By: Jonathan Walker

Fall sports are coming to an end here at West Virginia Wesleyan College and the bobcats are making the transition to fall sports by hitting the hard wood and diving into the water.

With West Virginia Wesleyan College competing in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) there are only four different sports that compete in the winter. The four sports are men’s and women’s Track & Field (Indoor), men’s & women’s Basketball, men’s and women’s Swimming, Gymnastics (Acrobatics & Tumbling) are sports teams we offer to students to participate in during the winter season. 

These four teams have been through a lot of different phases and changes over the last three years. Each team has inquired about a new Head Coach and Assistant and also new players. Not having the best seasons with records but you can see each team is significantly changing their program and going the right direction as far as progression.

As I watched practices and met with members of both genders for both basketball teams I hear this season will be a surprise to the Wesleyan community on what they have been working on and what they want to accomplish. Since I have been at Wesleyan basketball has been a bobcat favorite for winter sports. The gym is nice and warm rather than being outside to freeze.

Senior Point Guard Anthony Craven said “I have been a part of this team for four years now and just want something to change and I want to see all my guys challenge each other on and off the court, that includes practicing 100% like we should and playing like it is our last game ever.” I was very excited during this sit down interview with Craven. 

 Switching to the aquatics side I also got a chance to to speak with Senior Jalen Johnson about their upcoming and his return to the pool as he took a year off due to personal reasons. Jalen states “this will be his first year swimming under Head Coach Collin Meadows.” Meadows is in his second year as the Head Swim coach and he also has a new Assistant Coach Theresa Burgess. As both bobcat swim teams come into the 2022-2023 season they are 2-1 which is pretty good compared to some of their opponents they always compete against. 

Track & Field and Acrobatics & Tumbling both are starting the new season with new Head coaches. A lot of new faces on both teams!