They cheered, they smiled and some even cried as more than 4,000 West Virginia University fans gathered at the Coliseum on Wednesday (March 31) to send off the Mountaineers.

As they stood in their gold and blue, signs in hand, to show their pride in the Mountaineers, many fans were thinking about the hopes and dreams they are sending with WVU as they head down the road to Indianapolis and the Final Four.

With their pom poms in hand, Emily Gwaltney, 8, and her sister Molly, 7, stood in line with their mother Lydia awaiting entrance to the Coliseum. Growing up in Fairmont, Lydia has always been a Mountaineer fan – and in turn, so have the girls.

Thirty-eight year season ticket holder Willard White, of Kingwood, described feelings of excitement and anxiety over the Mountaineer season. He sends his best wishes to the team as it embarks on its journey to the National Championship. White remembers watching Jerry West play in the old field house – a memory he says will always be important to him.

Click the arrow to hear what fans are sending with the team.

Sporting a gold wig and blue visor, freshman Eddie Wise, of Bobtown, Pa. watched the Mountaineers run out of the tunnel into the Coliseum with long-time friend Ryan Shoppe. Neither can remember life without the Mountaineers, and both are hopeful WVU will “bring on their A-game” Saturday.

A 1955 political science graduate, Carolyn Zinn of Morgantown had a hard time controlling her excitement. She remembers watching Jerry West play in the Final Four 51 years ago, and remarked at the irony of having West’s son, Jonnie, playing now – it is something, she says, “shows all the spirit we have.”

So nervous and excited she could cry, Stephanie Raddbaugh of Morgantown said of Saturday’s game. Her husband, Mike, daughter, Avigale, and son, Jaxson all agreed that they are sending their hopes, dreams and pride with the Mountaineers on their journey.

“Keep your heads up,” junior Becky DeVito of Fairmont wants to say to the Mountaineers. She is hopeful that the team will go all the way, but says either way she is proud of how far it has come.

A fan since the day he was born, alumnus Ryan Boyd of Paint Creek – frequently recognized as the “YMCA guy” – went to his first WVU game at two months old. He has been to all but one round of NCAA tournament games that the Mountaineers have played in since 1998. No matter what happens on Saturday, Boyd will be happy that the team made it as far as it did.

“We have known for years that we have a great University _ to be able to showcase the basketball team and the University in the national spotlight and show the nation what WVU is all about is really a wonderful thing,” Boyd said.

They have the support of everyone in the state, Morgantown resident Bill McCulla said of the team. He has faith that WVU has what it takes to be National Champions.

She loves the players like they are her children, but even though they are not – Karen Centofanti’s 30 years as an employee at WVU have made her “so proud” of the team, University and everything they have accomplished.

By Colleen DeHart
Communications Specialist
WVU News and Information Services

-WVU-

cd/03/31/10

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