MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - For Mountaineer fans who followed the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games, August was an exciting month!

 

Not only did current and former West Virginia University student-athletes collect a school-best five medals, they earned three Gold medals, including the first of the Games, as well as one of the last team medals, ensuring that Mountaineer Nation had achievements to celebrate for almost two straight weeks.

 

The celebrating has not stopped, as three of those athletes – WVU sophomore Ginny Thrasher and seniors Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence – have returned to Morgantown to resume competition with their Mountaineer teammates.

 

Thrasher, the reigning NCAA air rifle and smallbore champion, claimed Gold in the women’s 10m air rifle for the United States. Her victory was the first of the Games, and she was instantly celebrated, proving that Mountaineers do Go First. From nailing her interview with Dan Patrick to graciously allowing ESPN cameras to follow her around campus throughout her first day of class, Thrasher has epitomized the Golden Mountaineer image.

 

Buchanan and Lawrence, All-American starters for the No. 4-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team, helped Canada claim its second straight Bronze medal at the Games with a 2-1 victory over host Brazil in the third-place match. On their second day back in Morgantown, the duo helped the Mountaineers earn a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Clemson on Aug. 26. Since then, WVU has tallied two more wins over ranked opponents, achieved the first No. 1 ranking in program history and concluded its nonconference season with an 8-1-1 mark.

 

The trio was celebrated at halftime of the WVU football game on Sept. 3, but now Mountaineer Nation has a chance to congratulate all three special student-athletes in person!

 

The University and Morgantown community are invited to attend “Gold, Bronze and Blue: An Olympic Celebration” on Monday, Sept. 26, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Morgantown Event Center. Admission for the event is free, and refreshments will be provided.

 

The first WVU student-athletes to return to Morgantown with an Olympic medal since James Jett did so in 1992, all three Mountaineers will share their Olympic experiences, as well as participate in a question and answer session. The evening will end with an exciting meet and greet for all in attendance.

 

While the Rio Summer Olympic Games opened nearly two months ago, the celebrating in Morgantown is still going strong. Monday night promises to be the exclamation point on a thrilling and proud moment in time for all of Mountaineer Nation.