The program began varsity play in 1892 and had an above-.500 winning percentage in each season until 1920, when the team had a 10–11 record.[2] It adopted the nickname "Mountaineers" in 1905, when West Virginia instituted the state motto "Mountaineers are always free."[3]
After discontinuing the program for three seasons (1943–1945) because of World War II, the program began again prior to the 1946 season and qualified for its first NCAA tournament in 1955 under head coach Steve Harrick.[2]
On-campus venue Hawley Field opened in 1971 and was used for all home games until after the 2012 season, as the field did not meet the standards of the Big 12 Conference, to which West Virginia moved in summer 2012.[4][5] It remained in use for non-conference home games through the 2014 season, after which the team's current venue, Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark, opened.
As a member of the Southern Conference from 1951 to 1968, the team appeared in six NCAA tournaments. As a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference from 1978 to 1995, the team appeared in four NCAA tournaments. However, as a member of the Big East Conference from 1995 to 2012, the team appeared in only one NCAA tournament.[2]
Program Rebuild Under Randy Mazey (2013-2024)
Randy Mazey was hired as West Virginia University’s 19th head baseball coach in June 2012, taking over a struggling program as WVU prepared to transition from the Big East Conference to the Big 12 Conference. At the time, the program was at a low point, with only one NCAA Tournament appearance from 1995 to 2012, and there was even discussion about eliminating the team. [6]
Upon taking the helm, Mazey faced the difficult task of elevating the Mountaineers to compete in one of the strongest baseball conferences in the country. Despite playing home games at multiple locations due to facility limitations, his first team in 2013 finished 33-26 (13-11 Big 12) and exceeded expectations in WVU’s debut Big 12 season. It was only WVU’s fifth 30-win season since 1999 and featured Big 12 series victories against Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech.[7]
Mazey continued to lead the Mountaineers in the right direction, qualifying for the Big 12 Championship for the second-straight season and narrowly missing a chance to appear in an NCAA Regional for the first time since 1996.
West Virginia finished 28-26 overall, including impressive series wins over Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas State and Texas.
Offensively, the Mountaineers ranked No. 1 in hitting (.287) amongst Big 12 teams. Individually, Bobby Boyd (.356), Billy Fleming (.351) and Ryan McBroom (.341) were ranked No. 1-3 in the Big 12 in batting average.
The pitching staff posted its lowest earned-run average (3.73) since 1974, marking the first back-to-back under 4.00 ERA seasons since 1973-74.
For the second-straight season, the Mountaineers averaged over 1,000 fans (1,098) with seven of the 15 home games featuring crowds of 1,000 or more.
Following the season, six players were chosen in the MLB Draft, led by eighth-rounders Boyd and Harrison Musgrave.[8]
With a young squad, the program’s upward progression continued in Mazey’s third season, as the Mountaineers earned a berth in the Big 12 Championship for the third consecutive season.
Despite moving into its new ballpark halfway through the season, WVU broke attendance records for the third consecutive season under Mazey. A total of 33,158 fans, an average of over 1,500 per game, cheered on the Mountaineers at home, a program record.
Following an impressive season, several Mountaineers earned national recognition. Freshmen Kyle Davis and BJ Myers had breakout campaigns and earned Freshmen All-America accolades. Davis was named to a program record five Freshman All-America teams, and Myers was named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger.
Two Mountaineers were selected in the MLB Draft. Junior Blake Smith was picked in the 24th round by Washington, and senior Taylor Munden was picked by Miami in the 27th round.[9]
With one of the youngest starting lineups in the country, Mazey led WVU to a record-breaking year in 2016, highlighted by the team’s first trip to the Big 12 Championship Game. The Mountaineers went 36-22 in Mazey’s fourth season, coming up just short of an NCAA Tournament berth.
Big 12 logo in West Virginia's colors
West Virginia’s 36 wins were its most in a single season in Mazey’s tenure and the most since a 37-win campaign in 2009. A 12-11 mark in Big 12 play earned the Mountaineers the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 Championship, its second-highest seed since joining the league. WVU went 3-1 in the tournament and made its first conference title game appearance since 1996 and 11th in team history.
The Mountaineers finished the year as one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 17 of their last 21 games. The stretch included a 10-game winning streak, the longest in the country at the time and WVU’s longest since an 11-game streak in 2008.
Mazey won his 100th game at WVU in an 11-6 victory at Kansas on March 26. He became the fifth coach in program history to eclipse the 100-win mark and the second to accomplish the feat in his first four seasons. Additionally, Mazey’s 300th career win came in an 11-2 win over Texas on May 6.
With success on the field came plenty of recognition off of it. For the second consecutive year, two Mountaineers earned Freshman All-America honors. Right fielder Darius Hill was named to five Freshman All-America teams, while Ivan Rodriguez was recognized once.
Additionally, WVU collected a program-record 10 All-Big 12 honors, headlined by junior Chad Donato, who became the fourth Mountaineer to earn All-Big 12 First Team accolades. Four Mountaineers were named to the All-Tournament Team, the most in program history: senior KC Huth, sophomore Kyle Davis, sophomore Conner Dotson and senior Ross Vance.
Throughout the year, West Virginia earned a total of 10 Big 12 weekly honors, the most in a season since WVU joined the Big 12 in 2013 and tied for the most of any school in the conference in 2016. The total included the first sweep by any Big 12 school of the Player, Pitcher and Newcomer of the Week awards on May 2.
Fans once again came out in record numbers to see the Mountaineers, as a total of 40,390 fans filled Monongalia County Ballpark in 2016, the highest home attendance in team history. For 30 home games, WVU averaged 1,346 fans per game, the second-highest average in program history.[10]
The 2017 season was WVU’s best under Mazey at the time, as the Mountaineers earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 1996 and the 12th time in program history. West Virginia went 36-26 and earned an NCAA at-large bid for the first time in program history.
Following the record-breaking season, Mazey was named the East Regional Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the Chuck Tanner College Coach of the Year by the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh.
In the NCAA Tournament, second-seeded WVU went 2-2 and advanced to the regional final for the third time and first since 1982, falling to top-seeded and 13th-ranked Wake Forest, which was host of the four-team regional.
The Mountaineers went 12-12 and finished in fourth in the Big 12 Conference, the No. 1 RPI conference in the country. WVU also advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals for the second time in as many years, going 2-2 at the conference tournament.
Along with a challenging Big 12 slate, West Virginia played 18 games against top-25 opponents, going 10-8, with all but six games against ranked foes coming on the road.
Once again under Mazey’s leadership, a record number of players earned national and conference postseason honors.
Sophomore designated hitter/right-handed pitcher Braden Zarbnisky was named to the NCBWA All-America Third Team, becoming the 17th All-American in team history and earning the 15th total All-America accolade under Mazey. Zarbnisky was also named the NCBWA District II Player of the Year, a John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award finalist and to the All-Big 12 First Team.
Additionally, junior outfielder Kyle Davis was named to the All-East Region First Team, and sophomore shortstop Jimmy Galusky was recognized on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List.
Zarbnisky headlined a program-record 12 Mountaineers to earn All-Big 12 Team honors, and for the second consecutive year, WVU earned a team-record-tying four Big 12 All-Tournament Team accolades.
As Mazey’s Mountaineers were having plenty of success on the field, it once again came in front of record-breaking crowds throughout the 2017 season at Monongalia County Ballpark. A total of 40,616 fans, an average of 1,846 per game, filled the stands in Morgantown, both program records. The home season was highlighted by a crowd of 3,415 that saw WVU face No. 3 TCU on April 15, the largest home crowd in team history.[11]
For the third consecutive season, the Mountaineers advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals, as they went 29-27 on the season and 9-15 in the Big 12, the No. 2 RPI conference in the country. WVU is one of two teams to reach the Big 12 semifinals in three consecutive years.
West Virginia went 5-3 against top-25 teams, which included a series win over No. 19 Texas. Another highlight of the 2018 campaign was a 3-2, walk-off win in 10 innings at PNC Park, as the Mountaineers improved to 2-0 at the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Mazey’s squad stole 95 bases, which led the Big 12, was No. 17 nationally and was third-most in program history. Additionally, WVU’s 12 team saves and 462 strikeouts also were No. 3 in the record books.
Numerous Mountaineers earned national postseason awards, highlighted by junior second baseman Kyle Gray, who was recognized on the ABCA All-America Third Team. That continued a stretch of four consecutive years with an All-America honor for West Virginia. Gray was joined by fellow junior Darius Hill on the ABCA East All-Region First Team, marking the sixth consecutive year under Mazey’s leadership West Virginia has had a representative on the all-region list.[12]
The 2019 campaign was a historic one on multiple levels for Mazey and the Mountaineers. WVU finished 38-22, the most wins under a Mazey-led team at WVU and second-most all-time. In the Big 12, West Virginia finished 13-11 before advancing to the Big 12 Championship finals for the second time in four years.
However, the biggest news of all came when the Mountaineers were selected to host an NCAA Regional for the first time since 1955. WVU was ranked in the top 25 for the final eight weeks of the season and finished as high as No. 19 in the final NCBWA poll.
A program record eight players were selected in the 2019 MLB Draft, led by junior right-handed pitcher Alek Manoah, who was picked 11th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays, tying for the highest draft pick in program history. Manoah, the first player in program history to be named to more than five All-America teams in a single season, was named the unanimous Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and to the All-Big 12 First Team. He broke the single-season WVU record for strikeouts, with 144, tied the record for starts (16), was No. 3 in innings pitched (108.1) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.33), No. 6 in shutouts (2) and wins (9) and No. 9 in strikeouts per nine innings (11.96). Additionally, Manoah was a Dick Howser Trophy Finalist, as well as a finalist for the CBF National Pitcher of the Year.
Manoah also was joined by 10 others who were honored by the Big 12, as Gonzalez, Hill, junior Marques Inman, Kessler and designated hitter Paul McIntosh were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, while second baseman Tyler Doanes, Snyder and White were honorable mentions. WVU’s 11 total All-Big 12 accolades were its second-most since joining the league, and the five second team honors were its most ever.
Under Mazey’s tutelage, the Mountaineer pitching staff broke the school record for saves (15) and strikeouts (595) and was second in innings pitched (528.1) and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.10). At the national level, WVU pitching was No. 4 in the NCAA in hits allowed per nine innings (7.19), No. 8 in strikeouts per nine innings (10.1), No. 11 in shutouts (6), No. 18 in WHIP (1.27) and No. 24 in ERA (3.70).
Offensively, WVU tied the program record for walks (257) and was third in stolen bases (98) and sacrifice flies (30), while the defense had 1,585 putouts, second-most all-time. [13]
Mazey’s club won multiple games at the Big 12 Championship for the sixth time in the last eight tournaments. The Mountaineers also finished the year with five wins over ranked opponents.
West Virginia earned its highest-ranked win in program history with a 5-4 victory at No. 2 Texas on May 20, in Austin. The club matched the feat six days later with a 5-1 win over the Longhorns at the conference tournament on May 26.
The WVU skipper also reached a pair of personal milestones in 2021. On April 11, at Baylor, Mazey collected his 250th win at West Virginia with an 8-4 victory over the Bears. Later in the year, Mazey appeared in his 800th career game as a head coach on April 24, at Kansas State.
The Mountaineer pitching staff finished with 535 strikeouts in 2021, good for the fourth-most in one season in team history. As a team, WVU ranked No. 14 nationally and No. 2 in the Big 12 in strikeouts per nine innings (10.6). What’s more, Wolf became just the fourth WVU pitcher to tally a 100-strikeout season since 2000.
For the second consecutive season, a Mountaineer newcomer earned freshman All-America honors, as Hampton was recognized by Perfect Game. At the conference level, a total of four players were recognized on All-Big 12 teams, as left-handed pitcher Jackson Wolf, who registered 104 strikeouts in 2021, was named an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, while catcher Paul McIntosh and Davis earned honorable mention status. Additionally, Hampton and infielder Mikey Kluska were selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
Four Mountaineer pitchers were taken in the 2021 MLB Draft. Wolf was the first WVU player to hear his name called, as he was taken in the fourth round by the San Diego Padres. Right-hander Ryan Bergert joined Wolf when he was selected in the sixth round by San Diego. Additionally, right-hander Madison Jeffrey (15th round) and left-hander Adam Tulloch (17th round) were each taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers.[14]
Despite being picked eighth in the preseason Big 12 poll, Mazey’s Mountaineers won 33 games, including a program-record 14 in conference play. It marked the fifth time the veteran coach won at least 30 games at WVU. The squad also swept two Big 12 series for the first time in program history.
West Virginia was the only Big 12 squad to avoid a three-game losing streak, and it was one of just five Power 5 programs to accomplish the feat. In all, WVU was an impressive 15-6 in games following a loss.
On April 9, Mazey coached in his 500th game at West Virginia in an 8-4 win over Baylor.
WVU’s strong baserunning ability continued in 2022, as the Mountaineers finished No. 2 nationally in stolen bases, with 156, good for a single-season school record. Individually, outfielder Victor Scott II swiped 38 bags, which also ranks No. 1 in the Mountaineer record books for one season.
Scott (five round – St. Louis) went on to become one of three Mountaineers selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, joining right-handed pitchers Jacob Watters (fourth round – Oakland) and Trey Braithwaite (16th round – Cincinnati).
Eight Mountaineers were placed on All-Big 12 teams, led by Braithwaite, who also was named a Third Team All-American by NCBWA, and outfielder Austin Davis. Catcher McGwire Holbrook earned second-team honors, while right-handed pitcher Noah Short, Watters, left-hander Ben Hampton and infielder JJ Wetherholt were Honorable Mention selections. Additionally, right-hander Chris Sleeper joined Wetherholt on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.[15]
Mazey led the Mountaineers to new heights in 2023 as WVU took home a share of the Big 12 regular-season title for the first time in program history, the first conference championship for the Mountaineers since winning the Big East in 1996.
Leading WVU to a 40-20 overall record and 15-9 conference record after being picked sixth in the preseason poll, Mazey was named Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. He won his 300th game with the Mountaineers against Arizona, his 500th game overall against Xavier, the same team his first win came against. He also moved into third all-time at WVU with his 334th win against Texas Tech.
He led the Mountaineers to their third Regional appearance in the last six completed seasons as WVU was the No. 2 seed in Lexington, defeating Ball State for his fourth NCAA win with the Mountaineers.
JJ Wetherholt led a group of 13 Mountaineers to be named All-Big 12 as the sophomore was named Big 12 Player of the Year. Pitchers Ben Hampton and Carlson Reed joined Wetherholt on the first team while pitcher Blaine Traxel and outfielders Landon Wallace and Braden Barry were named to the second team. In addition, seven other players earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
Wetherholt also became the first unanimous First-Team All-American in program history as he was honored by seven publications. He led the nation with a .449 batting average while slugging 16 home runs and 24 doubles while also stealing a Big 12-most 36 bases.[16]
In 2024, Mazey lead the Mountaineers to their first ever Super Regional in school history. Finishing the season 36-24 and ranked 13th in the country. In 12 seasons with West Virginia, Mazey went 372-274 overall (133-133 Big 12). While going 13-12 in Big 12 Conference tournament play and 7-8 during NCAA tournament play.[17]
Key Achievements
First NCAA Tournament Berth in 21 Years (2017) • Under Mazey, WVU returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2017 for the first time since 1996.
First Regional Hosting Since 1955 (2019) • The Mountaineers hosted an NCAA Regional in 2019, marking the first time in 64 years that WVU served as a tournament host. • WVU finished the year 38-22 and ranked 21st.
Big 12 Regular Season Co-Champions (2023) • WVU won a share of its first-ever Big 12 regular-season title in 2023. • The team tied a school record with 40 wins and secured another NCAA Tournament appearance.
First-Ever NCAA Super Regional Appearance (2024) • In his final season, Mazey led WVU to its first NCAA Super Regional in program history. • The Mountaineers went 3-0 in the Tucson Regional, finishing the season 36-24 and ranked 13th.
In what was touted as one of the best collaboration efforts seen in the state of West Virginia, Kendrick Family Ballpark opened its doors in 2015. The $21-million ballpark is arguably the top facility in the region and the clubhouse amenities rivals those in Major League Baseball.
Kendrick Family Ballpark in 2019.
Kendrick Family Ballpark received brand new turf ahead of the 2024 seasons, a synthetic surface to accommodate severe weather and heavy use The mound was also replaced with a synthetic surface after using a clay pitchers mound since opening. The dimensions are 325 feet down the left and right field lines, 375 feet to the power alleys and 400 to center field.
The ballpark features 2,500 permanent seatbacks and can be expanded to hold 3,500 fans with standing room areas. All seats are protected by netting that provides an unobstructed view for all fans.
There are three different areas to enter the ballpark and two ticket booths, while the concourse features a team shop, two concession areas, public restrooms and a large party deck that supports numerous standalone vendors.
Just beyond the right field fence serves as the every day home for the Mountaineers. The building features a player's locker room with full-size lockers, coaches' locker room and offices, player's lounge, team theater, indoor and outdoor batting cages, a fully-equipped athletic training room and equipment room.
The press box features three luxury suites with high-end finishes and indoor/outdoor seating, a spacious television booth, three radio booths, a 20-seat press area, a video control room and numerous booths for game operations.
The Mountaineers opened Kendrick Family Ballpark with a 6-5, 13-inning victory against Butler on April 10, 2015.
Kendrick Family Ballpark was named the BaseballParks.com Ballpark of the Year for 2015. The annual award recognizes a new or remodeled stadium with the best combination of site selection, exterior appearance, architectural design and fan amenities.[18]
Attendance
Largest crowds
Here are the top ten largest crowds of all time at Kendrick Family Ballpark. [19]
Rank
Attendance
Date
Game result
1
4,614
Apr 16, 2024
#22 West Virginia 6 Pittsburgh 3
2
4,387
May 6, 2023
#12 West Virginia 3 Oklahoma 6
3
4,355
May 31, 2019
#13 West Virginia 6 Fordham 2
4
4,258
Jun 1, 2019
#13 West Virginia 0 Duke 4
5
4,223
Apr 27, 2024
West Virginia 5 Baylor 2
6
4,070
May 3, 2023
#12 West Virginia 10 Pitt 0
7
3,913
Apr 13, 2024
West Virginia 7 #17 UCF 5
8
3,788
Jun 2, 2019
#13 West Virginia 10 #17 Texas A&M 11
9
3,712
Apr 26, 2024
West Virginia 18 Baylor 5
10
3,494
Apr 13, 2019
West Virginia 4 #11 Texas Tech 3
Yearly Attendance
Year
Home
Games
Total
Attendance
Natl. Rank
by Total
Average
Attendance
Natl. Rank
by Average
2011
27
8,212
*
304
*
2012
26
8,475
*
326
*
2013
21
27,907
*
1,329
*
2014
13
14,655
*
1,127
*
2015
18
32,419
*
1,801
55
2016
30
40,390
*
1,507
47
2017
22
40,616
*
1,846
50
2018
22
33,469
*
1,247
50
2019
25
75,104
*
3,004
*
2020
3
2,174
*
795
*
2021
27
15,845
*
1,100
51
2022
22
50,058
*
2,275
31
2023
24
59,894
*
2,496
*
2024
23
67,084
*
2,907
28
Head coaches
The program's most successful coach is former head coach Dale Ramsburg, who had 540 career victories from 1968 to 1994. Ramsburg is also the program's longest tenured head coach, having led the program for 27 seasons.[2]
National championsCollege World Series participants Conference regular season championConference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season championDivision regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion
Polls
West Virginia have been ranked in the Collegiate Baseball Division I Final Poll 8 times.
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2025 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team 
