West Virginia Mountaineers | |
---|---|
2024 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team | |
Founded | 1892 |
Overall record | 2,305–1,632–18 |
University | West Virginia University |
Head coach | Steve Sabins (1st season) |
Conference | Big 12 |
Location | Morgantown, West Virginia |
Home stadium | Monongalia County Ballpark (Capacity: 3,500) |
Nickname | Mountaineers |
Colors | Gold and blue[1] |
NCAA regional champions | |
2024 | |
NCAA Tournament appearances | |
1955, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1994, 1996, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024 | |
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: 1981, 1982, 1984 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 Big 12: 2023 | |
Conference division champions | |
1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1996, 1997 |
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. Steve Sabins has been the team's head coach since prior to 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 and 16 regular season conference and division titles.
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]
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]
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) | Coach | Seasons | W-L-T | Pct |
---|---|---|---|---|
1892–1893 | None | 2 | 4–3 | .571 |
1894–1896 | A. R. Stahlings | 3 | 14–4 | .778 |
1897–1898 | J. E. B. Sweeney | 2 | 8–7 | .533 |
1899–1900 | Owen Altman | 2 | 28–9 | .757 |
1901 | H. Brown | 1 | 11–7 | .611 |
1902–1905 | Lee Hutchinson | 4 | 70–31–2 | .693 |
1906–1908 | Carl Forkum | 3 | 61–26 | .701 |
1909 | Dick Nebinger | 1 | 17–8 | .680 |
1910 | J. L. Core | 1 | 14–11 | .560 |
1911 | L. L. McClure | 1 | 17–5 | .773 |
1912 | John Gronninger | 1 | 13–12 | .520 |
1913, 1915–1917 | Charlie Hickman | 4 | 58–23–1 | .716 |
1914 | B. P. Pattison | 1 | 12–8 | .600 |
1918–1920 | Skeeter Shelton | 3 | 37–17–1 | .685 |
1921–1942, 1946 | Ira Rodgers | 22 | 204–211–3 | .489 |
1947 | Charles Hockenberry | 1 | 9–7 | .563 |
1948–1967 | Steve Harrick | 20 | 333–161–1 | .674 |
1968–1994 | Dale Ramsburg | 27 | 540–389–9 | .581 |
1995–2012 | Greg Van Zant | 18 | 528–451–1 | .539 |
2013–present | Randy Mazey | 11 | 336–250 | .573 |
TOTALS | 19 | 128 | 2305–1632–18 | .585 |
Below is a table of the program's yearly records.[2][11][12][13][14]
Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent (1892–1942) | |||||||||
1892 | None | 3–3 | |||||||
1893 | None | 1–0 | |||||||
1894 | A. R. Stahlings | 5–0 | |||||||
1895 | A. R. Stahlings | 4–1 | |||||||
1896 | A. R. Stahlings | 5–3 | |||||||
1897 | J. E. B. Sweeney | 3–2 | |||||||
1898 | J. E. B. Sweeney | 5–5 | |||||||
1899 | Owen Altman | 16–6 | |||||||
1900 | Owen Altman | 12–3 | |||||||
1901 | H. Brown | 11–7 | |||||||
1902 | Lee Hutchinson | 22–7 | |||||||
1903 | Lee Hutchinson | 14–9 | |||||||
1904 | Lee Hutchinson | 16–6–1 | |||||||
1905 | Lee Hutchinson | 19–9–1 | |||||||
1906 | Carl Forkum | 20–10 | |||||||
1907 | Carl Forkum | 17–11 | |||||||
1908 | Carl Forkum | 24–5 | |||||||
1909 | Dick Nebinger | 17–8 | |||||||
1910 | J. L. Core | 14–11 | |||||||
1911 | L. L. McClure | 17–5 | |||||||
1912 | John Gronninger | 13–12 | |||||||
1913 | Charlie Hickman | 12–4 | |||||||
1914 | B. P. Pattison | 12–8 | |||||||
1915 | Charlie Hickman | 19–7–1 | |||||||
1916 | Charlie Hickman | 17–6 | |||||||
1917 | Charlie Hickman | 10–6 | |||||||
1918 | Skeeter Shelton | 13–3 | |||||||
1919 | Skeeter Shelton | 14–3–1 | |||||||
1920 | Skeeter Shelton | 10–11 | |||||||
1921 | Ira Rodgers | 20–7 | |||||||
1922 | Ira Rodgers | 16–11 | |||||||
1923 | Ira Rodgers | 13–11 | |||||||
1924 | Ira Rodgers | 8–13 | |||||||
1925 | Ira Rodgers | 13–11 | |||||||
1926 | Ira Rodgers | 10–10 | |||||||
1927 | Ira Rodgers | 6–12–1 | |||||||
1928 | Ira Rodgers | 13–4 | |||||||
1929 | Ira Rodgers | 8–9 | |||||||
1930 | Ira Rodgers | 6–13–1 | |||||||
1931 | Ira Rodgers | 6–9–1 | |||||||
1932 | Ira Rodgers | 8–8 | |||||||
1933 | Ira Rodgers | 7–9 | |||||||
1934 | Ira Rodgers | 4–13 | |||||||
1935 | Ira Rodgers | 9–9 | |||||||
1936 | Ira Rodgers | 10–9 | |||||||
1937 | Ira Rodgers | 12–10 | |||||||
1938 | Ira Rodgers | 5–10 | |||||||
1939 | Ira Rodgers | 8–7 | |||||||
1940 | Ira Rodgers | 9–5 | |||||||
1941 | Ira Rodgers | 5–10 | |||||||
1942 | Ira 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 | |||||||
1949 | Steve Harrick | 13–8 | |||||||
1950 | Steve Harrick | 8–14 | |||||||
Independent: | 612–417–7 | ||||||||
Southern Conference (1951–1968) | |||||||||
1951 | Steve Harrick | 17–6 | |||||||
1952 | Steve Harrick | 12–9 | 7–3 | t–2nd (Northern) | |||||
1953 | Steve Harrick | 6–7 | 2–5 | 7th (Northern) | |||||
1954 | Steve Harrick | 13–7 | 5–4 | 6th | |||||
1955 | Steve Harrick | 20–6 | 7–2 | 1st | District 3 Regionals | ||||
1956 | Steve Harrick | 16–9 | 6–3 | 2nd | |||||
1957 | Steve Harrick | 12–8 | 4–5 | 5th | |||||
1958 | Steve Harrick | 12–11 | 5–3 | 5th | |||||
1959 | Steve Harrick | 16–9 | 8–5 | 5th | |||||
1960 | Steve Harrick | 17–9 | 6–4 | t–3rd | |||||
1961 | Steve Harrick | 17–10 | 8–2 | 1st | District 3 Regionals | ||||
1962 | Steve Harrick | 17–9 | 9–2 | 1st | District 3 Regionals | ||||
1963 | Steve Harrick | 30–3 | 13–1 | 1st | District 3 Regionals | ||||
1964 | Steve Harrick | 24–5 | 14–2 | 1st | District 3 Regionals | ||||
1965 | Steve Harrick | 19–9 | 10–4 | 2nd | |||||
1966 | Steve Harrick | 26–7–1 | 12–4 | 2nd | |||||
1967 | Steve Harrick | 22–9 | 13–3 | 1st | District 3 Regionals | ||||
1968 | Dale Ramsburg | 9–8 | 4–4 | 5th | |||||
Southern Conference: | 305–141–1 | 133–56 | |||||||
Independent (1969–1976) | |||||||||
1969 | Dale Ramsburg | 12–6–1 | |||||||
1970 | Dale Ramsburg | 12–5 | |||||||
1971 | Dale Ramsburg | 21–6 | |||||||
1972 | Dale Ramsburg | 10–10 | |||||||
1973 | Dale Ramsburg | 8–12–1 | |||||||
1974 | Dale Ramsburg | 12–13 | |||||||
1975 | Dale Ramsburg | 10–18 | |||||||
1976 | Dale Ramsburg | 21–12 | ECAC Tournament | ||||||
1977 | Dale Ramsburg | 10–18 | |||||||
Independent: | 116–100–2 | ||||||||
Eastern Athletic Association/Atlantic 10 Conference (1978–1995) | |||||||||
1978 | Dale Ramsburg | 16–9 | |||||||
1979 | Dale Ramsburg | 9–13 | EAC Tournament | ||||||
1980 | Dale Ramsburg | 12–14–2 | EAC Tournament | ||||||
1981 | Dale Ramsburg | 17–18 | 6–2 | t–1st (West) | EAC Tournament | ||||
1982 | Dale Ramsburg | 24–23 | 7–2 | 1st (West) | East Regional | ||||
1983 | Dale Ramsburg | 22–10 | 6–4 | 2nd (West) | |||||
1984 | Dale Ramsburg | 22–11–1 | 9–3 | t–1st (West) | A-10 Tournament | ||||
1985 | Dale Ramsburg | 27–16 | 9–3 | t-1st (West) | South I Regional | ||||
1986 | Dale Ramsburg | 24–14–1 | 9–2 | 1st (West) | A-10 Tournament | ||||
1987 | Dale Ramsburg | 32–15 | 13–3 | 1st (West) | South I Regional | ||||
1988 | Dale Ramsburg | 33–19–1 | 12–4 | 1st (West) | A-10 Tournament | ||||
1989 | Dale Ramsburg | 28–13–1 | 9–5 | 3rd (West) | |||||
1990 | Dale Ramsburg | 33–20 | 12–4 | 2nd (West) | A-10 Tournament | ||||
1991 | Dale Ramsburg | 20–20–1 | 9–7 | 3rd (West) | |||||
1992 | Dale Ramsburg | 27–20 | 12–4 | 2nd (West) | A-10 Tournament | ||||
1993 | Dale Ramsburg | 29–25 | 13–8 | 2nd | A-10 Tournament | ||||
1994 | Dale Ramsburg | 40–21 | 17–4 | 2nd | Atlantic I Regional | ||||
1995 | Greg Van Zant | 18–32 | 11–13 | 6th | |||||
Atlantic 10 Conference: | 433–313–5 | 154–68 | |||||||
Big East Conference (1996–2012) | |||||||||
1996 | Greg Van Zant | 33–25 | 15–10 | 1st (American) | Atlantic Regional L, 2–2 | ||||
1997 | Greg Van Zant | 36–19 | 17–7 | 1st (American) | |||||
1998 | Greg Van Zant | 37–17–1 | 13–9 | 5th (American) | |||||
1999 | Greg Van Zant | 29–28 | 12–13 | 6th | |||||
2000 | Greg Van Zant | 25–28 | 10–12 | 7th | |||||
2001 | Greg Van Zant | 27–26 | 12–14 | 7th | |||||
2002 | Greg Van Zant | 24–26 | 9–16 | 10th | |||||
2003 | Greg Van Zant | 36–19 | 18–6 | 2nd | |||||
2004 | Greg Van Zant | 23–29 | 10–16 | 8th | |||||
2005 | Greg Van Zant | 25–30 | 10–15 | 7th | |||||
2006 | Greg Van Zant | 36–22 | 14–13 | 5th | |||||
2007 | Greg Van Zant | 29–22 | 10–16 | t-9th | |||||
2008 | Greg Van Zant | 35–21 | 13–14 | 7th | |||||
2009 | Greg Van Zant | 37–18 | 17–10 | 3rd | |||||
2010 | Greg Van Zant | 27–30 | 10–17 | t–8th | |||||
2011 | Greg Van Zant | 28–27 | 14–13 | t–4th | |||||
2012 | Greg Van Zant | 23–32 | 9–18 | 11th | |||||
Big East Conference: | 510–419–1 | 213–219 | |||||||
Big 12 Conference (2013–present) | |||||||||
2013 | Randy Mazey | 33–26 | 13–11 | t-3rd | |||||
2014 | Randy Mazey | 28–26 | 9–14 | 6th | |||||
2015 | Randy Mazey | 27–27 | 9–13 | 7th | |||||
2016 | Randy Mazey | 36–22 | 12–11 | 4th | |||||
2017 | Randy Mazey | 36–26 | 12–12 | t-4th | NCAA regional | ||||
2018 | Randy Mazey | 29-27 | 9-15 | 7th | |||||
2019 | Randy Mazey | 38-22 | 13-11 | 4th | NCAA regional | ||||
2020 | Randy Mazey | 11-5 | 0-0 | ||||||
2021 | Randy Mazey | 25-27 | 8-16 | t-8th | |||||
2022 | Randy Mazey | 33-22 | 14-10 | t-5th | |||||
2023 | Randy Mazey | 40-20 | 15-9 | t-1st | NCAA regional | ||||
2024 | Randy Mazey | 36–24 | 19–11 | 4th | NCAA Super Regional | ||||
Big 12 Conference: | 372–274 | 133-133 | |||||||
Total: | 2329–1704–17 | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
|
Year | Record | Pct | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1955 | 1–2 | .333 | District 3 |
1961 | 1–2 | .333 | District 3 |
1962 | 0–2 | .000 | District 3 |
1963 | 1–2 | .333 | District 3 |
1964 | 0–2 | .000 | District 3 |
1967 | 0–2 | .000 | District 3 |
1982 | 2–2 | .500 | East Regional |
1985 | 0–2 | .000 | South I Regional |
1987 | 0–2 | .000 | South I Regional |
1994 | 1–2 | .333 | Atlantic I Regional |
1996 | 2–2 | .500 | Atlantic Regional |
2017 | 2–2 | .500 | Winston-Salem Regional |
2019 | 1–2 | .333 | Hosted Morgantown Regional |
2023 | 1–2 | .333 | Lexington Regional |
2024 | 3–2 | .600 | Chapel Hill Super Regional |
TOTALS
|
15-30 | .333 |
Below is a list of notable former players of the program and the seasons in which they played for the Mountaineers.[15]