend. The sell-out crowds may break the newly set Mon County Ballpark attendance record.

That’s it for today. Have any tips, suggestions or requests for what you want to see in Mountaineer Links? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or contact us on social media.

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