MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University graduate student Ceili McCabe has been named the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by University Apartments, following her outstanding performances at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships from Feb. 28 to March 1. McCabe secured two gold medals, contributing significantly to the Mountaineers’ success at the meet held at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas.
McCabe played a pivotal role in West Virginia’s women’s distance medley relay team victory on Friday, anchoring the final leg to secure a meet-record time of 11:09.42. Alongside McCabe, teammates Sarah Tait, Kishay Rowe, and Carlene Temple delivered a commanding performance, earning the conference title. The Vancouver, British Columbia, native continued her dominance on Saturday by clinching her eighth Big 12 title in the 3,000-meter race with a winning time of 9:07.56.
The Mountaineers now await final seeding for the NCAA Indoor Championships, scheduled for March 14-15 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The official list of qualified participants will be announced on Tuesday, March 4.
Women’s Basketball Prepares for Big 12 Championship
West Virginia’s women’s basketball team has secured the No. 4 seed in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, set to take place from March 5-9 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Mountaineers will face either No. 5 seed Kansas State, No. 12 seed BYU, or No. 13 seed UCF on Friday, March 7, at 12 p.m. ET.
The Mountaineers concluded the regular season with an impressive 23-6 record, including a 13-5 mark in Big 12 play. Their final week saw dominant victories over Utah (75-46) and Cincinnati (85-69). JJ Quinerly tied a program record with 38 points against Utah and followed with 31 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists against Cincinnati. Quinerly’s two 30+ point performances have brought her career total to six, tying the all-time program record.
Mountaineer Wrestling and Gymnastics Set for Crucial Competitions
The WVU wrestling team heads to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the Big 12 Championships from March 8-9 at the BOK Center. The Mountaineers look to build on last season’s program-best sixth-place finish, with freshman Ty Watters aiming to defend his Big 12 title. The championship will be broadcast on ESPN+, with the final session airing on ESPNU.
Meanwhile, WVU gymnastics embarks on a two-meet week, beginning with a quad meet at Towson alongside George Washington and Penn on March 4. They will then compete in a dual meet at Pitt on March 9. The Mountaineers seek to rebound after a narrow 195.3-194.925 loss to No. 20 Arizona. Freshman Eden Webster made her WVU debut in the beam lineup, while Anna Leigh and Riley Maness both posted career-high scores of 9.9 on floor exercise.
Swimming and Diving, Rifle, and Tennis Updates
WVU swimming and diving will take a break before sending four divers to the NCAA Zone A Diving Championship from March 10-12. At the recent Big 12 Championships, the men’s team placed seventh, and the women’s team finished ninth. Redshirt senior Danny Berlitz secured an eighth-place and third-place finish, marking WVU’s highest individual placement in the 200-yard backstroke.
The Mountaineer rifle team gears up for the 2025 NCAA Rifle National Championship, scheduled for March 14-15 in Lexington, Kentucky. WVU recently claimed its 16th Great America Rifle Conference title with a 4738 aggregate score. The team has won 26 consecutive regular-season matches and ranks second nationally heading into the NCAA Championship.
West Virginia’s tennis team returns home to host Oklahoma State on March 7 and Kansas State on March 9 after dropping matches to No. 41 TCU and No. 14 Baylor. The Mountaineers hold a 6-7 record, with all six victories coming at home.
Baseball and Golf Maintain Momentum
WVU baseball continues its historic start, improving to 11-0 after five wins last week. The Mountaineers secured victories against Lipscomb, Ohio, and Queens (N.C.), with standout performances from Sam White, Grant Hussey, and Griffin Kirn. Hussey extended his program-record career home run total to 39. The Mountaineers wrap up their four-game series at Queens on March 4 before hosting Kennesaw State for a three-game set from March 7-9.
In golf, West Virginia shot its lowest round of the season (-12) at the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate, finishing third in a 15-team field. Kaleb Wilson led the team, tying for eighth place at five-under-par. The Mountaineers will next compete at The Johnnie-O at Sea Island on March 17-18.
West Virginia’s athletic programs continue to excel, with multiple teams preparing for conference and national championship events. As the postseason approaches, the Mountaineers aim to add to their growing list of accomplishments.