West Virginia Mountaineers baseball

Last updated
West Virginia Mountaineers
Baseball current event.svg 2024 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team
West Virginia Mountaineers logo.svg
Founded1892
Overall record2,305–1,632–18
University West Virginia University
Head coach Randy Mazey (12th season)
Conference Big 12
Location Morgantown, West Virginia
Home stadium Monongalia County Ballpark
(Capacity: 3,500)
Nickname Mountaineers
ColorsGold and blue [1]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
1955, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1994, 1996, 2017, 2019, 2023
Conference tournament champions
A-10: 1982, 1985, 1987, 1994
Big East: 1996
Regular season conference champions
Southern: 1955, 1961, 1962
1963, 1964, 1967
A-10 West Division: 1981, 1982, 1984
1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
Big East American Division: 1996, 1997
Big 12: 2023

The West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball program of West Virginia University, located in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. The program has been a member of the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference since the start of the 2013 season. The program currently plays at Monongalia County Ballpark in the adjacent city of Granville. Randy Mazey has been the team's head coach since prior to the 2013 season. As of the end of the 2023 season, the program has appeared in 14 NCAA tournaments. It has won five conference tournament championships and 16 regular season conference and division titles.

Contents

History

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, Monongalia County 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]

Conference affiliations

  • Known as the Eastern Athletic Association, popularly the Eastern 8, from 1978–1982

Stadium

Monongalia County Ballpark

In 2013, plans were announced to build the program a new Morgantown venue. [6] Ground was broken for the new ballpark at University Town Centre, an off-campus shopping and entertainment complex in nearby Granville, on October 17, 2013. The ballpark will be a fan friendly design with 2,500 fixed seats with additional hillside and club seating, a fan amenity deck, and a park that will be open year-round. [7] The field will be a synthetic surface, other than the clay pitcher's mound. [8] Also using the new ballpark will be the class-A short-season affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the West Virginia Black Bears. [9] [10] The stadium, tentatively known as Monongalia County Ballpark, is set to open for the 2015 season. [7]

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]

Year(s)CoachSeasonsW-L-TPct
1892–1893None24–3.571
1894–1896A. R. Stahlings314–4.778
1897–1898J. E. B. Sweeney28–7.533
1899–1900Owen Altman228–9.757
1901H. Brown111–7.611
1902–1905Lee Hutchinson470–31–2.693
1906–1908 Carl Forkum 361–26.701
1909Dick Nebinger117–8.680
1910J. L. Core114–11.560
1911L. L. McClure117–5.773
1912John Gronninger113–12.520
1913, 1915–1917 Charlie Hickman 458–23–1.716
1914B. P. Pattison112–8.600
1918–1920 Skeeter Shelton 337–17–1.685
1921–1942, 1946 Ira Rodgers 22204–211–3.489
1947 Charles Hockenberry 19–7.563
1948–1967 Steve Harrick 20333–161–1.674
1968–1994Dale Ramsburg27540–389–9.581
1995–2012Greg Van Zant18528–451–1.539
2013–present Randy Mazey 11336–250.573
TOTALS191282305–1632–18.585

Yearly record

Below is a table of the program's yearly records. [2] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Independent (1892–1942)
1892None 3–3
1893None 1–0
1894A. R. Stahlings 5–0
1895A. R. Stahlings 4–1
1896A. R. Stahlings 5–3
1897J. E. B. Sweeney 3–2
1898J. E. B. Sweeney 5–5
1899Owen Altman 16–6
1900Owen Altman 12–3
1901H. Brown 11–7
1902Lee Hutchinson 22–7
1903Lee Hutchinson 14–9
1904Lee Hutchinson 16–6–1
1905Lee Hutchinson 19–9–1
1906 Carl Forkum 20–10
1907Carl Forkum 17–11
1908Carl Forkum 24–5
1909Dick Nebinger 17–8
1910J. L. Core 14–11
1911L. L. McClure 17–5
1912John Gronninger 13–12
1913 Charlie Hickman 12–4
1914B. P. Pattison 12–8
1915 Charlie Hickman 19–7–1
1916Charlie Hickman 17–6
1917Charlie Hickman 10–6
1918 Skeeter Shelton 13–3
1919Skeeter Shelton 14–3–1
1920Skeeter Shelton 10–11
1921 Ira Rodgers 20–7
1922Ira Rodgers 16–11
1923Ira Rodgers 13–11
1924Ira Rodgers 8–13
1925Ira Rodgers 13–11
1926Ira Rodgers 10–10
1927Ira Rodgers 6–12–1
1928Ira Rodgers 13–4
1929Ira Rodgers 8–9
1930Ira Rodgers 6–13–1
1931Ira Rodgers 6–9–1
1932Ira Rodgers 8–8
1933Ira Rodgers 7–9
1934Ira Rodgers 4–13
1935Ira Rodgers 9–9
1936Ira Rodgers 10–9
1937Ira Rodgers 12–10
1938Ira Rodgers 5–10
1939Ira Rodgers 8–7
1940Ira Rodgers 9–5
1941Ira Rodgers 5–10
1942Ira Rodgers 2–9
No program (1943–1945)
Independent (1946–1950)
1946 Ira Rodgers 6–2
1947 Charles Hockenberry 9–7
1948 Steve Harrick 16–6
1949Steve Harrick 13–8
1950Steve Harrick 8–14
Independent:612–417–7
Southern Conference (1951–1968)
1951 Steve Harrick 17–6
1952Steve Harrick 12–97–3t–2nd (Northern)
1953Steve Harrick 6–72–57th (Northern)
1954Steve Harrick 13–75–46th
1955Steve Harrick 20–67–21st District 3 Regionals
1956Steve Harrick 16–96–32nd
1957Steve Harrick 12–84–55th
1958Steve Harrick 12–115–35th
1959Steve Harrick 16–98–55th
1960Steve Harrick 17–96–4t–3rd
1961Steve Harrick 17–108–21st District 3 Regionals
1962Steve Harrick 17–99–21st District 3 Regionals
1963Steve Harrick 30–313–11st District 3 Regionals
1964Steve Harrick 24–514–21st District 3 Regionals
1965Steve Harrick 19–910–42nd
1966Steve Harrick 26–7–112–42nd
1967Steve Harrick 22–913–31st District 3 Regionals
1968Dale Ramsburg 9–84–45th
Southern Conference:305–141–1133–56
Independent (1969–1976)
1969Dale Ramsburg 12–6–1
1970Dale Ramsburg 12–5
1971Dale Ramsburg 21–6
1972Dale Ramsburg 10–10
1973Dale Ramsburg 8–12–1
1974Dale Ramsburg 12–13
1975Dale Ramsburg 10–18
1976Dale Ramsburg 21–12ECAC Tournament
1977Dale Ramsburg 10–18
Independent:116–100–2
Eastern Athletic Association/Atlantic 10 Conference (1978–1995)
1978Dale Ramsburg 16–9
1979Dale Ramsburg 9–13EAC Tournament
1980Dale Ramsburg 12–14–2EAC Tournament
1981Dale Ramsburg 17–186–2t–1st (West)EAC Tournament
1982Dale Ramsburg 24–237–21st (West) East Regional
1983Dale Ramsburg 22–106–42nd (West)
1984Dale Ramsburg 22–11–19–3t–1st (West)A-10 Tournament
1985Dale Ramsburg 27–169–3t-1st (West) South I Regional
1986Dale Ramsburg 24–14–19–21st (West)A-10 Tournament
1987Dale Ramsburg 32–1513–31st (West) South I Regional
1988Dale Ramsburg 33–19–112–41st (West)A-10 Tournament
1989Dale Ramsburg 28–13–19–53rd (West)
1990Dale Ramsburg 33–2012–42nd (West) A-10 Tournament
1991Dale Ramsburg 20–20–19–73rd (West)
1992Dale Ramsburg 27–2012–42nd (West) A-10 Tournament
1993Dale Ramsburg 29–2513–82nd A-10 Tournament
1994Dale Ramsburg 40–2117–42nd Atlantic I Regional
1995Greg Van Zant 18–3211–136th
Atlantic 10 Conference:433–313–5154–68
Big East Conference (1996–2012)
1996Greg Van Zant 33–2515–101st (American) Atlantic Regional L, 2–2
1997Greg Van Zant 36–1917–71st (American)
1998Greg Van Zant 37–17–113–95th (American)
1999Greg Van Zant 29–2812–136th
2000Greg Van Zant 25–2810–127th
2001Greg Van Zant 27–2612–147th
2002Greg Van Zant 24–269–1610th
2003Greg Van Zant 36–1918–62nd
2004 Greg Van Zant 23–2910–168th
2005 Greg Van Zant 25–3010–157th
2006 Greg Van Zant 36–2214–135th
2007 Greg Van Zant 29–2210–16t-9th
2008 Greg Van Zant 35–2113–147th
2009 Greg Van Zant 37–1817–103rd
2010 Greg Van Zant 27–3010–17t–8th
2011 Greg Van Zant 28–2714–13t–4th
2012 Greg Van Zant 23–329–1811th
Big East Conference:510–419–1213–219
Big 12 Conference (2013–present)
2013 Randy Mazey 33–2613–11t-3rd
2014 Randy Mazey 28–269–146th
2015 Randy Mazey 27–279–137th
2016 Randy Mazey 36–2212–114th
2017 Randy Mazey 36–2612–12t-4th NCAA regional
2018 Randy Mazey 29-279-157th
2019 Randy Mazey 38-2213-114th NCAA regional
2020 Randy Mazey 11-50-0
2021 Randy Mazey 25-278-16t-8th
2022 Randy Mazey 33-2214-10t-5th
2023 Randy Mazey 40-2015-9t-1st NCAA regional
Big 12 Conference:336–250114-122
Total:2305–1632–18

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

West Virginia in the NCAA tournament

YearRecordPctNotes
1955 1–2.333District 3
1961 1–2.333District 3
1962 0–2.000District 3
1963 1–2.333District 3
1964 0–2.000District 3
1967 0–2.000District 3
1982 2–2.500East Regional
1985 0–2.000South I Regional
1987 0–2.000South I Regional
1994 1–2.333Atlantic I Regional
1996 2–2.500Atlantic Regional
2017 2–2.500Winston-Salem Regional
2019 1–2.333Morgantown Regional
2023 1–2.333Lexington Regional
TOTALS
12-28.300

Notable former players

Mountaineers in Major League Baseball

Below is a list of notable former players of the program and the seasons in which they played for the Mountaineers. [15]

Gyorko batting for the San Diego Padres in 2013 SD Padres Jedd Gyorko (9699149844).jpg
Gyorko batting for the San Diego Padres in 2013

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017–18 West Virginia Mountaineers women's basketball team</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021–22 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team</span>

The 2021–22 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represented West Virginia University during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mountaineers were coached by Bob Huggins, in his 15th season as WVU's head coach, and played their home games at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia as members of the Big 12 Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team</span> College Baseball Season

The 2022 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team represented the University of West Virginia during the 2022 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Mountaineers played their home games at Monongalia County Ballpark as a member of the Big 12 Conference. They were led by head coach Randy Mazey, in his 10th season at West Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team</span>

The 2022–23 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represented West Virginia University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mountaineers were coached by Bob Huggins, in his 16th and final season as WVU's head coach, and they played their home games at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia as members of the Big 12 Conference. They finished the season 19–15, 7–11 in Big 12 Play to finish in eighth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament to Kansas. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 9 seed in the South region, where they were defeated by Maryland in the First Round.

References

  1. ↑ "West Virginia Mountaineers Athletic Identity Logoslick" (PDF). April 15, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "2012 West Virginia Baseball Media Guide". West Virginia Sports Information. Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  3. ↑ MacCambridge, Michael (2005). ESPN College Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Game. ESPN. ISBN   1401337031. Archived from the original on 2015-10-18. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "Hawley Field". WVUSports.com. West Virginia Sports Information. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Toquinto, Jeff (20 May 2012). "Bridgeport Still Option for WVU Baseball, but Charleston, Others to See Team in 2013". Connect-Bridgeport.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-22. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  6. ↑ "WVU Board Approves Land Buy for Baseball Stadium". WBOY-TV. Associated Press. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  7. 1 2 "New Ballpark". West Virginia Mountaineers. Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  8. ↑ Grant Dovey (August 21, 2014). "New Ballpark Construction Update". wvusports. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  9. ↑ Vingle, Mitch. Morgantown lands NY-Penn League baseball team. Charleston Gazette. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  10. ↑ "New NYPL club to be called the Black Bears".
  11. ↑ "2012 Southern Conference Baseball Media Guide". pp. 45–46. Archived from the original on 2014-05-25. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "2012 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Record Book" (PDF). pp. 15–18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-19. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "2012 Big East Conference Baseball Media Guide". pp. 60–66. Archived from the original on 2012-05-28. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "2013 Big 12 Conference Baseball Standings". D1Baseball.com. Jeremy Mills. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  15. ↑ "West Virginia University Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues". Baseball-Almanac.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
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