Huggins to speak at chamber dinner

By Mary Catherine Brooks
Wyoming county Bureau Chief

April 24, 2008 07:56 pm

— West Virginia University’s head basketball coach Bob Huggins will be the featured speaker during the annual Mullens Area Chamber of Commerce dinner.
He completed his first season at WVU with a 26-11 record and is the state sports writers’ College Coach of the Year.
“We’re very pleased to have the West Virginia College Coach of the Year,” emphasized Wanda Blankenship, president of the Mullens Area Chamber of Commerce. “We’re very pleased to have someone so popular.”
The banquet is scheduled May 14 beginning at 6 p.m. at Wyoming County East High School. Tickets are $20 and available from any chamber member or by phoning 294-8470.
A Morgantown native and former Mountaineer player, Huggins is only the second WVU coach to take the team to the NCAA tournament in his first season at the school. It was Huggins’ 16th Division I NCAA appearance.
The Mountaineers placed fifth in the Big East.
Huggins returned to WVU following hitches at Walsh College (1980-83), Akron (1984-1989), Cincinnati (1989-2005), and Kansas State (2006-07).
He has a record of 616-222 for his 26 years as a head coach. His career average is 23.6 victories per season; only four active Division I coaches have more wins.
Huggins has been named national Coach of the Year, by different organizations five times.
The Mullens Area Chamber of Commerce will also recognize the Wyoming County East High School’s AA Boys State Basketball champs, the Business of the Year, as well as present awards for male and female citizens of the year.