WVU Potomac State College Alumni Newsletter | Winter 2026

Catherine Parish

WVU Potomac State College's 14 athletic programs have a general athletic fund through the WVU Foundation, designed to assist all sports equally, as well as individual fundraising campaigns that run throughout the year. Donations make a difference in the experiences provided to our student-athletes and coaches. Our teams rely on these donations for equipment purchases, team travel, ever-increasing recruiting costs, and other operational expenses.

Your support ensures that the proud tradition of Potomac State Athletics will continue well into the future for each program. If you have a passion for a specific team at Potomac State, please consider making a direct impact on that program.

WVU Potomac State College Director of Athletics, Mandi Larkin, has announced the hiring of Kraig Whitehair as the new head coach of the Catamounts women's soccer program.

Whitehair arrives in Keyser with more than 15 years of coaching experience across the high school, club, and recreational levels, along with a proven track record of player development and program building within the state of West Virginia. A WVU alumnus, Whitehair earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and political science from West Virginia University in 2006.

WVU Potomac State College announced the addition of men's wrestling at the NJCAA Division I level, increasing its intercollegiate athletics offerings to fifteen (15) varsity sports. The addition of wrestling marks another significant step in Potomac State's ongoing commitment to expanding athletic opportunities for student-athletes across the region.

(Left to Right) Bay Baker, Baylie Kirby, Marquis Beverly, Makenna Chase, Baylee Jarrett, Daija Wright

The 2nd Annual PSC President’s Holiday Door Decorating Contest was held in December 2025. Alumnae and College retirees Karen Campbell and Rene Trezise served as judges. Points were awarded for theme, creativity, and craftsmanship.

On Friday, December 12, Dean of WVU Libraries, Karen Diaz, came to WVU Potomac State College to present a 2025 WVU Impact Award to Nicholas Gardner, Mary F. Shipper Library Director.

Dr. Allen Murphy and student Bud Hinkle are shown in front of Science Hall during a January 1961 snowfall. Dr. Murphy was a geology professor and advisor for Phi Kappa Omega fraternity. Photo courtesy of Dinah Courrier, from her 2001 book "Potomac State College," part of the College History Series published by Tempus Publishing Inc.

For 75 years, Science Hall on the campus of West Virginia University Potomac State College has served as a locus for experimentation and deep learning. Thanks to a combination of public and private support and cooperation across multiple entities, biology and chemistry laboratories will undergo a much-needed comprehensive renovation. The WVU Board of Governors approved the renovation project at their Nov. 7 meeting, greenlighting the modernization of classrooms.

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