West Virginia has waited a long 34 years to host NCAA Tournament games, and after clinching 27 wins and a Big 12 Tournament championship, the Mountaineers have brought the event back to Morgantown. However, the journey is far from over.
The Mountaineers (27-6) now face the challenge of managing their success. The excitement kicks off today with practice and media day at Hope Coliseum as WVU prepares to take on Miami University in the first round at 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU.
Head coach Mark Kellogg, in his third year, is keen on keeping the pressure in check. "I don't want to overdo it and make it feel like there's immense pressure because this is a rare opportunity," Kellogg remarked.
Kellogg’s impressive track record suggests this won't be a one-off event, but it’s still a momentous occasion. The last time they hosted, the tournament field was smaller, with 48 teams instead of 68, and the path to the Sweet 16 was shorter. Back then, Kellogg was a high school student in Texas, far from his future coaching accomplishments, which now include 12 NCAA Tournament appearances across Division II and I.
In his 21 seasons as a head coach, Kellogg has only once finished outside the top four in his conference. With 522 wins and a record 380 games above .500, his resume boasts seven regular-season conference titles and seven tournament championships.
"There's been a progression in my career, and I think it's because of having a vision as a coach," Kellogg explained. "Typically, we improve as I stay at a place, and the system takes full effect, which is what we're seeing now."
Kellogg's journey has been marked by success at every stop. The year WVU reached the Final Four under Bob Huggins, Kellogg led Fort Lewis further in the D-II tournament.
At Northwest Missouri State, hired by then-AD Wren Baker, Kellogg continued to excel. His first team at West Texas A&M was a D-II runner-up, reaching the Elite Eight the following year.
His Division I journey began at Stephen F. Austin, where he quickly made an impact, though postseason success came later. After a couple of NCAA Tournament appearances and a WNIT stint, Kellogg made his way to Morgantown.
With an overall record of 77-22 and 39-15 in the Big 12, Kellogg has guided WVU to new heights, including a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament. Now, as the first WVU coach to achieve 25 wins in three consecutive seasons, he's two victories away from the program's second Sweet 16 appearance and potentially setting a record with 79 wins over three seasons.
"We've improved each year," Kellogg noted. "In our first year, expectations were low, but we surprised many with our performance, including a memorable game against Iowa.
The following year, we built on that success, finishing higher in the conference and earning a better NCAA tournament seed. This year, we took another step forward, finishing second in the league and winning the tournament."