The WVU College of Applied Human Sciences announces that Dana Voelker, professor of Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology and director of the School of Sport Sciences, has been named WVU’s 2026-27 Big 12 Faculty of the Year.
The Big 12 Conference selected one faculty member from each of its 16 member institutions, which recognizes excellence in research and innovation and highlights the academic strength of Big 12 campuses.
“Being recognized alongside faculty from across the Big 12 is a tremendous honor, and it is especially meaningful to me because sport has been such a central part of my life and career,” Voelker said.
"Sport can be a powerful catalyst for growth, connection and opportunity," she said. "My own experience as an athlete, including playing ice hockey at a time when opportunities for girls and women in the sport were still expanding, gave me an early appreciation for what sport can make possible. It's shaped my commitment to creating those possibilities for others."
A nationally recognized scholar and Certified Mental Performance Consultant, Voelker’s research examines how sport environments shape the well-being and performance of young people, with particular emphasis on body image, mental health, and girls’ and women’s experiences in sport. Her work has been supported by substantial external funding through both leadership and key collaborative roles on interdisciplinary teams. She has also connected scholarship and teaching through innovations in global collaboration and active learning and has been recognized for outstanding teaching at the department, college, and university levels.
Since joining WVU in 2014, Voelker has expanded opportunities in experiential learning, career development, undergraduate research, online education, and mental performance while building partnerships that connect students to emerging opportunities across the sport industry. Her work includes partnerships with WVU Baseball and its Biomechanics and Performance Center, WVU Esports, the Positive Coaching Alliance, and youth athlete leadership initiatives. Her efforts as a faculty member and administrator reflect her commitment to connecting scholarship, performance, well-being, and professional practice while creating meaningful opportunities for students, athletes, and communities.
West Virginia University joins the Big 12 Conference in recognizing Voelker and the 2026-27 Faculty of the Year honorees for their contributions to research, teaching, and the student experience across the Conference.