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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 IBig 12 Conference since the start of the 2013 season. The program currently plays at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Steve Sabins has served as the team's head coach since before the 2025 season. As of June 2025, the Mountaineers have made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, with the most recent appearance coming during the 2025 season. The team has also won five conference tournament championships, along with 21 conference titles and nine division titles over its history. [2][3]
The West Virginia University baseball program was established in 1892, making it one of the oldest collegiate baseball programs in the country. Over more than a century of play, the Mountaineers have developed a rich tradition marked by competitive success, player development, and strong fan support.
WVU has competed in multiple conferences throughout its history, including the Southern Conference, the Atlantic 10, and the Big East. In 2013, WVU transitioned to the Big 12 Conference, stepping into one of the most competitive baseball environments in the nation. The move helped elevate the profile of the program, attracting higher-level talent and increasing national exposure.
Steve Harrick served as the head coach of the West Virginia University baseball team for 20 seasons, establishing himself as one of the most successful coaches in program history. He compiled an impressive career record of 334–160–1, resulting in a .678 winning percentage. Under his leadership, six of his teams captured Southern Conference titles, and seven earned NCAA district playoff berths.
Harrick's teams enjoyed consistent success throughout the 1960s, a decade that cemented his legacy in WVU baseball history. The Mountaineers posted multiple 20-win seasons during this era and were perennial contenders in the Southern Conference. His 1963 squad achieved a 30–3 record—the first 30-win season in school history—and finished ranked No. 11 in the final Collegiate Baseball poll.
Throughout his tenure, Harrick developed numerous standout players, with 18 of his former athletes going on to be selected by professional organizations. Among them was Paul Popovich, who played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Harrick also coached WVU's first baseball All-America selection, outfielder Bill Marovic, in 1964. Marovic batted .404 and led the team in eight offensive categories en route to earning the honor from the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Dale Ramsburg era (1968-1994)
Dale Ramsburg served as the head coach of the West Virginia University baseball program from 1968 to 1994 and remains one of the most successful coaches in school history. Over his 26-year tenure, Ramsburg compiled a career record of 540–387–9, making him the winningest coach in any sport in the history of West Virginia athletics at the time of his retirement.
Nicknamed “The Rammer,” Ramsburg guided the Mountaineers to four NCAA Tournament appearances (1982, 1985, 1987, and 1994). His 1994 squad set a school record with 40 wins, finishing the season 40–21. He was twice named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, earning the honor in both 1988 and 1990, and was selected as Eastern Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association in 1994. In 1993, he was appointed to the prestigious seven-member NCAA Baseball Committee.
Ramsburg also had a significant impact on player development during his time at WVU. A total of 27 of his players were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. In all, 31 of his players went on to play professional baseball, including future Major Leaguers Bucky Guth, Darrell Whitmore, Joe Hudson, and Steve Kline.
Greg Van Zant era (1995-2012)
Greg Van Zant took over the Mountaineer program in December 1994, a month after the death of longtime mentor Dale Ramsburg
Van Zant was the third baseman for West Virginia University from 1980 to 1983. Prior to becoming head coach, he served as an assistant under longtime head coach Dale Ramsburg.
In just his second season at the helm, Van Zant guided the Mountaineers to a 33–25 record in 1996, capturing the Big East American Division title and winning the Big East Conference Tournament. That success earned WVU an automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, where they competed in the Atlantic Regional.
Van Zant was named Big East Conference Coach of the Year twice, in 1997 and 2003. Under his leadership, the Mountaineers produced several strong seasons, including a 36–19 campaign in 2003. However, the latter part of his tenure saw a decline in performance, culminating in a 23–32 record in 2012. Following that season, WVU Athletic Director Oliver Luck announced that Van Zant's contract would not be renewed, citing the need for new direction as the program prepared to transition into the Big 12 Conference.
During his tenure he led the WVU baseball program from 1995 to 2012, compiling a career record of 528–451–1 over 18 seasons, which ranks him second all-time in wins at the school.
Upon taking the helm, Randy 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 the 2013 season exceeded expectations, finishing 33–26 overall and 13–11 in Big 12 play during WVU's debut season in the conference.
Big 12 logo in West Virginia's colors
The program saw significant growth under Mazey, who guided West Virginia back to national prominence. Under his leadership, the Mountaineers made several major milestones: in 2017, WVU returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996; in 2019, they hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time since 1955, finishing the season 38–22 and ranked No. 21 nationally. In 2023, Mazey led WVU to a share of its first-ever Big 12 regular-season title, tying a school record with 40 wins and securing another NCAA Tournament appearance. In his final season in 2024, he guided the program to its first NCAA Super Regional in school history, going 3–0 in the Tucson Regional and finishing the year 36–24 and ranked No. 13 in the country.
Mazey announced his retirement following the 2024 season. Over 12 seasons at WVU, he compiled a 372–274 overall record, including a 133–133 mark in Big 12 play. His teams went 15–20 in Big 12 Conference Tournament games and 7–8 in NCAA Tournament competition. [5]
Following the 2024 season and the retirement of longtime head coach Randy Mazey, veteran assistant Steve Sabins was named the 20th head coach in West Virginia baseball history. In his first season at the helm, Sabins guided the Mountaineers to an impressive 44–16 record and a Big 12 regular-season championship. West Virginia swept the Clemson Regional with two wins over Kentucky Wildcats and one over the No. 11 ranked Clemson Tigers. With the regional title, the Mountaineers advanced to the Baton Rouge Super Regional—marking their second consecutive Super Regional appearance—where they were eliminated by the No. 6 national seed, LSU Tigers, in two games.
Kendrick Family Ballpark, originally named Monongalia County Ballpark, has served as the home of West Virginia Mountaineers baseball since its opening in 2015. As of the 2025 season, the Mountaineers have compiled a 162–81 record at the ballpark. The stadium has been the site of numerous key Big 12 victories, non-conference matchups, and memorable moments, including hosting an NCAA Regional in 2019. These events have played a significant role in the team's overall success and postseason appearances during this era. With a fixed seating capacity of 3,500. The stadium's inaugural game took place on April 10, 2015, when WVU defeated Butler 6–5 in 13 innings. Notable home victories include a 6–5 win over the #23 Oklahoma Sooners in April 2015 marking the program's first Big 12 home win at the new park and hosting capacity crowds during the 2019 Morgantown Regional, including a postseason game against Fordham attended by over 4,300 fans.[16]
WVU alumnus and Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick, namesake of Kendrick Family Ballpark.
In 2024, West Virginia University officially renamed its baseball stadium Kendrick Family Ballpark at the Monongalia County Baseball Complex in honor of alumnus and Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick, following a major gift from the Kendrick family. The donation supports facility upgrades, most notably the construction of a new 8,200-square-foot indoor pitching and hitting facility, scheduled for completion in February 2025. The facility will feature two regulation-size pitching lanes, two full-size batting cages, a soft toss area, and state-of-the-art Trackman technology for performance analytics.[18]
*Records as of May 31, 2025 *2020 Season was canceled on March 13 due to the COVID-19 outbreak[24] *West Virginia competed in the Big East Conference from 1996 to 2012, during which time the conference sponsored baseball and featured 12 baseball-playing members. * West Virginia has been a member of the Big 12 Conference since 2013. The conference featured nine baseball-playing schools through the 2023 season, expanded to 13 members in 2024, and grew to 14 members beginning in 2025.
Awards and honors
West Virginia has produced numerous nationally recognized players and coaches. The program boasts multiple First Team All-Americans, including JJ Wetherholt, Alek Manoah, Jedd Gyorko, and Chris Enochs. Several players have earned Conference Player, Pitcher, and Freshman of the Year honors in the Atlantic 10, Big East, and Big 12 conferences. The Mountaineers have also been guided by Conference Coaches of the Year, including Dale Ramsburg, Greg Van Zant, and Randy Mazey.
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2025 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team 
