WVU caravan returns after 3 years
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WHEELING -- For the first time since 2019, the WVU Coaches Caravan made its way back to the friendly city Tuesday afternoon with a veritable who's who of West Virginia coaches gathering to meet with fans in River City's dining hall.
After being held digitally the last two years, the Caravan returned to an in-person for 2022 much to the delight of the fans and even the coaches in attendance.
"I love it. I've done it for years and years and I love it," said WVU men's basketball coach Bob Huggins. "I love the people around West Virginia and getting to know West Virginia people better. We're into recruiting and all that running around right now and so it's very difficult to see the people that you really enjoy seeing and being around."
While a veteran coach like Huggins enjoyed getting to see old friends, a newly-hired women's basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit liked having the chance to get to know the state and WVU's fanbase prior to her first season with the Mountaineers.
"So far it's been incredible," Plitzuweit said of the Caravan. "The people have been very gracious and certainly very, very supportive of West Virginia athletics.
"I definitely think it's a major advantage to get out and meet some people who have great ties and connections and a wonderful love for the university."
Football coach Neal Brown said it is important for the WVU athletics department to make an effort to travel around the state as much as they can each offseason.
"One of the things that's unique about this job is the effect that our sports programs can have on the state as a whole," Brown said. "That's not the case everywhere, but it is the case here. We are the state's team and so I think it's really important for us to maneuver around the state as much as we can."
Brown said he enjoys the Coaches Caravan because it's more about meeting with fans than trying to raise, unlike with some other events.
"These things are for the fans, they're not as much donor events as they are for season ticket holders -- real, true fans," he said. "I think it's important in all our sports for our coaches to get out and meet our constituents. I think that's what makes this job special, we're the school for the state. I enjoy these, these are things that we've missed the last two years and I think it's good to have the personal touch back."
Huggins, Plitzuweit and Brown were joined by women's soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown on a panel that was hosted by WVU play-by-play announcer Tony Caridi to talk about their respective programs and take a few questions from the audience. WVU athletic director Shane Lyons also spoke.
The realignment of the Big 12 conference, the NCAA's transfer portal and new rules about Name Image and Likeness (NIL) were the main topics discussed by the coaches.
Wheeling was the first stop for this year's caravan with Martinsburg, Parkersburg and Glade Spring all on the schedule for the following weeks.
Huggins, who grew up about an hour west in Gnadenhutten, Ohio, said he was excited that the first stop on this year's caravan was in Wheeling.
"This is a special one anyways, I love Wheeling and the people that live here in the valley," Huggins said. "I grew up right up the road so I've got a great passion for the people here and their love for basketball and the Mountaineers."