WVU set to Commemorate Don Nehlen
On Wednesday, the West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced legendary Hall of Fame football coach Don Nehlen will have his named placed with the all-time greats at Mountaineer Field on the Diversified Energy Terrace during the Cincinnati game on Nov. 18.
“Coach Nehlen led our football program to one of the most successful eras in WVU athletics history, and he embodies everything it means to be a Mountaineer," said WVU Director of Athletics Wren Baker. "He was loyal to and invested in WVU and West Virginia. He cared deeply for his players, coaches and everyone associated with WVU. He led with integrity and class and continues to support this community and institution in every way imaginable. It is fitting he will join our all-time great football student-athletes inside Milan Puskar Stadium. We are very fortunate he was, is and always will be a Mountaineer.”
The department has developed criteria beyond the WVU Sports Hall of Fame and the Mountaineer Legends Society that if met, will honor its greatest coaches with the all-time legends who have had their numbers retired at West Virginia University.
The first West Virginia football head coach to ever walk the sidelines at Milan Puskar Stadium, and the school’s all-time winningest coach, Nehlen coached 15 first team All-Americans, 28 total All-Americans, 82 All-Big East Conference honorees and 80 NFL players from 1980 to 2000. In 1988, Nehlen was recognized with three national coaching awards, the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award and the AFCA Coach of the Year. In 1993, he was named the Big East Coach of Year and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Nehlen guided his WVU teams to 13 bowl game appearances, 17 winning seasons and the 1993 Big East Conference title, and his 1988 and 1993 squads finished the regular season with undefeated records. The 1997 president of the prestigious American Football Coaches Association, Nehlen received the 2002 Distinguished West Virginian Award from the West Virginia Broadcasters Association, and in 2017, he received the AFCA’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Award for advancing the best interests of college football.
“I am so happy that this honor is being bestowed on Coach Nehlen, and I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for this football program since his arrival in 1980," said WVU head coach Neal Brown. "Everything this program has today was either built by or the foundation was laid by Coach Nehlen and the success he brought to this program and University. He has been very supportive and helpful to me in my time at WVU, and I have really enjoyed getting to know one of the game’s legendary coaches. Whenever you walk into the stadium, you will forever see his name with the all-time Mountaineer greats, and that’s where it deserves to be.”
His final numbers included 202 victories, two Lambert Trophies for eastern football supremacy, the 1993 Big East championship and at the time of his retirement, he was just one of 17 coaches to win 200 or more career games on the collegiate level.
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on X:
Facebook - @MountaineersNow
X - @MountaineersNow and Christopher Hall @WVHallBilly