McGhin Named Student-Athlete of the Week

October 30, 2023 12:04 PM | General, Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming & Diving, Rifle, Cross Country, Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling

VSR Oct. 30, 2023

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Senior Molly McGhin of the West Virginia University rifle team has been named the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by University Apartments.

The Griffin, Georgia, native helped the Mountaineers defeat No. 2 TCU and No. 3 Nebraska in a tri-match on Oct. 28, before closing out the weekend with another win over Nebraska on Oct. 29. The results give WVU six wins this season over teams ranked inside the top 11 in the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Poll.

McGhin took first and second in aggregate scores during both matches with scores of 1189 and 1186. She added two first-place finishes in smallbore at 595 and 590 while taking second and tenth in air rifle with marks of 596 and 594.

Her 595 in smallbore set a new career high while her 1189 aggregate total matched a career high.

West Virginia returns to action at 9 a.m. on Nov. 11-12 when it hosts Air Force, Murray State and Nebraska for the WVU Fall Classic inside the WVU Shell Building.

This Week in Women's Soccer: WVU is set to defend its 2022 Big 12 Tournament title as it begins competition at the 2023 Sprouts Farmers Markets Big 12 Tournament … as the No. 5 seed, West Virginia opens play in the quarterfinals against No. 4 Texas on Monday, Oct. 30 … due to predicted inclement weather, Monday's matches have been moved to Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field in Austin.

Last Week in Women's Soccer: West Virginia capped the regular season with a 1-1 draw with Cincinnati on Oct. 23 … WVU was on the board first with an own goal from a UC defender in the 67th minute … however, Cincinnati drew level in the 83rd minute on a header goal off a corner for the tie … the Mountaineers earned a season-high 13 corner kicks in the match but were unable to put the finishing touches on the set pieces … WVU outshot UC 16-5, while placing five shots on frame … the West Virginia defense held Cincinnati to just three shots on goal in the match.

Notes: The Mountaineers hold a 17-3-3 mark all-time in Big 12 Championship play, as they enter this year's tournament as the defending champions … last season, No. 4-seed West Virginia claimed its 10th title, as well as 18th overall, after defeating No. 5-seed Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals, No. 1-seed Texas in the semifinals and No. 2-seed TCU in the championship game … the title marked WVU's fifth Big 12 Tournament title, as it remained undefeated in the championship game … freshman Jordyn Wilson was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team, earning her first career conference honor and WVU's 21st all-freshman honoree all time … sophomore Taylor White leads the team with nine goals and 20 points this season, while junior forward Dilary Heredia-Beltran paces the squad with six assists and 36 shots.

This Week in Men's Soccer: West Virginia plays its final match of the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 31, against Old Dominion … kickoff from Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET … it will be Senior Night for the Mountaineers … the Sun Belt Tournament will begin on Sunday, Nov. 5, with a location and opponent still to be determined.

Last Week in Men's Soccer: The Mountaineers dropped their first contest of the season on Oct. 27, at Kentucky, falling 1-0 to the Wildcats … the loss put an end to WVU's 15-match unbeaten streak, the second longest in program history … senior Jackson Lee made four saves in the contest.

Notes: After being No. 1 in the TopDrawerSoccer and College Soccer News polls last week, the Mountaineers fell to No. 4 and No. 2, respectively … the Mountaineers are currently third in the Sun Belt Standings with just one game remaining … in order to host the first two rounds of the Sun Belt Tournament, the Mountaineers have to beat Old Dominion and have Marshall lose to South Carolina on Tuesday, Oct. 31 … as part of Senior Day, the Mountaineers will honor eight players before the match – Jackson Lee, Ryan Crooks, Thomas Decottignies, Brayden Borutskie, Kyle Lehnert, Luke McCormick, Sergio Ors Navarro, and Kasimir Lauber.

This Week in Volleyball: West Virginia (9-15, 2-9 Big 12) returns home for a pair of matches against Texas on Thursday, Nov. 2, and Friday, Nov. 3 at the WVU Coliseum … Thursday's match is set for 6 p.m. ET … Friday's match is slated for 5 p.m.

Last Week in Volleyball: The Mountaineers traveled to Lawrence, Kansas, for a pair of matches against the Jayhawks on Oct. 26 and 27 … Kansas swept West Virginia in both matches, 3-0 … junior outside hitter Hailey Green collected 14 kills on Oct. 26 … sophomore outside hitter Bailey Miller notched 11 kills on Oct. 27.

Notes: The Longhorns are ranked No. 7 nationally, marking the first match against a top 10 opponent for West Virginia this season … Texas leads the all-time program series 22-0 … the Mountaineers are ranked No. 12 in the conference.

This Week in Cross Country: The Mountaineers will not compete this week.

Last Week in Cross Country: West Virginia finished fourth out of 14 teams at the 2023 Big 12 Championship in Ames, Iowa, on Oct. 28 … redshirt senior Sarah Tait was the top finisher for the Mountaineers, with a time of 20:37.2 and finished 25th overall … redshirt senior Katherine Dowie followed behind with a 28th place finish and a time of 20:42 … freshman Lexi Lamb notched a career best, running a time of 21:03.0.

Notes: West Virginia ranks seventh in the Mid-Atlantic Region poll announced by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association last week.

This Week in Tennis: West Virginia is off until competing in the Big 12 Individual Championships on Nov. 10-13, in Waco, Texas, to wrap up the fall season.

Last Week in Tennis: The Mountaineers did not compete.

Notes: Graduate student Love-Star Alexis competed at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 23 ... Alexis was defeated in the first round of the women's singles tournament.

This Week in Golf: West Virginia wrapped up its fall season and the spring season will begin in Tucson, Arizona, on Jan. 29-30.

Last Week in Golf: The golf team completed its fall season at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational in Loxley, Alabama, last weekend … sophomore Carson Kammann paced West Virginia, tying for 16th place and shooting 1-over-par (73-68-76=217) … in team competition, Max Green tied for 31st place (79-72-69=220, +4), Oli Ménard (74-76-74=224, +8) and Will Stakel (74-74-76=224, +8) tied for 42nd place, Pierce Grieve tied for 45th place (74-74-77=225, +9) and Kaleb Wilson tied for 71st place (76-79-80=235, +19) … as a team, the Mountaineers finished in 12th place with rounds of 298-296-296=890 (+26).

This Week in Swimming and Diving: West Virginia will face Cincinnati on Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Keating Aquatic Center in Cincinnati.

Last Week in Swimming and Diving: West Virginia did not compete last week.

Notes: Senior Danny Berlitz was named the Big 12 Men's Co-Swimmer of the week on Oct. 18, after he won three events against Penn State on Oct. 6 ... against the Nittany Lions, Berlitz won the 200-yard freestyle (1:39.17), the 200-yard breaststroke (2:01.37) and the 400-yard individual medley (3:57.75) ... this was the first weekly conference honor for Berlitz since he transferred to WVU ... in two meets this season, Berlitz has won seven individual events.

This Week in Rowing: West Virginia will compete in the Head of the Occoquan Regatta in Fairfax Station, Virginia, on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Last Week in Rowing: The Mountaineers competed in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta in Philadelphia on Oct. 28.

This Week in Rifle: West Virginia does not compete this week … the Mountaineers return to action on Nov. 11-12, when they host Air Force, Murray State and Nebraska for the WVU Fall Classic in Morgantown.

Last Week in Rifle: The Mountaineers collected three wins over the weekend after defeating No. 2 TCU and No. 3 Nebraska twice … WVU opened the week with a tri-dual on Oct. 28, besting TCU, 4748-4730, and Nebraska, 4748-4699 … fifth-year senior Mary Tucker (1190) and senior Molly McGhin (1189) finished in first and second overall … McGhin claimed first in smallbore (595) while Tucker won air rifle with a final score of 597 … WVU closed out the trip with a 4732-4722 win over Nebraska on Oct. 29 … McGhin took first place overall (1186), winning smallbore (590) and finishing in second place in air rifle (596).

Notes: This season, WVU has defeated six teams ranked inside the top 11 of the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Poll … the Mountaineers hold the highest aggregate (4743.4) and smallbore (2361.6) average in the nation and sit second in air rifle (2381.8) … Tucker's average of 593 in smallbore leads the nation while her aggregate mark of 1189.2 is second best and her 596.2 in air rifle is eighth … all marks lead WVU.

This Week in Wrestling: West Virginia officially opens its regular season for the second consecutive year at the Southeast Open on Nov. 4, inside the Cregger Center on the campus of Roanoke College … the event is set to begin at 9 a.m. ET and will be broadcast on FloWrestling.

Last Week in Wrestling: WVU concluded its annual Wrestle-Offs over the weekend to kick off the 2023-24 campaign.

Notes: West Virginia returns eight starters from a season ago and will begin the 2023-24 season with eight Mountaineers ranked nationally at their respective weight classes, including 2022 All-American Peyton Hall … Hall ranks No. 14 by FloWrestling after claiming a 24-6 record and making his third appearance at the NCAA Championships … at heavyweight, Michael Wolfgram joins Hall in the rankings, coming in at No. 17 on FloWrestling's list upon making his second appearance at the national tournament … last season, the York, Pennsylvania, native claimed another 20-win season on the way to making his second appearance at the national tournament … redshirt sophomore Jordan Titus secured the No. 19 spot at 141 pounds following a 22-win freshman campaign, while redshirt junior Austin Cooley came in at No. 20 in the 197-pound weight class … both grapplers are coming off a season that saw them make their postseason debuts … seniors Sam Hillegas (No. 29-149) and Caleb Dowling (No. 25-157), redshirt junior and 2022 NCAA qualifier Dennis Robin (No. 27-184) and redshirt freshman Brody Conley (No. 31-174) round out the group in FloWrestling's latest rankings … two members of the program finished in the top eight in their respective weight classes to claim All-America status at the 2023 U23 World Team Trails in Geneva, Ohio, back in June … Hall led the way with a fifth place showing in U23 Men's Freestyle at 163 pounds, while redshirt sophomore Dylan Kohn posted a 3-2 record to take seventh in the U23 Greco-Roman tournament at 180 pounds … for the fourth straight year, WVU has signed one of the nation's top prospects, according to FloWrestling. Freshman Ty Watters ranked No. 24 in the class of 2023, as he follows in the footsteps of Conley (No. 19-2022), Titus (No. 25-2021) and Hall (No. 31-2020) … the Big 12 Championship heads back to the BOK Center in Tulsa for the eighth consecutive year on March 9-10. Two weeks later, the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships take over Kansas City, Missouri, from March 21-23. Kansas City plays host to the event for the first time since 2003 and second time in history, marking the 11th time the postseason tournament has been held in Missouri.