Category: Wvu mountaineer sports

 

 

Indiana University men’s basketball Head Coach Darian DeVries speaks at the introductory press conference at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Indiana University men’s basketball Head Coach Darian DeVries speaks at the introductory press conference at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times /

 

Former West Virginia basketball head coach Darian DeVries recently stopped by Jon Rothstein’s Eye On College Basketball podcast by CBS Sports, and among the topics discussed was his departure from Morgantown.

 

DeVries left the program after his first season to take the same position at Indiana in a sudden move that left many WVU basketball fans feeling betrayed. The move came just days after the 19-13 Mountaineers were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament in a move that shocked the college basketball world. And according to DeVries, he wasn’t excited about the prospect of leaving West Virginia.

 

“We had a lot of great support from the administration and the people. So it was certainly a place that you weren’t looking to leave by any means,” DeVries said. “It’s a place where we were very happy, and we had an enjoyable first year and we were looking forward to the future together. But ultimately it just felt like the Indiana job was an opportunity you couldn’t pass up.”

 

DeVries also mentioned that the administration in Morgantown was very supportive during the process, and he sung the praises of WVU AD Wren Baker’s approach to the situation.

 

“Wren’s a terrific AD, and [I’m] certainly thankful for the opportunity he gave me — and their entire administration: Ben Murray, I worked with him a lot too,” DeVries told Rothstein. “But it’s not an easy conversation. It’s certainly something we had talked about, the two days there of what it looked like and the decision making process.”

 

 

 

West Virginia basketball learns its Big 12 opponents, Joy Naukot topples a meet record at the NCAA Track Championships, and a former Mountaineer finds a new coaching gig.

 

Joy Naukot, who took home a bronze medal at the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Thursday night, huddles with a teammate at a cross country meet.

Joy Naukot, who took home a bronze medal at the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Thursday night, huddles with a teammate at a cross country meet. |

Joy Naukot’s Big Finish at the NCAA Track and Field Championships

West Virginia track and field star Joy Naukot capped an amazing freshman season on Thursday night with a Top 3 finish in the women’s 10,000 meter run at the NCAA Championships.

 

Under the lights at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. — one of the most storied venues in the sport — Naukot shattered the previous meet record (alongside four other competitors) in a blazing fast race that saw her capture the bronze medal with a new program record of 31 minutes, 34.34 seconds.

 

The Kapenguria, Kenya, native was honored for her performance with First-Team All-American honors, becoming just the fourth woman in program history to earn the achievement in the 10,000 meter run.

 

West Virginia Basketball Learns Big 12 Opponents For Upcoming Season

WVU basketball now knows who and where they’ll be playing in Big 12 action this season, and it comes with a bit of a twist.

 

The twist is that the Big 12 has officially reduced itself back to an 18-game schedule for the 2025-2026 season — that was the previous norm for the league before last year, when it jumped to 20 league games upon the conference expanding to 16 teams. Now, the league will go back to its former approach, allowing teams a couple additional out-of-conference games.

 

The Mountaineers will play just three teams in a traditional home-and-home series, with Cincinnati, Kansas State, and UCF on that list. The Mountaineers will also receive visits from Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Kansas, Texas Tech and Utah, while they’ll find taking trips to Arizona, Arizona State, Houston, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and TCU. Dates and times are yet to be released.

 

Former WVU guard finds new coaching gig

Former West Virginia basketball guard Jordan McCabe is on the move once again.

 

McCabe has had a rocky couple of years in the coaching industry — he spent the 2023-2024 season as an assistant on the staff at WVU under Interim Head Coach Josh Eilert in a historically bad season for the Mountaineers, and spent 2024-2025 as an assistant at Green Bay under Doug Gottlieb, who led the Phoenix to a dismal 4-28 record.

 

Now, McCabe will be joining Bryce Drew’s staff at Grand Canyon, where he hopefully won’t encounter the same losing ways as at his past two stops — Drew has taken the Antelopes to the NCAA Tournament 4 out of the last 5 years.

 

 

 

The in-state standout wide receiver has earned an offer from WVU after an impressive showing at the team’s 7-on-7 tournament this past week.

 

 

West Virginia football has officially extended an offer to an in-state prospect at wide receiver in the Class of 2026 after he stood out to the coaching staff at a 7-on-7 tournament hosted by the Mountaineers this week.

 

Malachi Thompson, who plays at Nitro High School in Kanawha County, is coming off an extremely successful junior season where he was named the recipient of the Randy Moss Award — handed out annually to the best prep wide receiver in West Virginia — where he hauled in 74 receptions for 1,593 yards and 18 touchdowns while leading Nitro 10-2 record and a WVSSAC Class AAA quarterfinals appearance in the postseason.

 

The skills that helped propel him to such a massive season were on full display for WVU football’s staff this week at the 7-on-7 tournament, as the 6-foot-4, 200-pound. Thompson’s effort drew attention from wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett and head coach Rich Rodriguez, and on Thursday night, he received his official offer from the Mountaineers.

 

“They said they really liked my game and that I did very well,” Thompson told Rivals.

 

When asked about Thompson’s best attributes, Nitro’s head coach Boom McKinney struggled with a definitive answer — not because Thompson doesn’t have any strong attributes, but because he has too many.

 

“I can’t tell you his best attributes,” McKinney told MetroNews. “because he does it all so well. He’s got great speed, he reads defenses well and he’s got good hands.”

 

Thompson had previously narrowed down his Top 5 schools to Marshall, Ohio, Temple, Toledo and Miami (OH), but the offer from an in-state Power 4 program likely will throw a wrench in the process.

He has already visited Marshall and Ohio, which are both closer to home than WVU. Mountaineer fans will have to wait and see if the allure of playing at the highest level of FBS for his state’s flagship school will win Thompson over and bring him to West Virginia football.

 

 

 

Tye Edwards, who transferred to WVU from Northern Iowa this past winter, is among Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) highest-graded running backs in the Big 12 entering the 2025 season.

 

Tye Edwards scores a touchdown at West Virginia’s 2025 Gold-Blue Spring Showcase.

 

 

If you ask West Virginia football fans to name their top running back, you’ll likely hear the name Jahiem White bandied about. White prepares to enter his junior season after rushing for 1,687 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first two seasons with the Mountaineers, and expectations are high for the former Freshman All-American inside new head coach Rich Rodriguez’s offense.

 

But one name fans might not yet be as familiar with is Tye Edwards, who joined the program during the winter transfer window after spending his past two seasons with Northern Iowa at the FCS level. But according to the grades issued by top sports analytics company Pro Football Focus (PFF), Edwards might be worth keeping an eye on as we gear up for the 2025 season.

 

Edwards will enter the season with a PFF grade of 82.8, which stands as the second-highest grade amongst all running backs in the Big 12 that played collegiately last season. Baylor standout Bryson Washington is the only player at the position who graded out higher than Edwards.

 

Edwards’ high grade from PFF, whose analytics are used by a significant number of college football and NFL teams across the country to evaluate their players, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given his high levels of production at Northern Iowa. Edwards averaged 6.4 yards per carry last season as he racked up 1,047 rushing yards and six touchdowns, earning All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors for his performance. He also found the endzone during West Virginia’s 2025 Gold-Blue Spring Showcase in April.

 

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West Virginia’s 2026 recruiting class is off to a hot start, even before the official start of recruiting season.

 

The Mountaineers added five recruits for the class of 2026 on Monday, bringing the total for the 2026 class to six in the span of two days.

 

Starting off the day, JMU pledge defensive back Simaj Hill flipped and committed to the Mountaineers. From Philadelphia, Hill is a three-star, according to 247sports, and ranked the 49th-best player in Pennsylvania. Hill has the potential to play both corner and safety for a Mountaineers secondary that took a hit this season.

 

After Hill announced his commitment, the recruits came in bundles for WVU.

 

Shortly after, three-star offensive lineman Rhett Morris announced his commitment. Morris received offers from schools all over the East Coast, like Army, Coastal Carolina, Boston College and JMU. Morris is ranked a consensus three-star and the 31st-ranked player in New Jersey.

 

Morris became the first offensive lineman for the class.

 

Three-star defensive lineman Cam Mallory followed, announcing his commitment on X. From Alabama, Mallory received offers from Boston College, Akron and Appalachian State. He took an official visit to Boston College on May 30. Mallory took a trip to Morgantown on June 6, and a couple of days later, became a Mountaineer. He’s the 45th-best player in Alabama and ranked the fourth player in West Virginia’s class.

 

Hill wasn’t the only player West Virginia flipped their commitments. Later on, Rich Rodriguez and the Mountaineers flipped Oregon State pass rusher commit Noah Tishendorf. Tishendorf committed to the Beavers on May 10 and took an official visit on May 17. After his commitment, WVU offered Tishendorf, and he changed his mind.

 

Tishendorf was one of the bigger gets for WVU on the day. He’s a three-star still, but is the sixth-ranked player in Oregon. Tishendorf stands at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, creating a strong force off the edge.

 

West Virginia added one more player later on Monday.

 

Around 8 p.m., unranked linebacker Miles Khatri announced his commitment, becoming the first linebacker commit for the class.

 

The five commitments bring the 2026 class to 12 recruits, and 11 are three-stars. Most of the commitments came after official visits, showing how well the WVU staff and facilities make an impact on the recruits.

 

Rodriguez’s hot start sets the tone for the long recruiting summer ahead.

 

Some new games are on the books for the Mountaineers.

Schuyler Callihan | 2 Hours Ago

West Virginia University football vs. Baylor.

West Virginia University football vs. Baylor. / Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

 

This time of year is usually when West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker is busy on the phones, making calls about future football games to fill out the non-conference portion of the schedule.

 

Tuesday morning, the WVU athletics department announced that several games are officially scheduled, spanning from 2026-31.

 

– September 12th, 2026: WVU will host UT Martin for the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

 

– September 9th, 2028: Youngstown State will make its third trip to Morgantown since 2018.

 

– September 16th, 2028: Game one vs. Akron.

 

– August 31st, 2030: Rhode Island will replace St. Francis (PA) and will visit Morgantown.

 

– September 14th, 2030: Game two vs. Akron.

 

– August 30th, 2031: WVU will host VMI once again. The Keydets are already on the slate for the 2027 season.

 

Future non-conference schedules by year

2026

9/5 vs. Alabama

 

9/12 vs. UT Martin

 

9/19 vs. Virginia (Charlotte, NC)

 

2027

9/4 at Alabama

 

9/11 vs. VMI

 

9/18 vs. Ohio

 

2028

9/2 vs. Tennessee (Charlotte, NC)

 

9/9 vs. Youngstown State

 

9/16 vs. Akron

 

2029

9/1 vs. Ohio

 

9/8 at Pitt

 

9/15 vs. Robert Morris

 

2030

8/31 vs. Rhode Island

 

9/7 vs. Pitt

 

9/14 vs. Akron

 

2031

8/30 vs. VMI

 

9/6 at Pitt

 

2032

9/4 vs. Virginia (Charlotte, NC)

 

9/11 vs. Pitt

 

The Mountaineers kicked off the second week of June with a ton of big recruiting news regarding the Class of 2026, including flipping a pair of defensive prospects from prominent FBS programs and landing in the Top 4 for a coveted four-star prospect.

West Virginia commit Class of 2026 Cameron Mallory goes for a tackle during his sophomore season.

West Virginia commit Class of 2026 Cameron Mallory goes for a tackle during his sophomore season.

West Virginia football kicked off the week right on the recruiting trail Monday, as they stacked up a slew of commitments in their 2026 recruiting class — including flipping a pair of defensive weapons that had already committed to other programs — and found themselves making the Top 4 schools for a massive 4-star recruit out of Texas.

 

The action technically got underway on Sunday for West Virginia, as they landed a defensive back from the JUCO level in Fresno City College safety Jaylon Jones. Jones played for the Rams last season as a true freshman, tallying 13 tackles, four interceptions, and three pass breakups in 10 games — he is listed as a Class of 2026 JUCO recruit, meaning he will play one more year at the level before coming to Morgantown.

 

The Mountaineers then really began to rack up commitments on Monday, with Philadelphia native defensive back Simaj Hill kicking off the action. Hill was initially committed to a Group of 5 program in James Madison, but was convinced to make an official visit this past weekend after increasing interest from WVU cornerbacks coach Rod West. Hill claims it’s “always been a dream” to play at the Power 4 level.

 

“The relationship I’ve built with Coach West has me comfortable that they will utilize my skillset and put me in a position to succeed,” said Hill. “After sitting with [Zac] Alley and [seeing] the success his defenses had in the past, I know he’s going to build a dominant defense.”

 

The Mountaineers also flipped a top-ten recruit in the state of Oregon from an in-state school as they landed a commitment from EDGE Noah Tishendorf, who had previously committed to Oregon State. Reports indicate he privately parted ways with Oregon State before his official visit to West Virginia this past weekend, and quickly decided Morgantown was his new home once arriving.

 

The Mountaineers also secured another commitment along the defensive line on Monday in three-star defensive tackle Cameron Mallory out of Alabama. Mallory had multiple Power 4 offers, including Missouri and Boston College, but chose the Mountaineers after official visits to both Chestnut Hill and Morgantown. He finished his junior prep season with 96 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

 

Offensive lineman Rhett Morris out of New Jersey — a three-star prospect initially offered by Neal Brown’s staff — also announced his intent to join the program on Monday. New head coach Rich Rodriguez and offensive line coach Jack Bicknell worked hard to keep a relationship alive with Morris after taking over, and secured his commitment after an official visit this past weekend.

 

The day’s commitment cycle was topped off with Miles Khatri, a linebacker out of Alabama, signaling he had also made his collegiate decision and had landed on the Mountaineers. Khatri had an impressive junior season, tallying 117 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and four sacks.

 

And while not yet earning an official commitment, West Virginia closed the day finding themselves in a great position to land a four-star safety prospect out of Texas as Chance Collins narrowed his options to a Top 4 that includes the Mountaineers. WVU will be competing with Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Utah to land the highly touted defender who has been ranked one of the Top 50 prospects in the state of Texas in the Class of 2026.

 

West Virginia University football continues to build momentum on the recruiting trail, securing another commitment for its 2026 class on Monday. This latest addition reflects the Mountaineers’ growing reputation as a program focused on long-term development and future competitiveness in the ever-evolving world of college football.

 

The 2026 recruiting cycle may seem distant, but early commitments are becoming increasingly common as schools and athletes look to solidify their futures earlier in the process. WVU’s coaching staff, led by head coach Neal Brown, has made it clear that they are targeting high-upside players with both athletic talent and strong character. The newest recruit fits that mold well and adds to what is already shaping up to be a promising class.

 

While the university has yet to release the full details of the commitment, early reports indicate that the player is a versatile athlete who has drawn interest from multiple Power Five programs. Whether it’s a standout wide receiver, a dynamic defensive back, or a disruptive presence in the trenches, WVU’s ability to secure talent this early speaks to the trust players and their families are placing in the Mountaineers’ vision for the future.

 

This marks the second commitment in as many weeks for WVU’s 2026 class, which is slowly beginning to take shape. Recruiting insiders note that this type of momentum can be contagious, with early pledges helping to sway other top prospects to give West Virginia a serious look. Building relationships early gives coaches more time to develop players and integrate them into the program’s culture before they even step on campus.

 

One of the most encouraging signs from Monday’s announcement is the regional footprint WVU is continuing to build. The staff has focused its efforts on key recruiting hotbeds such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the Southeast. Bringing in players from talent-rich areas not only improves the roster but also strengthens ties with high school programs that can provide future recruits.

 

As the NCAA landscape shifts with the advent of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities and potential changes to transfer portal rules, building a class of committed, coachable, and development-focused athletes has never been more critical. WVU’s strategy of targeting high-potential underclassmen suggests that the program is adapting well to the modern realities of recruiting.

 

For fans, Monday’s commitment should be another encouraging sign that the coaching staff is focused on long-term success. While immediate results on the field are always important, securing future talent provides stability and a foundation for continued competitiveness in the Big 12 and beyond.

 

As more details emerge about the new recruit—including position, high school program, and possible early impact—the excitement will likely grow. One thing is certain: WVU is sending a clear message that it intends to be a player on the national recruiting stage, not just for this year or next, but well into the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Virginia University (WVU) continues to build momentum on the recruiting trail, landing several promising commitments for the football Class of 2026. With head coach Neal Brown and his staff focused on long-term development and building depth across key positions, the early haul for this class showcases both regional dominance and growing national appeal.

 

While it’s still early in the recruiting cycle, the Mountaineers have already secured verbal pledges from a handful of rising high school juniors, highlighting the coaching staff’s ability to connect with young talent. These commitments reflect not only athletic skill, but also academic promise and cultural fit with the WVU football program. The Class of 2026 is shaping up to be a blend of raw athleticism, football IQ, and the kind of grit that has long defined Mountaineer football.

 

One of the standout early commitments is a dual-threat quarterback from Pennsylvania, known for his poise in the pocket and ability to extend plays with his legs. He’s ranked among the top 25 QBs in his class and has drawn comparisons to former Mountaineer stars for his creativity and leadership. His decision to commit early signals strong confidence in WVU’s coaching philosophy and offensive scheme.

 

Another key pickup is a versatile linebacker from Ohio with a nose for the football and a relentless motor. At 6’2″ and 215 pounds, he’s expected to bulk up and fill a major role in WVU’s evolving defensive strategy. His commitment adds depth and a physical presence to a unit that has shown promise but is seeking consistency. The staff sees him as a potential early contributor and future leader in the locker room.

 

The Mountaineers also added a speedy wide receiver out of Florida who turned heads at several offseason camps. His ability to stretch the field vertically and make defenders miss in space brings a dynamic element to WVU’s receiving corps. With an impressive track record in both football and track, his athleticism and work ethic make him one of the more exciting offensive additions to date.

 

Coach Brown has emphasized the importance of early recruiting relationships, and that strategy is clearly paying off. By targeting players with high character and strong developmental upside, WVU is looking to build a sustainable core that can compete consistently in the Big 12 and beyond.

 

It’s important to note that commitments for the Class of 2026 are non-binding verbal pledges. A lot can change between now and National Signing Day. However, the early returns suggest that WVU is being proactive, organized, and competitive on the recruiting front.

 

With more evaluation periods, campus visits, and camps ahead, the Mountaineers will continue to target key areas of need. If the current pace and quality of recruiting hold, the Class of ’26 could be one of the strongest in recent WVU history. For now, fans have plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of Mountaineer football.