West Virginia brings confidence into opener, rematch with No. 8 Penn State
If West Virginia coach Neal Brown could make a wish looking back on last season, it would be to have closed the campaign against Penn State as opposed to facing the Nittany Lions in Week 1. The Mountaineers began 2023 in one of the most hostile environments in sports, falling...
Analysis: Big 12 must ask not only why UConn, but why now as commissioner remains open for business
As Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark steps up discussions in the conference about adding UConn, the question isn’t so much why invite the Huskies as why do it now. “There has never been a better time than right now to be part of the Big 12,” Yormark said in July...
Jahiem White, CJ Donaldson, Garrett Greene lead West Virginia’s potent rushing attack in new-look Big 12
West Virginia has its potent ground game back, and if reinforcements on a leaky defense help avoid some of the embarrassments from a year ago, the Mountaineers could make some noise in the Big 12 Conference this season. West Virginia finished third in the Bowl Subdivision at 229 yards on...
You may not fully believe what Carmelo Anthony said about his U.S. gold medals. But wouldn’t you like to?
The necessary disclosure for this column is that, as a Syracuse University graduate, I’m predisposed to stick up for Carmelo Anthony on just about all fronts. He arrived on campus a few years after I graduated and finally won an NCAA basketball championship for our school during his freshman season....
Fox Chapel’s Blake Krushinski commits to play baseball at West Virginia
Blake Krushinski has a clear path forward for his baseball career. By committing to West Virginia to play baseball before his junior season at Fox Chapel, Krushinski can focus on self-improvement. One of his first goals is to add 15 to 20 pounds before he graduates. Krushinksi, a right-handed pitcher,...
West Virginia University to pay tribute to basketball legend Jerry West
West Virginia athletics plans to honor the late Jerry West throughout the 2024-25 school year. The greatest Mountaineer in history was the inspiration for the NBA logo and left behind a legacy few could match. He played at WVU from 1957-60 before playing 14 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers...
Big 12 bigger even after losing 2 national champs, newcomer Utah is league’s highest-ranked team
The Big 12 has gotten bigger even after the departures of two national champions, with a westward expansion and a “Prime” addition among the league’s four newcomers. Mike Gundy is going into his 20th season as 17th-ranked Oklahoma State coach and has been part of all the Big 12’s configurations....
Seton Hill, WVU pitchers chosen on 3rd day of MLB Draft
Two pitchers from district universities were drafted Tuesday on the third day of the MLB Draft. Seton Hill right-handed pitcher Aidan Layton, a graduate of Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, was chosen by the Oakland Athletics at No. 496 overall, the first pick in the 17th round. At 6-2,...
Big 12 notebook: Kansas QB Jalon Daniels ready to play: WVU again underestimated?
LAS VEGAS — Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels said he would be ready to play a game now. Coach Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks just need him to be ready for the season. Daniels missed most of last season because of a back injury, playing in only three games before the...
Big 12 newcomer Utah tabbed as favorite to win the expanded 16-team football conference this fall
IRVING, Texas — Big 12 newcomer Utah has been picked to finish first in the expanded 16-team football conference this fall in a preseason poll of media who cover the league. The Utes got 20 of 61 first-place votes in the poll released Tuesday, a week before the start of...
Steelers complete draft signings, ink 2nd-round WVU center Zach Frazier
On the eve of the first mandatory practice of the upcoming season, the Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up the signing of their draft class. Center Zach Frazier signed his four-year rookie contract, the Steelers announced Monday. A second-round pick (51st overall) from West Virginia, Frazier was the final of the Steelers’...
Vance Honeycutt delivers again as North Carolina sweeps West Virginia to grab spot in College World Series
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Vance Honeycutt hit a home run on the game’s first pitch after ending the opener of the best-of-three series with a walk-off two-run shot, and North Carolina held off West Virginia, 2-1, on Saturday night, sweeping the best-of-three Chapel Hill Super Regional and grabbing a berth...
West Virginia rides coach Randy Mazey’s final season to 1st super regional in program history
Randy Mazey is going to have to put off retirement for at least another week, and he hopes longer than that. The celebratory double ice water bath dumped on him Sunday was evidence West Virginia’s season would keep going with the next stop being Chapel Hill, N.C., for the program’s...
West Virginia tops Grand Canyon to win Tucson Regional, earn 1st trip to super regional
TUCSON, Ariz. — Logan Suave had three hits and drove in three runs, West Virginia scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings and the Mountaineers dispatched Grand Canyon, 10-6, on Sunday night, winning the Tucson Regional and earning the school’s first berth to a super regional. Reed...
Penn State at West Virginia football opener set for Big Noon Kickoff
Penn State will begin its 2024 college football season on one of the sport’s biggest stages. The Nittany Lions’ season opener Aug. 31 at West Virginia will kick off at noon on FOX as part of “Big Noon Kickoff.” Penn State’s matchup at West Virginia will wrap up a scheduled...
West Virginia baseball makes NCAA Tournament, earns No. 3 seed at Tucson Regional
For the second consecutive year, the West Virginia baseball squad earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers will head to the regional round in Tucson, Ariz., as the No. 3 seed. West Virginia (33-22) secured an at-large bid and plays No. 2 Dallas Baptist (44-13) at 3 p.m....
West Virginia departs Big 12 Tournament after 2nd loss in 2 days
West Virginia was eliminated Wednesday from the Big 12 Tournament, losing to Kansas State, 8-4, in Arlington, Texas. It was the Mountaineers’ second loss in two days after dropping a 5-2 decision to TCU on Monday. Junior Brodie Kresser drove in two runs for the Mountaineers (33-22) on Wednesday and...
Locked-in focus, ‘insanely quick’ hands could make Mars, WVU baseball star JJ Wetherholt a 1st-round draft choice
When Mars baseball coach Jason Thompson boarded the bus for road games or sat down with his players at a meal during the 2021 season, the scene always was the same: The boys were on their phones, playing meaningless games. JJ Wetherholt’s pursuits were different. If he wasn’t replaying his...
Tim Benz: A Super League with NFL ties? Power conference CBAs? Many paths still uncertain for college athletes
The latest forecast of what could become the college sports landscape came last week from Yahoo.com’s Ross Dellenger. He outlined the prospect of a compensation model for power schools of $300 million each over the next decade via a $17 million- to $22 million-per-year revenue distribution cap for athletes. That...
NFL Draft recap 2024: In-depth look at each Steelers pick, plus commentary, analysis
After three days in their war room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision makers emerged Saturday night after selecting seven players who could help shape the 2024 team. The Steelers fortified their offensive line and added key pieces on offense and defense. Trib beat writer Joe...
Former Bishop Canevin standout Daiveon Taylor, now at Aliquippa, commits to West Virginia
Daiveon Taylor wasn’t traveling to Morgantown this weekend just to watch West Virginia’s annual Gold-Blue spring game. He was there to commit. “I had it planned all week,” said Taylor, a 6-foot-2, 227-pound sophomore linebacker who recently transferred from Bishop Canevin to Aliquippa. Taylor shared his decision with WVU head...
Tim Benz: Playing young linemen well worth the risk for Steelers
Steelers fans are getting exactly what they wanted so far in the 2024 NFL Draft. In the ramp-up to this selection weekend, I posted a social media poll asking what position the Steelers should address in the first round on Thursday. After 1,000 votes, 47.4% of respondents wanted a center...
Steelers get their center, draft WVU’s Zach Frazier in 2nd round
The new coordinator got two shiny new pieces that should go a long way toward instilling an old-school mentality for his offense for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A day after taking a tackle with their first-round pick, the Steelers made it 2-for-2 in adding offensive linemen when they selected West Virginia...
Offensive tackle Olu Fashanu could be 1st of several Penn State players drafted
Olu Fashanu jumped ahead of everyone else when he entered kindergarten at the age of 4 in Queen of the Apostle Elementary School in Waldorf, Md. So it won’t surprise anyone if — after he grew into a 6-foot-6, 312-pound man — he will be the first of his talented...
WVU center Zach Frazier, Iowa corner Cooper DeJean visit with Steelers
As the pre-draft visit process enters the home stretch, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to host college prospects at positions of need. The Steelers continued their emphasis on evaluating players at center and cornerback Friday. They brought in West Virginia center Zach Frazier and cornerback Beanie Bishop and Iowa corner Cooper...
