Often overshadowed by football and basketball, baseball at WVU remains a constant reminder that the team should be referred to as a powerhouse year in and year out. WVU has had six seasons of winning 30 games or more since 2016. This doesn't include a campaign shortened in 2020 due to the pandemic when the team sat at 11-5 while being 3-0 in the conference.
These expectations for the team come with immense recruiting success for the WVU program over the years. Let's look at some names from the plethora of great players who have come from the WVU diamond in Morgantown and pick three records that may never be broken.
1. JJ Wetherholt - Single Season Batting Average (.449)
When looking at it, you will see that JJ Wetherholt is actually 3rd on the All-Time list for Batting Average, sitting behind Herb Stewart and Herbert Barna, but each of these gentlemen would only total 79 and 75 at-bats. Wetherholt eclipsed the .449 batting average while stepping up to the plate 225 times. Below, you will find a list of other accomplishments from his 2023 season, which led to him being a high draft pick in the 1st round (7th) overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in this year's MLB Draft.
- Big 12 Player of the Year
- All-Big 12 First Team
- Unanimous First-Team All-American (NCBWA, Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game, D1Baseball, Baseball America, College Baseball Foundation, ABCA)
- CSC Academic All-America First Team
- CSC Academic All-District
- ABCA All-East Region First Team
- NCBWA District 2 Player of the Year
- Lexington All-Region Team
- Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
- Bobby Bragan Award Finalist
- Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
- D1Baseball No. 1 Second Baseman (Week 6 & Week 12)
- 3x Big 12 Player of the Week
- Perfect Game College Player of the Week (May 15)
- Played in 55 games, making 54 starts
- Led the nation with a .449 batting average
- Had 16 home runs, 24 doubles, and two triples
- Led the Big 12 with 36 stolen bases
- First player since 2002 with 40 extra-base hits and 35 stolen bases
- Started the year with a 13-game hitting streak
- Had two hits and three stolen bases against Maryland (Feb. 21)
- Stole home in the 11th inning against Arizona (Feb. 24)
- Went 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored against Canisius (March 8)
- Had a home run, a triple, and four RBI against Minnesota (March 10)
- Went 5-for-6 with two doubles, two stolen bases, and six RBI against App State (March 14)
- Hit a walk-off double against Xavier (March 24)
- Went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI against Xavier (March 25)
- Went 3-for-5 with a home run at Kansas State (March 31)
- Had three hits including a home run at Oklahoma State (April 14)
- Went 2-for-3 off the bench against TCU with four RBI
- Hit a grand slam and drove in five against Penn State (April 25)
- Had seven hits in series against Baylor with two home runs and seven RBI (April 28-30)
- Went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs against Pitt (May 3)
- Went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two RBI at Pitt (May 10)
- Hit a home run against Ball State in NCAA Regional (June 3)
- Went 3-for-4 at Kentucky in NCAA Regional (June 4),
2. Vince Belnome - Single-Season RBI's (84)
In his junior season in 2009, Vince Belnome finished with 84 RBIs. The only other player to come close to that record was Mark Landers during the 1994 season. This one makes the list because baseball is, in general, a pitcher's game these days.
3. Jedd Gyorko - Extra Base Hits (48)
During the 2010 season, Jedd Gyorko had 48 extra-base hits, 28 doubles, 19 home runs, and 1 triple. Two players have come close since 1998, totaling 42 extra-base hits, but have yet to surpass the 2B-SS.