Steve Sabins describes how this West Virginia team should be remembered
West Virginia head coach Steve Sabins revealed how he will remember his historic team following the end of its season.
West Virginia‘s historic season came to an end in the Baton Rouge Super Regional, as it dropped the first two games to LSU 16-9 and 12-5. The Mountaineers finished the season with a 44-16 record and advanced to back-to-back Super Regionals for the first time in program history.
Following the loss on Sunday, first-year head coach Steve Sabins discussed his group of players.
“We never focus on other teams or what they do,” Sabins said. “I couldn’t be more proud of our guys. The two guys sitting next to me [Sam White and Logan Sauve] are centerpieces of the most successful season in program history. We broke an all-time win record, we won an outright Big 12 title and we played in back-to-back Super Regionals for the first time in program history. In order to do that at a place that doesn’t have the same baseball tradition, it takes incredible fortitude by a group of young men deciding to do something that had never been done in program history before.”
“The guys next to me [White and Sauve] and the other 27 players on this team did something spectacular. I was very lucky to be part of it as a head coach in my first year.”
Sabins replaced former head coach Randy Mazey, who retired following the 2024 season. In his first year as head coach, the Mountaineers won a program record 44 games. Catcher Logan Sauve (First Team), left-handed pitcher Griffin Kirn (First Team), outfielder Kyle West (Second Team) and right-handed pitcher Jack Kartsonas (Second Team) all received All-Big 12 honors.
“Confident, they had fun, they trusted in each other, they’ve been together for a long time, and I think a true belief in each other,” Sabins concluded. “That would be my best way to summarize this group.”
West Virginia, which was the No. 2 seed in the Clemson Regional, fended off Kentucky (twice) and Clemson to advance to its second consecutive Super Regional. Although it did not win a game in the event in either of its two recent appearances, it shows how far the Mountaineers have come as a program.
From 1997-2016, the Mountaineers failed to make the NCAA Tournament but have made it now in five of the last nine seasons. They are set up to succeed once again next season, as Sabins returns for his second season in charge along with a strong core.
