West Virginia Executive Sports Hall of Fame

Over the years, we have been inundated by requests from our readers to publish a sports issue. When we made the decision to add this topic to our editorial calendar, one thing was certain: we needed to develop our own sports hall of fame. What we didn’t expect was the endless number of great athletes who either call West Virginia home or who spent a portion of their sports career competing in the state. Our hall of fame is unique in that it not only celebrates athletes of both traditional and nontraditional sports but men and women behind the scenes—the coaches and other members of our athletic community.

As with any other list, there were specific criteria that had to be followed. Inclusion in the WVE Sports Hall of Fame required that each participant have been from or have spent some time playing sports in the Mountain State. Honorees must also have competed or participated in their sport in the last 20 years. Finally, the individuals we chose had to have earned a national, international or professional sports ranking.

West Virginia Executive is proud to present the 2010 WVE Sports Hall of Fame, a celebration of the Mountain State’s diverse community of athletes and their many achievements.

Eric “Randy” Barnes

Two-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion shot putter, Barnes, a Charleston native, holds the indoor and outdoor distance records. He began competing in shot put as a student at St. Albans High School, and at 22 years of age, Barnes competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics where he earned a silver medal. In 1993, he also earned a silver medal at the world championships and a bronze medal in the 1995 world championships. In 1996 he received a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Michael Bartrum

Considered one of the best long snappers of his time, Bartrum also excelled as a tight end during his NFL career. A redshirt at Marshall in 1988, he went on to become third among tight ends all-time for the Thundering Herd. He played in Super Bowl XXXIX with the New England Patriots in 2005. His six career touchdowns in 11 receptions puts him second only to Mike Vrabel’s record. He retired from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007 after suffering a neck injury in 2006.

John Beilein

His career in basketball began at Wheeling Jesuit University in the mid-70s. Former five-year coach at WVU and current coach at the University of Michigan, he is the only active collegiate coach to have achieved 20-win seasons at four different levels. He has been recognized as coach of the year four times and was the seventh of only eight coaches in history to have taken four different schools to the NCAA Men’s Div. I basketball championship tournament.

Kelly-Anne Billingy

A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Billingy came to the U.S. to play volleyball for Marshall University from 2004 to 2007. She was a four-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Midwest Region team member and set a Marshall career record with 2,481 kills. Her senior year, she was ranked 12th in the nation with 5.15 kills per game. After graduation, Billingy returned home to play for their women’s volleyball league.

George Brett

In his 20-year career with the Kansas City Royals, Brett made Major League history with 3,154 career hits, the most by any third baseman. A 13-year consecutive All-Star and World Series champion, this Glendale native is one of only four players in Major League history to accumulate 3,000 hits, 300 home runs and a .300 career batting average, placing him among the ranks of Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.

Troy Brown

This Marshall University Distinguished Alumni award-winner may be best recognized for the 1992 championship game in which he sealed the win by intercepting a Hail Mary pass in the final. During his 15 years with the Patriots, a career that he began in 1993, he earned three Super Bowl rings and retired as the franchise leader in career receptions.

Kate Bulger

While playing basketball at WVU, Bulger led the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament in 2004, the team’s first appearance since 1992. With 1,732 career points, she is ranked 4th all-time in WVU history. She holds the record for being WVU’s all-time leader for three-point shots as well as the Big-East all-time leader. In the 2003-2004 season, Bulger led the team in scoring in 15 of their 28 games. In 2004, she was drafted into the WNBA to play for the Minnesota Lynx where she continues to play today.

Marc Bulger

Bulger is a former WVU quarterback who earned 25 passing records at his alma mater, including a career 8,153 passing yards and 59 touchdown passes. He ranks 4th in Big East history in passing yardage and 4th in career touchdown passes. Bulger holds a Big East record for his nine 300-yard passing games, as well as his 571 career pass attempts. He played for the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons before spending nine seasons with the St. Louis Rams.

Victoria “Vicky” Bullett

Growing up in Martinsburg, Bullet spent her childhood sharpening her basketball skills by playing against her six brothers. During her career, she has played various positions including center, small forward and power forward for the Charlotte Sting and Washington Mystics in the WNBA as well as European and South American professional teams. She has made two appearances in the Olympic Games, receiving a 1988 gold medal and a 1992 bronze medal.

Da’Sean Butler

This 2010 WVU senior led the Mountaineers to their first Final Four appearance since 1959. At WVU, Butler earned many accolades, including 2007 All-Big East Freshman Team, 2009-2010 All-Big East First-Team and 2010 Big East Tournament MVP. In 2009, he also led his team in scoring with a 17.1 average points per game. He is currently one of the 10 finalists for the 2010 John R. Wooden Award.

Michael Carey

In his eight seasons coaching the WVU women’s basketball team, Carey has led them to four 21-win seasons in six years, breaking the past school record. He took the team to their first Big East championship game as well as three NCAA tournament appearances. Under this Clarksburg native’s direction, Kate Bulger, Sherell Sowho and Yolanda Paige received all-Big East honors—the first time in school history that WVU had three players receive all-conference recognition in the same season.

Gale Catlett

A former WVU basketball player from 1959 to 1963, Catlett returned to his alma mater in 1978 as head coach. Under his guidance, the Mountaineers won more than 19 games per season. Over his 24-year career, he took his players to eight NCAA tournaments, including one Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1998. Before coaching at WVU, Catlett was the head coach at the University of Cincinnati for six years.

Arden Cogar, Jr.

Beginning his 32nd year in the world of professional lumberjack sports, Cogar, a full-time civil defense trial attorney, has won 47 world titles, including three U.S. Stihl Timbersports Championships in the past four years. The current captain of the U.S. National Lumberjack Team, Cogar grew up in Webster Springs and now lives in West Hamlin where his entire family is involved with lumberjack sports. Cogar attends approximately 15 lumberjack competitions a year and is considered a historian of the sport. He got his start at only 8 years of age when his father modified a chainsaw to fit into his hands. He began competing at age 12 and became the youngest participant ever on ESPN’s Stihl Timbersports Series at age 17.

Vernell “Bimbo” Coles

A Greenbrier East High School athletic stand-out, Coles attended Virginia Tech where he played short-stop for the Hokies’ baseball team and point guard for the basketball team. In 1988, he played on the Olympic basketball team where he received a bronze medal. He was drafted by the California Angels in the 1990 amateur baseball draft but chose to pursue a career in basketball instead. In his 14-year career he played for the Sacramento Kings, the Miami Heat, the Alanta Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. In the 2005-06 season, he was the assistant coach to the Miami Heat and guided them to the NBA championship. Today he continues to coach for the Heat.

Michael D’Antoni

A former basketball player from Mullens, the head coach for the New York Knicks got his start in basketball at Marshall University. D’Antoni was drafted by the Kansas City-Omaha Kings in 1973 before going on to play for the Spirits of St. Louis and then the San Antonio Spurs. In 1977, he relocated overseas to play for Italy’s team, Olimpia Milano, and began his coaching career during his stay in Milan. He returned to the U.S. where he coached for the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns and served as a scout for the San Antonio Spurs. He was selected to the coaching staff of the Team USA Olympic basketball squad under Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2006. D’Antoni became the head coach of the New York Knicks in 2008.

Chad Duernberger

At the age of 24, Duernberger, head coach of the University of Charleston (UC) men’s soccer team, is one of the youngest college head coaches in America. This native of Belle got his start in soccer as a first-string player at UC. Voted Coach of the Year in 2009 by both WVIAC and NSCAA, he led his players to their first appearance at the Div. II NCAA National Tournament since 1999 where they reached the Elite Eight. Under his leadership, his team was ranked 7th out of 25 in the NSCAA Div. II Top 25 in 2009.

Bryan Ewing

Born in Wheeling, Ewing is an ice hockey player for the Rockford IceHogs, a team of the AHL. While playing for Boston University, he was named NCAA Second Team All-American. In 2008, he signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before being reassigned to the Wheeling Nailers. In 2009, he was called back up to the Penguins where he made his AHL debut. He spent the majority of 2009 playing for the Nailers, leading in goals and points. In the 2008-09 season, Ewing was selected as a member of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) All-Rookie Team and the All-ECHL First Team and he was named the CCM ECHL Rookie of the Year.

John “Jimbo” Fisher

Born in Clarksburg, Fisher played quarterback under Head Coach Terry Bowden at Salem International University. After playing one year in the arena football league, Fisher joined Bowden at Samford in 1988 as an assistant coach. Fisher coached quarterbacks for numerous college clubs, including Auburn, Cincinnati and Louisiana State. He joined the staff at Florida State as head coach when legendary Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden stepped down. Fisher remains with Florida State today.

Rachel Folden

Folden was the seventh overall draft pick in the 2008 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) draft by the Chicago Bandits. This top-six overall catcher helped the Bandits win the NPF championship and earned the title of Rookie of the Year after hitting .311 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs. In 2009, Folden hit .308 with six home runs and 22 RBIs. A Marshall University alumni, she earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American honors and was twice named Conference USA Player of the Year.

Tammie Green

After beginning her golf career at Marshall University, Green went on to play professionally on the Futures Tour, known as the official development tour of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. She was Rookie of the Year in 1985 and won 10 of the tournaments played on the Futures Tour. In 1986, she was again named Rookie of the Year and won seven times in 1989, including one major championship. In 1997, she was ranked 5th on the money list and played for the U.S. in the Solheim Cup in 1994 and 1998.

Jon Hammond

A native Scotsman, Hammond began shooting rifles at the age of 9. After earning his first world title in 1998 and teaching basic rifle techniques to the blind in Scotland, he came to West Virginia where he attended WVU. During his studies, he joined the university’s rifle team, and in 2006, his coaching career began when he was hired as head coach. In 2008, he spent the summer as an athlete competing for Great Britain in the Beijing Olympics. In 2006, he led the WVU rifle team to its first winning season since 2003. The 2007-08 rifle squad had an 8-3 record and was ranked 6th at the NCAA Championship, and in 2009, WVU went 11-1 and won the NCAA title. In just three seasons, Hammond has coached eight athletes who have earned a total of 16 NRA All-American honors.

Chantelle Handy

An England native, Handy was ranked 49th best forward in the nation by the All-Star Girls Report while in high school. She led her Mount de Chantal Academy team to a No. 1 ranking in WV Class A for two consecutive years, helped secure the Nike Classic Championship in 2003 and helped set a school record of 27 wins in 2005. At Marshall University, this redshirt freshman started 17 games and was one of six players to average at least 20 minutes per game. She was named the 17th leading rebounder in the C-USA, joining Tynikki Crook as the only two players to start all 32 games. In 2009, she played for the World University Games.

Susan Haywood

It wasn’t until Trek Volkswagen chose Haywood for the world team in 2002 that she realized she could make a living as a pro mountain biker. A native of Delaware who now calls Davis, WV home, Haywood took up mountain biking in 1991 as a student at WVU and competed in her first race that year. Haywood raced in amateur and expert classes for seven years prior to completing three successful years with the Trek Volkswagen East Coast Regional Team. A 2004 Olympic team nominee, her talent and drive caught the attention of the Trek Volkswagen professional team, earning her a spot on the international squad. Haywood is a three-time U.S. National STXC Champion and a two-time team champion at 24 Hours of Moab. She received 1st place in the 2001 World Cup Time Trial, 2nd place in the 2003 NORBA National STXC at Mt. Snow, VT and Snowshoe, WV and 1st place at the 2003 NORBA National STXC.

Louis “Lou” Holtz

Born in Follansbee, WV and raised in East Liverpool, Ohio, Holtz was a college linebacker who began his coaching career as an assistant at Iowa. His resume includes stints at North Carolina State, Connecticut, Notre Dame and Ohio State. He is the only college football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games and to guide four different programs to the final Top 20 rankings. He left coaching to be a college football analyst for CBS Sports and now works for ESPN. Holtz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Alexis Hornbuckle

A high school athlete who attended Capital and South Charleston high schools, this WNBA player attended the University of Tennessee and served as a key player for two NCAA championship teams. Hornbuckle holds the record at Tennessee for the most career steals by a women’s basketball player. She played for the U.S. team at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil where the team won all five games and earned a gold medal. She was selected by the Detroit Shock in the first round of the 2008 WNBA Draft, 4th overall.

William “Jeff” Hostetler

Hostetler began his college football career at Penn State before transferring to WVU. He ranks among the single-season leaders at WVU in passing yards, pass completions, pass attempts, touchdown passes, passing efficiency and total offense. He was drafted into the NFL by the Giants and led his team to a Super Bowl XXV victory. In 2008, he was ranked 30th best quarterback performance in Super Bowl history by ESPN. Hostetler retired in 1998 from the Redskins.

Bob Huggins

The head coach of the WVU men’s basketball team is most recently known for taking the team to their first Final Four appearance since 1959. A Morgantown native, Huggins held head coaching positions at Cincinnati and Kansas State prior to returning to his alma mater. During his 25 seasons as a head coach, he built a record of 616-221 (.736), numbers that rank him as 8th in winning percentage and 7th in victories among active Div. I coaches. As one of only four active Div. I coaches with more than 600 career victories, he has also been to 15 total NCAA tournaments, 14 of which have taken place in the last 15 seasons.

Rodney “Hot Rod” Hundley

Hundley discovered his love for basketball at an early age. After playing in high school, he went on to WVU where his dribbling antics and daredevil maneuvers earned him the nickname “Hot Rod.” It was during his time in Morgantown that WVU made its first three NCAA appearances. Hundley was the fourth player in NCAA history to score in excess of 2,000 points during his career. He holds eight school records and remains the only Mountaineer to be drafted first overall in an NBA draft. In 1957, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals and was traded to the Minneapolis Lakers where he remained until retirement at the age of 28 due to knee problems. After retirement, he turned to sports broadcasting, and in 1974, he became the voice of the Utah Jazz until he retired in 2009.

Nikki Izzo-Brown

In 14 seasons, Izzo-Brown, the women’s head soccer coach at WVU has coached seven players who went on to play professionally, as well as 14 All-Americans, 10 Academic All-Americans, seven Big East Players of the Year and two Big East Rookies of the Year. The Mountaineers enter the 2010 season having made an appearance in each of the last 10 NCAA tournaments, the country’s ninth-best active streak. To date, she has led the Mountaineers to an impressive 189-77-31 overall record and a 73-38-16 Big East mark that includes four regular season divisional titles and a tournament championship. Entering the 2010 season, she ranks 20th among NCAA Div. I coaches.

Roger Jarrett

A native of St. Albans, Jarrett is an internationally known martial arts expert who operates one of his 22 training centers, USA Martial Arts Training Center, in St. Albans. An 8th degree black belt, Jarrett has more than 43 years of experience in martial arts. He is a former national champion and karate All-American and has trained numerous national, international and world karate champions. The president and chief instructor for many martial arts organizations, he has served as a senior coach for the U.S. Karate Team. Jarrett was inducted into the USA Karate Hall of Fame in 1997 and was named the 2001 “Man of the Year” by the USA Karate Hall of Fame. He has been promoted to the rank of 8th Dan, Grandmaster.

James Jett

Born in Charles Town, this WVU starting receiver finished his college career with 67 receptions for 1,384 yards and 11 touchdowns. In college, he was named a seven-time All-American in track and competed for the gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team in the 1992 Summer Olympics. Jett was drafted into the NFL in 1993 and joined the Los Angeles Raiders. In 1996, he won the NFL Fastest Man Competition. Jett retired in 2002 with 256 receptions for 4,417 yards and 30 touchdowns, finishing his career as the 8th-leading receiver in Oakland Raiders team history. He was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

Jessica Johnson and Ashley Kroh

In 2004, Johnson and Kroh became the first Marshall University Olympic Sports athletes to play for a national championship. While they were defeated in the final game, their victories went down in Marshall and Mid-American Conference history as the greatest tennis feat for both the program and the conference. CAA All-Americans, the tennis duo compiled a 39-8 overall record in doubles in 2004. Finishing 13th in the ITA final doubles rankings in 2004, they were the first tennis All-Americans in Marshall history.

John Kruk

This first baseman and outfielder got his start in Keyser where he played high school baseball, followed by college baseball at Potomac State College and Allegany Community College. In 1981, Kruk was signed as a No. 3 Special Draft selection and began his professional ball career with the San Diego Padres. His break-out year was 1987 when he hit .313 with 20 homeruns and 91 RBIs, stealing 18 bases. In 1987, he was one of three to become the first players in major league history to open a game with three consecutive solo homeruns. Kruk, who batted .316/.430/.475 in 1993, was also the leader of the Phillies’ “Macho Row” which led the team to the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. His 10-year career ended with a .300 batting average and exactly 100 home runs.

Mark Lambert and Dyana Tolliver

Getting his start in cornhole in the summer of 2007, Lambert has made a big splash in the competitive world and is currently ranked 5th overall. Tolliver, ranked 25th, started playing and competing shortly after and began playing with Lambert. The two compete individually and in doubles competitions. As members of the American Cornhole Organization, the team travels around the region competing and planning weekend tournaments in their home state. Last May, they finished first out of 42 teams at a tournament in Louisville, KY.

Byron Leftwich

Growing up in Washington, D.C., Leftwich joined the ranks of the Marshall University football team as their quarterback. He is best remembered for his heroic effort in a 2002 game against Akron where, after breaking his shin, he was carried by linemen Steve Sciullo and Steve Perretta to continue the game. In 2003, he was drafted to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars and was the starting quarterback in four games his rookie year. Over the next few years, he played with the Atlanta Falcons, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before returning to the Steelers in 2010.

Logan Martin

By the age of 15, Martin had begun racing Supercross and Motocross. With 10 years of racing experience, including four years on the professional circuit, this Fairmont native has already earned three Top-12 National Amateur Championships. As a member of the MDK/Wonder Warthog Race Team, Martin reached new heights in 2009 when he competed in the AMA Supercross Lites on the East Coast and qualified in the Fastest 40 in six separate races. He also competed in the AMA Motocross Nationals and was 31st overall in the lites class.

Ovinton J’Anthony “O. J.” Mayo

Once considered to be the best high school basketball player in the U.S., Mayo was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio and the Associated Press Div. III Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons. He attended Huntington High for his senior year and played for USC for one year before entering the 2008 NBA Draft. Taken third overall in the draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was traded to the Grizzlies. He was named the runner-up for the 2008-09 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and in November 2009, he scored a career high 40 points on 17 of 25 shots against the Denver Nuggets.

Robert “Bobby” Minghini

Born in Elkins, Minghini began skiing at the age of 18 months at Snowshoe Resort in Davis, WV and traded his skis for a snowboard at the age of five. An ex-ski racer turned SBX expert, this two-time Junior World Championships team member got his first World Cup start in 2007 at the State Farm U.S. Snowboard Cup in New York. In 2009, he achieved a career best with 8th place in Sunday River, ME. He also claimed top-15 finishes in four out of five competitions he entered on the NorAm circuit the same year.

Jeffrey Montgomery

The only four-pitch relief ace in baseball history, Montgomery played baseball at Marshall University and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 1983. He was traded to the Royals in 1988 where he remained until retirement in 2000. In 1990, he became the ninth American League pitcher and the 23rd pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning. In 1993, he won the American League Rolaids Relief Man Award. He was inducted into the Royals’ Hall of Fame in 2003.

Renee Montgomery

As a high school senior, Montgomery led her South Charleston High School team to the West Virginia Class AAA Final as well as three appearances at the West Virginia State Championships. At UConn, Montgomery was named the 2006 Big East Freshman of the Year. She passed the 1,000-point mark in an 82-71 UConn win over North Carolina in January 2008, and during her senior year, she led the Huskies to a 39-0 season and her first and only national championship. She finished her college career in the top 10 of several UConn women’s basketball record book categories and was selected No. 4 overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx. She was traded in January 2010 to the Connecticut Sun.

Randall “Randy” Moss

This Rand, WV native began playing football at DuPont High School before a two-year career at Marshall University where he helped earn the national title in 1996. Moss was drafted in 1998 by the Minnesota Vikings and was traded in 2005 to the Oakland Raiders before moving on to play for his current team, the New England Patriots. In 2007, Moss broke the NFL single season touchdown reception record with 23 receptions.

Don Nehlen

The former head coach at Bowling Green State University and WVU, Nehlen retired from college football in 2001 with a career record of 202-128-8. Nehlen began coaching in 1958 on the high school level before moving on to assistant coaching positions at Bowling Green, Cincinnati and Michigan. Named the 17th winningest coach in college football history, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Brett Nelson

A St. Albans native, Nelson is the assistant basketball coach at Marshall. A four-year letter winner at the University of Florida from 1999 to 2003, Nelson is one of the most accomplished Gators in school history. Ranking 2nd all-time at UF in three-pointers made, he finished his collegiate career with 1,417 points and hitting 82.5 percent of his free throw attempts. He established the school record for consecutive games with a three-pointer, marking the sixth-longest Southeastern Conference streak. Named to the 2000 season’s All-East Regional Team, he was a member of four UF NCAA Tournament teams.

Trevyn Newpher

The mountain bike supervisor at Snowshoe Mountain, Newpher, originally from Oregon, has been riding and competing for more than 10 years. A PRO class national and international licensed rider who rides for Snowshoe Bike Park, Newpher placed 2nd at the Maryland State Downhill Championship in 2007, 8th in the Showdown at Sugar-National Mountain Bike Series in 2007, 8th in the Yankee Clipper Pro GRT DH in 2009 and 1st at the Snowshoe Race Series #4 in 2009.

Robert Nutting

Nutting, a Wheeling native, became the sixth principal owner in the 123-year history of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007 after serving as chairman of the board and representing his family’s interests in the club since 2003. Nutting is also a former president of the West Virginia Press Association and is the president and CEO of Ogden Newspapers in Wheeling and Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

Lea Ann Parsley

Born in Logan, WV, Parsley is a direct descendant of the McCoy family of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. She grew up in Ohio but came back to her roots for college and attended Marshall University where she played basketball and competed in track and field. In 1998, Parsley began her six-year run on the international world cup circuit as part of the U.S. National Skeleton Team. She earned seven World Cup medals, was the 2004 U.S. National Champion and received a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. She began coaching for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Skeleton team after a bizarre accident took her out of contention. During a training camp in 2005, Parsley and her teammate Noelle Pikus-Pace were hit by a runaway bobsled. Parsley suffered soft-tissue damage to her right leg just 72 hours before the team trials, leaving her unable to compete.

Edward “Ed” Pastilong

Pastilong, a WVU quarterback from Moundsville, coached high school and college football prior to taking his position as athletic director at WVU. During his time as head coach at Salem College, his team won more games than any other West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team in that period. Under his guidance, WVU joined the Big East Conference, constructed an indoor football practice facility, added a gymnastics performance center, built luxury stadium boxes and made many other improvements to the athletics program. Pastilong currently oversees 17 varsity sports programs, more than 500 student-athletes and an annual budget that exceeds $25 million. Pastilong will retire in 2010 with plans to stay with the school until 2012.

James “Chad” Pennington

Pennington began his football career at Marshall University before being drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. A quarterback for the Dolphins, he is currently the NFL’s all-time leader in career completion percentage (66.1 percent). In 2008, he was released from the Jets and signed with the Dolphins where he was named starting quarterback. Pennington is the first Dolphins quarterback since Hall of Famer Dan Marino to throw for 3,500 yards. In 2009, he sustained his third shoulder injury, and in 2010 he was resigned for one more year to the Dolphins.

Phil Pfister

Pfister won the 2006 Met-Rx World’s Strongest Man competition in Sanya, China, making him the first American to win since 1982. At 6’6” and 375 pounds, this Charleston native placed 4th in the 1998 competition and 4th in 2001. He also placed 4th at the 2007 and 2008 World’s Strongest Man contests and came in at 7th place in 2009. Pfister has set two qualifier records in the Hercules Hold and the Atlas Stones and he achieved a podium finish at the Arnold Strongman Classic in 2002 where he came in 3rd.

Kevin Pittsnogle

Pittsnogle rose to fame during his collegiate basketball career at WVU where he has the 6th most points in a career, the 2nd best three-point field goal percentage in a career, the most games played in a career and the 9th most games started in a career. In 2006, he signed with the Continental Basketball Association’s (CBA) Pittsburgh Xplosion and currently holds the CBA single-game record for points scored. His career accomplishments include being named a Big East Academic All-Star, a member of the 2007 CBA All-Star team and a member of the 2007 CBA All Rookie team.

Kristin Quackenbush-DiBartolomeo

A seven-time All-American, Quackenbush-DiBartolomeo earned a 3rd place finish at the 1996 NCAA Championships in gymnastics along with three Atlantic 10 titles and two East Atlantic Gymnastics League titles. She was named the 1994 Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year and the 1995 Atlantic 10 Gymnast of the Year. In 1997, she earned WVU’s first-ever AAI American Award and was the NCAA Woman of the Year for West Virginia. After competing for four years in gymnastics, Quackenbush-DiBartolomeo competed for one year with WVU’s track and field team and earned her seventh All-American, winning both the Big East and ECAC pole vault titles at the 1998 indoor and outdoor championships.

Josh Richards

A Shinnston, WV native, Richards’ most recent win was the 2009 World of Outlaws Late Model Championship, making him the youngest World of Outlaw Champion in series history. Growing up in his family’s chassis shop, he began racing late models at the age of 15. With one year of racing under his belt, Richards stepped up to compete in the World of Outlaw Late Model Series at 16 and earned the Rookie of the Year in 2005. In 2006, NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart took interest in Richards and they became teammates. By age 20, he had already competed at 115 different tracks and in more than 330 events. In 2009, Richards entered 70 events, racking up an impressive 15 wins, 38 top-fives, 58 top-10s and 12 fastest qualifier awards.

Richard “Rich” Rodriguez

Editor’s Note: Regardless of the way you feel about Rodriguez, you can’t argue with his statistics. We felt that due to his successful years at WVU, he has earned a position in our Hall of Fame. However, we thought it would be best if each of you had the chance to sum up his career in your own words. 

Russell Road

This unique athlete was born and bred in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Russell Road, a Thoroughbred owned by Mark Russell, was the 2008 West Virginia 2-year-old Champion Colt. This 3-year-old gelding was also the 2009 West Virginia 3-year-old Colt Champion and Horse of the Year. His last win was the $50,000 Springtime Handicap at Charles Town Races which boosted his earning to $716,225 to date. Russell Road’s race record is 18 starts, 13 wins, two 2nd place finishes and one 3rd finish.

Nicholas “Nick” Saban

Featured as Forbes magazine’s most powerful coach in 2008, Saban is no stranger to success as a leader. As a collegiate coach, his record is 124-50-1. This Fairmont native is one of only two coaches to win an SEC championship at two different schools. In 2003, he led LSU to the BCS National Championship and helped Alabama earn the 2009 BCS and AP national championships. Saban also coached for Michigan State and Toledo before going on to coach for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. In 2007, he moved back to the NCAA and began coaching for Alabama.

Owen Schmitt

Dubbed “college football’s top workout freak” by ESPN.com, Schmitt earned NSCA Strength All-American honors by bulking up from 245 to 260 pounds. In his senior year at WVU in 2007, Schmitt was arguably one of the best fullbacks in the nation. Playing under Rich Rodriguez, Schmitt and halfback Steve Slaton teamed up to make one of the best rushing duos in the NCAA. During his 353 collegiate career starts, Schmitt only tackled for a loss four times. Setting records and earning honors in college led to being selected as a fifth round draft pick in 2008 for the Seattle Seahawks.

Gunnar and Betsy Shogren

This husband-wife team from Morgantown is making the Mountain State proud with their 11 National Professional Cyclist titles. In 2009, they took it to a new level by teaming up to win their first-ever Tandem Bicycle National Championship. Gunnar, known as the “Beast from the East,” is racing against men half his age, and with more than 20 years of experience is continuing to make a name for himself. He has raced in China, Switzerland and Canada, and he is a former professional with Diamondback and a former columnist for Dirt Rag magazine. Betsy has been racing for nine years with two seasons on the national level with the women’s road team. Aside from the tandem championship she earned with her husband, Betsy has won two road and one single speed mountain bike championships. The Shogrens are members of the Dynamic Physical Therapy Cycling Team and will continue to compete.

Johnny Sias

While working for 34 years for J.H. Fletcher & Co. building machines, Sias was able to hone his skills and put them to use growing the sport of disc golf in West Virginia. Sias began competing in 1978 and won his first tournament in 1981. He is a member of the Disc Golf Hall of Fame, and he won the 1986 World Championship after placing 2nd in 1984. In 2006, he finished 6th in the Grand Masters and was 5th in 2008.

Steve Slaton

This 2006 Heisman Trophy finalist and college football All-American grew up completely deft at times due to the congestion in his ears. Learning the ropes of competition and gaining experience while playing high school football and running track in Pennsylvania, Slaton went on to play football for WVU. While playing at WVU, Slaton broke numerous records including the most rushing yards in a season. He was first all-time in total touchdowns and became the first Mountaineer to ever have 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game. In 2008, Slaton was a third round draft pick for the Houston Texans and was unfortunately put on the injured reserve in 2009 because of a shoulder injury.

Nicholas “Nick” Swisher

Born a Buckeye but raised a Mountaineer, this World Series Champion grew up in Parkersburg before playing Div. I baseball for Ohio State. The son of former Major League catcher Steve Swisher, Nick made a name for himself in high school in football, baseball and basketball. Swisher was recruited by Notre Dame to play football. He chose to continue his career in baseball instead and played for the Visalia Oaks, Vancouver Canadians, Modesto A’s, Midland RockHounds and Sacramento River Cats. In 2004, he moved up to the major leagues where he played for Oakland and the White Sox before moving on to his current team, the New York Yankees.

Rodney “Rod” Thorn

Attracting national recognition while playing basketball at Princeton High School, Thorn played three seasons at WVU and earned his All-American ranking. Drafted into the NBA in 1963 by the Baltimore Bullets, he played for Detroit and St. Louis before joining the Seattle SuperSonics for four years. In 1973, Thorn began his coaching career with the SuperSonics and the New York Nets as the assistant coach. In 1987, he became the general manager for the Chicago Bulls, proving instrumental in the team’s selection of Michael Jordon in 1984. In 1986, he was selected as the NBA’s executive vice president of Basketball Operations. He served in that capacity until 2000 when he rejoined the Nets and was named the NBA Executive of the Year in 2002.

Steve Warner

A Bobcat through and through, Warner graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1990 before becoming the assistant coach to the softball team in 1991 and 1992. Growing up in Buckhannon, he has remained close to home where he has been the head coach for 17 years. Of his 17 years in coaching, he has led the team to 15 conference championships. With a 644-249-1 record while coaching for Wesleyan, Warner also helped lead the softball team to 14 regional tournament appearances.

Jerry West

A guard from Chelyan, West got his start at WVU before spending his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. West is known for many achievements, including leading the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA Championship game, acting as the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team in Rome and having his likeness used to develop today’s NBA logo. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980 and voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. After retirement, he coached the Lakers for three years before being named the team’s general manager. Under his reign, the Lakers won seven championship rings. He became the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002 and was named NBA Executive of the Year twice for his work with the team.

Patrick “Pat” White

This Mountaineer-gone-Dolphin racked up plenty of awards and records while playing quarterback for WVU from 2005 to 2008. In a game against Pitt in 2006, he became one of only eight players in NCAA history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 200 yards in a game. Earning awards throughout his college career including ESPN.com All-Big East; two-time Big East Player of the Week and MVP for the Gator Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Meineke Car Care Bowl, he also ranked 6th and 7th as a Heisman Trophy finalist. In 2009, White was drafted by the Miami Dolphins.

Jason Williams

Growing up in Belle, Williams played basketball for Marshall University his freshman year before making a move to the University of Florida when MU’s head coach Bill Donovan transferred. As the starting point guard, he averaged 17.1 points and 6.7 assists per game. He was permanently suspended in 1997 for drug use and drafted in 1998 by the Sacramento Kings. In 2005, he was traded with 12 other players to the Miami Heat. In 2007, Williams was named to the Top 25 Heat Players of All-Time. In 2008, after signing with the Los Angeles Clippers, he retired after a 10-year career. In 2009, he came out of retirement and signed with the Orlando Magic. ν