No. 24 West Virginia opens its women’s season tonight at home against Rhode Island, and the matchup brings a fresh look on both sides.
The Mountaineers are coming off a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign on the men’s side, but now it’s Mark Kellogg’s group stepping into the spotlight. West Virginia enters at 0-0, while Rhode Island arrives in the same spot after a program reset under new head coach Colleen Mullen, who was hired away from UAlbany after the Rams reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1995-96 season last year.
Tip-off details for the game are straightforward: West Virginia vs. Rhode Island, with the Mountaineers listed at No. 24 and both teams beginning the year unbeaten.
If you’re following along on the radio, the game will air on the Mountaineers Sports Network, with affiliates spread across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and beyond. Stations listed include Morgantown at 100.9 or 95.7, Charleston at 100.9, 1300 AM, 1340 AM, or 1410 AM, Pittsburgh at 98.7, 910 AM, 107.5, or 1480 AM, and many more across the region.
On the floor, Rhode Island’s key name to know is Martina Borrellas. In her first season as a starter at UAlbany, she averaged 9.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 46% from the field. Against Power Four competition last season, her results were uneven: she had 15 points and nine rebounds in a loss to Syracuse, then finished with two points and five boards in a 29-point loss to Vanderbilt.
For West Virginia, the spotlight lands on Gia Cooke. With Jordan Harrison gone, Kellogg is looking for someone to become the emotional center of the team, and Cooke is the obvious candidate.
She’s the lone returning piece from last year’s Big 12 Championship team, and while her game is different from Harrison’s, it gives West Virginia another kind of edge. Cooke brings more offense, but she can still make life difficult on the defensive end too.
That’s why this opener feels like the beginning of something bigger for her. Tonight is the first chapter.
In Other News...
West Virginia Freshman Gives Fans A Lot To Talk About After Opener
West Virginias season opener had the kind of feel-good start every team wants, and freshman Miles Sadler was right at the center of it. In a 91-46 win over Niagara, Sadler made an immediate impression in his collegiate debut, leading the Mountaineers with 16 points while also handing out nine assists and picking up three steals.
The larger takeaway for West Virginia was just as encouraging. After a first half that still had some room to tighten up, the defense sharpened considerably after the break and helped force 24 turnovers, turning the game into a runaway. For a team looking to set a tone early, the combination of a lopsided finish and a freshman guard already looking comfortable gave fans plenty to discuss. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs 2027 Schedule Just Added A Home Test Fans Will Notice
West Virginias 2027 football schedule got a little more intriguing with the addition of Purdue to the home slate, a matchup the university announced this week with the exact date still to be set. It gives Mountaineer fans another Power Four opponent to circle, and it keeps the program moving toward a schedule built for the new realities of college football.
The Purdue game pushes West Virginia to 10 Power Four games in 2027, which satisfies the requirement for the expanded College Football Playoff format. It will also be the third meeting between the schools, with the series currently split at one win apiece, so there is at least a little history attached to a game that should already carry some weight when it finally lands on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Has A Mike Hawkins Jr. Decision That Could Shape Everything
West Virginias long-term quarterback picture is starting to come into focus, and Mike Hawkins Jr. sits right at the center of it. He has not yet signed a new deal to stay with the Mountaineers beyond the 2026 season, but discussions are ongoing, and there is no indication the relationship between Hawkins, his family and the coaching staff has cooled. For a program trying to stabilize and build forward at the same time, keeping a young quarterback in place matters almost as much as finding the next wave of help.
Rich Rodriguez has made it clear that the Mountaineers see underclassmen like Hawkins as foundational pieces, not just short-term depth. West Virginia believes it can hold onto its key players while still adding talent through the transfer portal, but the Hawkins situation is the kind of decision that can shape the roster well beyond one season. If the staff can close the gap there, it would be a meaningful sign that the programs future is starting to take shape the way it wants. [Read more 🡒]