West Virginia fans showed once again last Friday why athletes and coaches believe Mountaineer Nation is made up of some of the best fans in the world.
Dan Stratford and the West Virginia men’s soccer team make their Men’s College Cup debut in Louisville. Of the approximately 3,900 football fans who attended the two NCAA semifinal games, WVU is believed to have had at least the second-largest fan support among the four teams. Mountaineer Nation Clemson supporters in attendance at Lynn Family Stadium were outnumbered and outvoted.
What happened after the game, which resulted in this historic group of Mountaineers losing 1-0, left a lasting impression on the players and coaching staff.
“It means a lot. We have one of the best fans in the country. We’ve got hundreds of fans all the way here in Louisville, it’s phenomenal,” said junior midfielder Otto Olikainen. “And it just tells us about the football culture that is evolving.” In our school. We want to continue this legacy, and make it bigger and bigger every year.
For at least 15 minutes after the final seconds of the game clock ran out, WVU fans applauded the Mountaineers’ effort and season.
During that period, when the players were quickly forced to come to grips with the fact that their campaign was over, those in the stands dressed in gold and blue sang John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
The scene is best described as emotional. Some players were in tears, coaches were comforting athletes, and all the while fans were en masse wrapping their arms around a team that had reached unprecedented heights in the program’s 63rd season.
“20 years of association with @WestVirginiaU and I don’t know that I’ve ever heard Country Roads sing after a loss,” Stratford is published in X Sunday. “It reflects the incredible effort of @WVUMensSoccer and the incredible support we’ve received, not just last night, but all season long. Thank you, Mountaineers nation.”
WVU fans continued to cheer for their team well after singing Country Roads. Emotions peaked at that moment as players and coaches walked toward those fans, many of whom were family members and some former members of the program, and received high-fives, hugs and words of celebration.
Their historic season may have ended, but the celebration of their success was just beginning.
Friday’s fan turnout was a continuation of the record-high level of fan support for the WVU men’s soccer program this year. With more than 1,000 spectators in their seats for the WVU-Clemson game, approximately 20,500 fans attended West Virginia’s home or neutral site games this season.
The support of West Virginia University (WVU) fans at the College Cup was undeniably a crucial factor for the players and coaches. The atmosphere created by the passionate and dedicated fans was described as “huge” by the team members, and it undoubtedly provided a significant boost on the field. The unwavering support from the stands undoubtedly lifted the spirits of the players and coaches, and their presence made a tangible impact on the team’s performance. The WVU fans’ enthusiastic support undoubtedly played a vital role in the team’s success at the College Cup.