MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — When the Mountaineers take the field against the 11th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones Saturday they’ll be wearing their new all-black to commemorate the legacy of coalmining in the state.
The “Coal Rush” uniform for the players will consist of a black helmet, black jerseys and black pants.
The largest student group on campus, The Mountaineer Maniacs, is encouraging the student body to show up at Milan Puskar Stadium Saturday wearing black to show their respect and support for the Gold and Blue, according to executive director Tyler Faulstick.
“With the deep-rooted history of West Virginia and the coalmines, I think there is community behind this game,” Faulstick said.
The sales of “Coal Rush” items and clothing have been strong; in fact, his all-black jersey won’t arrive until later this year. With that in mind, Faulstick expects there to be a strong showing of blackness, respect, and pride in the stadium.
“I have the ‘Built on Bravery’ sweatshirt and also have the hat I’m wearing,” Faulstick said. “I wasn’t able to get the jersey; they went really quick. But. I have purchased one, and it will be here by Christmas.”
The Mountaineer community is very excited to share their identity and legacy with a nationwide audience, and Faulstick said there will be a strong presence of blacks on gameday.
“Obviously, if you go to WVU you’re a Mountaineer and you love West Virginia,” Faulstick said. “The ability to be able to represent that on such a high stage is really cool.”
On the field, Faulstick hopes the fans can give the Mountaineers an edge with an overwhelming “Coal Rush” presence and lots of noise.
“I think you have to lay into the fans; the fans are going to be crazy, and the hype is going to be high,” Faulstick said.
Nine hours of MetroNews GameDay coverage begins at 4 p.m. Saturday.