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 the end of the 2024 season, the program has appeared in 15 NCAA tournaments. It has won five conference tournament championships, 15 regular season conference titles, and nine division titles.
The West Virginia University (WVU) 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.
Several Mountaineers have gone on to play professionally, including Major League Baseball (MLB) standouts like Jedd Gyorko, John Means, and Alek Manoah, who was a first-round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 and made his MLB debut in 2021.
As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, the Mountaineers have made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, with recent appearances helping solidify the program’s growing reputation. The team has also won five conference tournament championships, along with 15 regular season conference titles and nine division titles over its history. [3]
Big 12 logo in West Virginia's colors
Steve Harrick era (1948-1967)
Steve Harrick served as the head coach of the West Virginia University (WVU) 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 (WVU) 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 of 1994, a month after the death of longtime mentor Dale Ramsburg
Van Zant was the third baseman for West Virginia University (WVU) 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.
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. [4]
Steve Sabins era (2025-present)
Following the 2024 season and the retirement of Randy Mazey, longtime assistant Steve Sabins took over as the 20th head coach in West Virginia baseball history. [5]
Head coaches
Since the program started in 1892, there have been 20 head coaches in WVU baseball history. [6]
Kendrick Family Ballpark has served as the home of West Virginia Mountaineers baseball since its opening in 2015, offering the program a modern facility and notable home-field advantage. As of the 2025 season, the Mountaineers have compiled a 157–76 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.[7]
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
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2025 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team 
