The West Virginia Mountaineers men's soccer team is the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I soccer team of West Virginia University (WVU). Beginning with the 2012 season, the team was an affiliate member of the Mid-American Conference because WVU is the only school in its primary conference, the Big 12 Conference, that has a varsity men's soccer team. For the 2022 season, West Virginia joined in-state rival Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference, and the Mountain State Derby will become an annual conference game. WVU had been scheduled to leave the MAC for Conference USA but this plan was changed when Marshall changed conferences from CUSA to the SBC. When Central Florida joined the Big 12 in 2023, they rejoined the Sun Belt for the sport, creating the Big 12 Derby game with the Knights, and the Big 12-SEC Challenge with Kentucky and South Carolina.
Coaching staff Source:
PositionStaff Head coach Dan Stratford Associate Head Coach Andy Wright Assistant Nick Noble Strength Coach Tanner Kolb Athletic Trainer Ethan Solger
Conference membership Source:= 1961–1965 — Southern Conference member, soccer Independent 1966–1967 — Southern Conference (SoCon had no regular season play at that time, only a conference tournament) 1968–1975 — Independent 1976–1986 — Atlantic 10 Conference member, soccer Independent 1987–1994 — Atlantic 10 Conference 1995–2011 — Big East Conference (original) 2012–2021 — Big 12 Conference member, Mid-American Conference affiliate in soccer 2022–present — Big 12 Conference member, Sun Belt Conference affiliate in soccer
(NOTE: Prior to 1972, the NCAA sponsored only one championship in men's soccer. In 1972, the NCAA began sponsoring a championship in the College Division, which in turn was split into today's Divisions II and III in 1973. The 1972 College Division Tournament was retroactively considered to be the first D-II championship event. WVU remained in competition in the University Division, which was renamed Division I in 1973, and has remained in D-I to this day.)
Rivalries
Mountain State Derby
West Virginia's biggest rivals are Marshall, as the two sides are the only Division 1 men's soccer teams in the state. Both teams are members of the Sun Belt Conference for men's soccer, and matches between the two teams typically draw large crowds.
Big 12 / SEC Challenge and Big 12 Derby As West Virginia and UCF are the only two Big 12 schools that sponsor the sport, since 2023, the two teams have in the Sun Belt a derby similar to Kentucky and South Carolina, Southeastern Conference members in that their derby is for the honour of their regular conference. Because of the nature of the orphaned teams, the four teams have another derby, the "Big 12 / SEC Challenge," inside the Sun Belt.
All-Americans Source:= 1967 — Ron McEachen, Defender; NSCAA 1st Team 1967 — Walt Nistorenko, Forward; NSCAA 3rd Team 1968 — Walt Nistorenko, Forward; NSCAA 1st Team 1968 — Pat Sullivan, Defender; NSCAA 1st Team 1981 — Jon Capon, Goalkeeper; NSCAA 1st Team 2006 — Nick Noble, Goalkeeper; NSCAA 1st Team; College Soccer News 2nd Team 2006 — Jarrod Smith, Forward; College Soccer News 1st Team; Soccer America 1st team 2007 — Andy Wright, Midfielder; NSCAA 3rd Team; College Soccer News 2nd Team; Soccer America 2nd team 2010 — Raymon Gaddis, Defender; Top Drawer Soccer 3rd Team 2011 — Eric Schoenle, Defender; NSCAA 3rd Team 2012 — Eric Schoenle, Defender; Top Drawer Soccer 3rd Team
Record by year
Notes
References
External links