WVU Recognizes Rockefeller, Budig
September 11, 2003 03:13 PM | General
September 11, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University's Mountaineer Field opened 24 years ago this month - Sept. 6, 1980, with a capacity crowd of 50,000 and a 41-27 victory over Cincinnati.
The late John Denver sang "Country Roads" and Coach Don Nehlen recorded his first win as WVU's new head football coach, as former WVU President Gene Budig and then-West Virginia Gov. Jay Rockefeller stood watch over the historic day.
On Saturday, Sept. 13, these two individuals who were instrumental in obtaining the funding and support for WVU's new stadium - Dr. Budig, now senior adviser to the commissioner of Major League Baseball, and Rockefeller, a U.S. senator and vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - will be back to cheer the Mountaineers on to another victory over Cincinnati and to be recognized by WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. with a plaque commemorating their involvement.
The plaque will be hung on the west side of the stadium concourse.
"Today, Mountaineer Field has grown from a nice-sized stadium to one of the best on-campus athletic competition and training facilities in the country," said WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. "The stadium now holds 63,500 fans, has an updated Astroplay surface, 12 suites, improved press box and scoreboard, adjoining indoor practice facility and state-of-the-art training and office complex next door. And, we have these two gentlemen to thank for building the foundation for such greatness."
