INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The 2023-24 season for West Virginia State University Athletics was filled with success as a record number of sports competed for championships during the fall, winter and spring. The Yellow Jackets qualified for three NCAA Division II Regional Tournaments, made three appearances in the finals of MEC Tournaments and reached the semifinals in another two MEC Tournaments.

In the fall, the WVSU volleyball team captured its third MEC South Division title in the past four years after posting a 14-1 record in league play. The Yellow Jackets hosted the MEC Tournament as the team with best in-conference record at the conclusion of the regular season and advanced to the finals of the tournament for the second time since joining the league. They went on to qualify for the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional for the fourth time in program history. 

The women's soccer team, in its fourth season of competition, was the other standout program at State during the fall. The Yellow Jackets posted an impressive 11-6-3 overall record and 9-3-3 record in the MEC to finish with a winning record for the third-straight year. They were regionally ranked towards the end of the season and made their second-consecutive trip to the semifinals of the MEC Tournament. 

Both the men's and women's basketball teams experienced a great deal of success in the winter. The two programs combined for a 41-21 overall record and 28-12 record in league play. The men's team reached the semifinals of the MEC Tournament while the women's team played for a conference championship for the first time in school history. Both teams punched tickets to their respective NCAA DII Atlantic Regional Tournaments in the same season for the first time since 2004.

In the spring, the baseball team battled for a postseason berth in the ultra-competitive MEC South Division and accomplished the task with a 20-10 record against in-conference opponents. The Yellow Jackets knocked out the two top teams from the North Division in the MEC Tournament and advanced to the finals for the second time in the last four seasons. They finished the season with one less win than their championship-winning campaign in 2021.

The individual accomplishments of State's student-athletes were on full display during the 2023-24 season. The Yellow Jackets garnered 33 all-conference selections, 16 all-region honors and three all-america awards. Baseball's Mike Huber earned the 20th all-america award for WVSU in the past five years.  

In the classroom, WVSU student-athletes combined for a 3.1 GPA or better in both the fall and spring semesters. A grand total of 158 Yellow Jackets earned academic honors from the MEC by being placed on either the Commissioner's Honor Roll or the Academic All-MEC Team.       

Seven sports were introduced or reintroduced at West Virginia State during the 2023-24 season. Men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's outdoor track & field, and acrobatics & tumbling all emerged or reemerged as sport offerings at WVSU.

Facility upgrades during the 2023-24 season included the resurfacing of the Marvin D. Mills Tennis Courts and new dugouts at Calvin L. Bailey Field. Online ticketing was made available to fans for the first time to streamline the gameday experience. West Virginia State also joined the forefront of offering NIL opportunities to its student-athletes by becoming the first full member institution in the MEC and the second DII school in the region to partner with Influxer.

Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Nate Burton showcased his commitment to the future of WVSU Athletics through the creation of the Old Gold Fund. Burton established the Old Gold Fund to centralize athletic fundraising efforts and, by doing so, further the support given to State's 17 sports and 350 student-athletes. To support the future endeavors of WVSU Athletics, please view the Old Gold Fund Contribution Guide on our website to find out how you can make an impact.