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WVU Baseball’s Popular Leadoff Dinner On Deck
January 22, 2020 04:24 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Before you know it the lights will be on at Monongalia County Ballpark. That's the message veteran West Virginia University baseball coach Randy Mazey delivers each year to the community when his team assembles for its annual Leadoff Dinner.
This year's event, presented by Segra, will once again take place at the Morgantown Event Center on Saturday, Feb. 1 following the WVU men's basketball game against Kansas State.
Established by Mazey soon after he was hired in 2012, the Leadoff Dinner has gotten bigger and better each year.
"I wanted to get the community excited about the upcoming baseball season, and it's just a way during a non-baseball time of the year to let people know that baseball season is coming up," Mazey explained. "It's a good way to get former players, alums and those interested in the program an opportunity to meet the team.
"I think it's good for everyone."
Event organizer Jamie Hall, of the Mountaineer Athletic Club, anticipates this year's Leadoff Dinner generating approximately $100,000 for Mazey's emerging Mountaineer baseball program, coming off one of its best seasons in school history in 2019.
West Virginia won 38 games, saw an NCAA regional return to Morgantown for the first time in 64 years, had a program-best eight players selected in the Major League Draft, including first-rounder Alek Manoah, and finished the season nationally ranked in all five major polls for the first time ever. WVU has played in two out of the last three NCAA Tournaments after ending its long postseason drought in 2017.
The money from this year's Leadoff Dinner will help fund operational expenses, facility improvements and equipment upgrades. Just four years ago this event was generating about half of what is it is anticipated to produce this year.
Actor Patrick Renna, best known for his character Hamilton "Ham" Porter from the popular 1993 movie "The Sandlot," will be this year's featured guest. He joins a list of past speakers that includes Pete Rose, Inky Johnson and Pittsburgh Dad.
One of the key components of the Leadoff Dinner is the online auction, currently underway. Fans can take part by using their mobile devices to text WVU to 71760 and a link is provided to access all 150 auction items currently up for bid, including some really interesting fan experiences and summer vacation opportunities.
Fans can bid on a dinner with WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons and a Bourbon sipping outing with Mazey and his wife, Amanda, courtesy of Slight Indulgence in Morgantown.
"J.C. and Suzy Warman from Slight Indulgence have always been gracious enough to have Amanda and me over for five-course dinners and after one dinner he said, 'Why don't we try a bourbon tasting experience with you and Amanda?' He's got a great place and he wanted to try something different so as long as everybody Ubers over there I think it will be a lot of fun," Mazey said.
There are three different trips to The Greenbrier to bid on, as well as time shares to Myrtle Beach and the New Jersey shore. A 2021 trip with the WVU baseball team to Las Vegas is another great fan experience available in this year's auction.
WVU coaches Neal Brown and Bob Huggins have contributed signed items and WVU rifle coach Jon Hammond will donate his time to give a private shooting lesson to one fortunate bidder.
Each WVU team has contributed something to this year's Leadoff Dinner, and there are also plenty of non-sports related items offered as well.
"That's the thing that I appreciate is my colleagues are helping raise money for the baseball program," Mazey said. "When we joined the Big 12 we knew it was going to be an expensive venture and any money we could raise to help out the program is super beneficial to the athletics department. We still have a ton of needs in our program."
Registration begins at 5:30 for the reception with the dinner and program commencing at 7 p.m.
Table reservations and sponsorships are still being accepted by logging on to WVUMAC.com/Events or by calling the Mountaineer Athletic Office toll-free at 1-800-433-2072.
"The coolest thing people always tell me is they look forward to this banquet at the beginning of the year. That makes me feel good that we're putting on a pretty good event each year," Mazey concluded.
This year's event, presented by Segra, will once again take place at the Morgantown Event Center on Saturday, Feb. 1 following the WVU men's basketball game against Kansas State.
Established by Mazey soon after he was hired in 2012, the Leadoff Dinner has gotten bigger and better each year.
"I wanted to get the community excited about the upcoming baseball season, and it's just a way during a non-baseball time of the year to let people know that baseball season is coming up," Mazey explained. "It's a good way to get former players, alums and those interested in the program an opportunity to meet the team.
"I think it's good for everyone."
Event organizer Jamie Hall, of the Mountaineer Athletic Club, anticipates this year's Leadoff Dinner generating approximately $100,000 for Mazey's emerging Mountaineer baseball program, coming off one of its best seasons in school history in 2019.
West Virginia won 38 games, saw an NCAA regional return to Morgantown for the first time in 64 years, had a program-best eight players selected in the Major League Draft, including first-rounder Alek Manoah, and finished the season nationally ranked in all five major polls for the first time ever. WVU has played in two out of the last three NCAA Tournaments after ending its long postseason drought in 2017.
The money from this year's Leadoff Dinner will help fund operational expenses, facility improvements and equipment upgrades. Just four years ago this event was generating about half of what is it is anticipated to produce this year.
Actor Patrick Renna, best known for his character Hamilton "Ham" Porter from the popular 1993 movie "The Sandlot," will be this year's featured guest. He joins a list of past speakers that includes Pete Rose, Inky Johnson and Pittsburgh Dad.One of the key components of the Leadoff Dinner is the online auction, currently underway. Fans can take part by using their mobile devices to text WVU to 71760 and a link is provided to access all 150 auction items currently up for bid, including some really interesting fan experiences and summer vacation opportunities.
Fans can bid on a dinner with WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons and a Bourbon sipping outing with Mazey and his wife, Amanda, courtesy of Slight Indulgence in Morgantown.
"J.C. and Suzy Warman from Slight Indulgence have always been gracious enough to have Amanda and me over for five-course dinners and after one dinner he said, 'Why don't we try a bourbon tasting experience with you and Amanda?' He's got a great place and he wanted to try something different so as long as everybody Ubers over there I think it will be a lot of fun," Mazey said.
There are three different trips to The Greenbrier to bid on, as well as time shares to Myrtle Beach and the New Jersey shore. A 2021 trip with the WVU baseball team to Las Vegas is another great fan experience available in this year's auction.
WVU coaches Neal Brown and Bob Huggins have contributed signed items and WVU rifle coach Jon Hammond will donate his time to give a private shooting lesson to one fortunate bidder.
Each WVU team has contributed something to this year's Leadoff Dinner, and there are also plenty of non-sports related items offered as well.
"That's the thing that I appreciate is my colleagues are helping raise money for the baseball program," Mazey said. "When we joined the Big 12 we knew it was going to be an expensive venture and any money we could raise to help out the program is super beneficial to the athletics department. We still have a ton of needs in our program."
Registration begins at 5:30 for the reception with the dinner and program commencing at 7 p.m.
Table reservations and sponsorships are still being accepted by logging on to WVUMAC.com/Events or by calling the Mountaineer Athletic Office toll-free at 1-800-433-2072.
"The coolest thing people always tell me is they look forward to this banquet at the beginning of the year. That makes me feel good that we're putting on a pretty good event each year," Mazey concluded.
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