West Virginia Rifle Invited to White House
April 21, 2026 11:43 AM | Rifle
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the third time in West Virginia University history and the first time since 2017, a Mountaineer athletic team will visit the White House and meet with the President of the United States for NCAA Champions Day.
Members of the WVU rifle team will meet with President Donald J. Trump on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 21, at the White House in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the team's 2026 National Championship.
"We're incredibly excited and honored to participate in an event and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this," Hayhurst Family Head Coach Jon Hammond said. "It's a reflection of the success our team has achieved and the work our student-athletes and staff have put in. Opportunities like this are rare, and to experience it again as a program is something we truly appreciate and do not take for granted."
The Mountaineer rifle program has been invited to the White House on two occasions: in 2014, to meet with President Barack Obama, and in 2017, to meet with President Donald Trump.
The Mountaineers' 2026 NCAA title was the program's second straight and nation-best 21st. WVU claimed the NCAA title with a championship-record 4748, shot on March 14 in Columbus, Ohio. Lake also became just the fifth Mountaineer to be named the NCAA National Championships Most Outstanding Performer with the top mark of the event with a 1194.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVURifle on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Members of the WVU rifle team will meet with President Donald J. Trump on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 21, at the White House in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the team's 2026 National Championship.
"We're incredibly excited and honored to participate in an event and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this," Hayhurst Family Head Coach Jon Hammond said. "It's a reflection of the success our team has achieved and the work our student-athletes and staff have put in. Opportunities like this are rare, and to experience it again as a program is something we truly appreciate and do not take for granted."
The Mountaineer rifle program has been invited to the White House on two occasions: in 2014, to meet with President Barack Obama, and in 2017, to meet with President Donald Trump.
The Mountaineers' 2026 NCAA title was the program's second straight and nation-best 21st. WVU claimed the NCAA title with a championship-record 4748, shot on March 14 in Columbus, Ohio. Lake also became just the fifth Mountaineer to be named the NCAA National Championships Most Outstanding Performer with the top mark of the event with a 1194.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVURifle on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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