West Virginia Wesleyan College

*WVWC does not currently us collegeswimming.com as a recruiting site. If interested in WVWC, please contact our coaches directly!

West Virginia Wesleyan College is a small, private, liberal arts college located in Buckhannon, WV. Geographically it is about an hour south of Morgantown, WV and about two hours north of Charleston, WV on the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. Close to all the riches that West Virginia is known for including skiing/snowboarding, hiking, biking, mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, and horseback riding. The town of Buckhannon is home to roughly 5,600 and has been rated one of the “best small town’s in America” by numerous travel and leisure websites and magazines.

WVWC sits in the heart of Buckhannon on more than 100 beautiful acres. The park-like campus features plenty of green space and oak trees; a flat, well-designed campus that houses 23 Georgian buildings, nearly all of which are within one block. Focal points of campus include Wesley Chapel, the largest chapel in the state of West Virginia, the chapel oval with fountain, Lynne-Raine Administration Building, and Agnes Howard Hall, one of the oldest dormitories east of the Mississippi. Campus is located less than a mile from downtown Buckhannon and is within walking distance to plenty of locally-owned shops and restaurants.

Wesleyan offers forty-nine academic majors, 36 minors, a 3-2 engineering program, and 5 graduate degrees. Among the most popular programs are business, biology, chemistry, education, exercise science, nursing, and physics. Approximately 1,400 students from all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and South America call WVWC home. With a student to faculty ratio of 13:1 each student is not just a number but an important part of the Wesleyan community.

Students from West Virginia Wesleyan boast an impressive resume of academic achievements. In the past six years, 11 students have been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and once has received the Mitchell Scholarship. Approximately 70 students travel international each year through May-Term trips or study abroad opportunities. Students from WVWC have been awarded internships through various local and national organizations such as The Washington Center, NASA, and the United State Olympic Committee to name a few. Research opportunities are also popular among students with nearly 300 science students participating in special research projects over the summer in the last five years. Wesleyan also ranks fifth among Division II athletics in the number of academic achievement award winners.

Wesleyan currently has 21 NCAA Division II athletic teams. Over one-third of our students participate in at least one sport and we have many who participate in multiple sports. Wesleyan is one of 12 member-schools to compete in the Mountain East Conference (MEC).  The Mountain East Conference was established in 2012 to replace the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). In just three seasons as a member of the MEC, WVWC athletic teams have combined to win 14 conference championships.

Along with stellar academic and successful athletic programs Wesleyan also offers its students numerous organizations and groups to create a well-balanced college experience. WVWC is home to four national social fraternities and sororities.  Students have opportunities to be a part of groups through music, drama, and literary organizations, intramural and outdoor recreation, campus activities board, and honorary and departmental organizations. Additionally nearly 87% of students participate in community service through these various groups and the Center for Community Engagement.

The Mountain East Conference does not currently sponsor a conference championship for swimming so our men’s and women’s swimming teams are part of the Appalachian Swim Conference.  The conference championship is held in Christiansburg, Virginia in February each year.  There are no conference qualifying times therefore the whole team is able to compete in the meet.  The 2016-2017 season will be WVWC’s first season as members of the ASC and the team looks to make its presence felt immediately. The team will look to challenge for conference championships individually and as a team.

Our swim team continually works hard both in and out of the water to be successful student-athletes. The team environment is easy to notice and hard to forget. Each of our swimmers are an important part of our program and the coaches make sure all athletes are given the attention they deserve. We pride ourselves on creating an atmosphere that is inviting and fun. Our goal is ensure every athlete leaves WVWC as a strong leader and prepared for their post-college life.

As an athlete we strive to ensure that each swimmer is successful and reaches his/her own goals. Every athlete meets with the coaching staff at the beginning of the season to discuss their goals for the season. Every practice is designed so our swimmers can accomplish those goals. We want each athlete to compete in the events they want and they are able to train to be successful in those events.

Affectionately known by students as their “Home Among the Hills,” West Virginia Wesleyan College works hard to make sure each student leaves with a great education and a wonderful experience. I hope you will consider WVWC is your college search. Wesleyan values academics above all else and facilitates an environment that promotes student-athletes to excel in the classroom and in competition.