West Virginia University Athletics

West Virginia fields 17 varsity teams in NCAA Division I, where athletic scholarships and major media coverage create intense sports culture across campus. The Mountaineers compete in the Big 12 Conference after leaving the Big East in 2012. Just 497 students out of 17,705 total enrollment participate in varsity athletics, representing 2.8% of the student body. The university distributes over $11.4 million in athletic scholarships annually. Basketball and football draw the most passionate crowds, with the men's basketball program reaching 10 Final Fours and winning the 2010 NCAA championship. Football games against rivals Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh generate particular intensity. The Mountaineer mascot's rifle-firing tradition and "Country Roads" sing-alongs create one of college sports' most distinctive atmospheres. Students camp out for basketball tickets despite the program's recent struggles.