Why We Need Your Help
No State Appropriated Funding
West Virginia University does not provide state appropriated revenues to operate its intercollegiate athletic program. All state appropriated monies are used for academic purposes only. Thus, similar to a private business, WVU athletic program must operate solely from what revenue it generates.
Season Ticket and Television Revenue Is Not Enough
In this day and age, football and basketball season ticket and television revenues are not enough to adequately support the total intercollegiate athletic program. Rising scholarship costs, escalating travel expenses and the need for modern facilities require that new sources of revenue be discovered.
The Need To Provide Coaches and Student-Athletes With The Best Resources
Private support is essential to the success of West Virginia University's intercollegiate athletic program. To attain the level of success that our alumni and fans deserve, desire and expect, it is necessary to pay coaches at a level representative of their ability and to provide first-class facilities that will help WVU's coaches recruit and train first-class student-athletes. Blue-chip recruits are attracted to blue-chip facilities. It is also necessary to provide scholarship support and academic services (scholarships, tutoring, computers, study halls) for our 500+ student-athletes to help them make the most of their educational opportunities and earn their college degrees. When you are financially sound in these areas, you have established the foundation for success in the classroom and the playing field that translates into victories.
Athletics is the Window Through Which the University is Viewed
Athletic competition and athletic success are important to West Virginia University. Financial stability in athletics breeds success and success breeds pride among the University's many alumni and friends. Many studies have shown that winning - more importantly, winning the "right way" (in compliance with NCAA rules and with great team effort - can be a tremendous recruiting tool, in the general student population as well as with potential student-athletes. In addition, athletic accomplishments are often a catalyst for philanthropy to all areas of the University.
Gender Equity
Title IX states that an athletic program must provide equitable facilities, scholarship funding and participation percentages for women's sports in relation to men's sports. WVU has made a firm commitment to the participation and success of women's athletics. This commitment is evident in the accomplishment of the nationally ranked women's soccer and gymnastics teams. Currently, WVU sponsors 10 women's varsity sports with 125 student-athletes receiving scholarship aid in those programs, accounting for 48 percent of the overall scholarship budget.
Debt Service
The renovations to the Coliseum, the Milan Puskar Center and Mountaineer Field and a soccer grandstand will result in a multi-million dollar debt service, to be paid annually through 2024. These facility enhancements are essential if WVU is to be successful at the conference and national level. Therefore, unless funds are generated from private sources, athletic department revenue must be used for debt service instead of further supplementing our varsity sports or our Athletic Endowment Fund.
Capital Improvements
West Virginia University has embarked on a $24 million athletic facilities capital improvement plan which includes renovation or construction to the following: Puskar Center and Mountaineer Field renovations; Coliseum locker room improvements; Coliseum seating upgrades; Soccer grandstand seating; Additional Stadium Suites; Strength and Conditioning and Sports Medicine facility improvements. This aggressive investment by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will improve recruiting, allow WVU teams to be competitive at a higher level and increase revenue opportunities while increasing fan comfort.
Did You Know?
For the past five years the graduation rate of WVU's student-athletes has been higher than that of the general student population.
WVU has nearly 500 student-athletes participating in 17 sports.
370 of those student-athletes receive athletic scholarship assistance totalling more than $3 million, funded entirely by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Approximately 300 student-athletes are male and 200 are female.
Since 1989, more than 2,500 Mountaineer student-athletes have earned a spot on the Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll by earning at least a 3.0-grade point average.
Mountaineer football put the most players on the BIG EAST's all-academic team for the 12th straight year in 2009.
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