Morgantown, WV (WOAY) A new Mountaineer has been chosen at West Virginia University.
Reese Allen, a senior from Bridgeport, will serve as the 2026–2027 Mountaineer mascot.
He was announced Saturday during the men’s basketball game at the WVU Coliseum.
Allen is a dual major in mechanical engineering and data science and says becoming the Mountaineer is his way of giving back to the University he calls home.
He’s a member of the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, part of the Honors College, and has served as a Presidential Student Ambassador.
Allen also founded the Microgravity Research Club, leading STEM outreach for K-12 students.
Allen says he’s grateful for the scholarships, research opportunities, and support he’s received and sees the role as a chance to represent not just the University, but the entire state.
He will officially accept the rifle from current Mountaineer and Fayette County Native Cade Kincaid, along with the role’s responsibilities during the “Passing of the Rifle” ceremony on April 17 at the Mountainlair.
Amelia Bolden, mascot contest finalist and first-year communication sciences and disorders junior from Oakland, Maryland, will serve as the alternate Mountaineer mascot.
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