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WVU Sport Management alumna Hailey Barrett (BS ’16, MS ’21) has turned her passion for tennis and leadership into a rising collegiate coaching career. Now in her third year as an assistant tennis coach at Rutgers, Barrett first made her mark at WVU as a student-athlete during a time of transition by helping to hold the team together during a coaching change and stepping into leadership roles on and off the court. Her coaching journey has taken her from The Greenbrier to UConn, Washington and Lee, Colorado, and now the Big Ten. This WVU Magazine feature traces her path—from battling adversity as a player to mentoring the next generation.

The West Virginia University School of Sport Sciences and the WVU Baseball Biomechanics and Performance Center are partnering to elevate sport sciences education and baseball performance by combining science, technology, and applied learning to set new standards in athletic performance and professional preparation across all disciplines in the School of Sport Sciences.

A key component of the partnership is a new role that connects the School of Sport Sciences and the Baseball Biomechanics and Performance Center. This position will lead the center’s daily operations while contributing to teaching, research, and outreach in sport biomechanics and related areas.

The West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences has announced a new online Master of Arts in Leadership Studies in Education designed to prepare educators for school and district leadership roles in K-12 schools.

 The program includes a 30-credit curriculum that offers multiple certification pathways, which can be earned along the way to degree completion or pursued independently. Students can earn a Principal Certificate (18 credits) and a Superintendent Endorsement (6 credits), with the option to complete both while progressing toward the full master’s degree. A separate General Supervisor of Instruction Certificate is also available.

Students and faculty in the Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology program recently traveled to the University of Kentucky for the American Association of Sport Psychology Midwest Sport and Exercise Psychology Symposium.

For much of her athletic career, Hannah Swartz (née Severs) carried a quiet, growing exhaustion—one that had little to do with the physical demands of the sport she loved. A standout soccer player growing up in North Carolina, she was driven, competitive, and committed to improving. But as she progressed in the game, the emotional and mental toll of coaching styles around her began to wear her down.

As early as 12 years old, Swartz can remember going to the sideline during a game to be yelled at for a mistake. At an age when sport should have been a source of joy and growth, Swartz felt tension creeping in. Anxiety followed her into games. Practices felt like pressure cookers rather than learning environments. She continued competing at a high level but felt drained by the culture around her.

A planned gift from retired educator Thomas Rymer Davis will provide crucial support for aspiring teachers at the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences. This gift is designed to inspire the next generation of educators to establish their careers in West Virginia, contributing to efforts to address the state's critical teacher shortage.

Mary Taylor Shaak always knew she wanted to attend West Virginia University, but she didn’t expect to find her passion in mental health and addiction studies. Now a senior set to graduate in December 2025, the Charleston, W.Va., native has embraced opportunities to support others through her work with WVU’s Collegiate Recovery Program. Her experiences—both personal and professional—have shaped her commitment to making a difference in the field of mental health.

The WVU Nursery School is now enrolling for the 2025-2026 school year. Programs are available for both the Preschool (3-year-old) and Monongalia County Collaborative Pre-K programs.

For more information or to begin the enrollment process, contact Allison Stump at (304) 293-2110 or via email at alstump@mail.wvu.edu.

The WVU Sport Management Club recently traveled to Indianapolis for a three-day professional development trip, where they met with industry leaders, toured world-class sports venues, and gained firsthand insights into careers in the sports industry.

Addison Dobson is eager – eager to learn, eager to talk, eager to do. She smiles easily and carries herself with the kind of energy that makes you believe she is looking for (and ready for) the next challenge. Whether it’s leaving Ohio to come to West Virginia University or jumping into a new sport with no experience, Dobson is the kind of person who leans in—fully, without hesitation.

WVU sport management students Kaitlin Beegle, Jada Kent, Abby Childers, and Charlotte Ralph, recently gained real-world event operations experience at the 2025 Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. The group worked alongside the Tepper Sports & Entertainment Guest Experience Team at Bank of America Stadium as Virginia Tech took on Minnesota.

As part of this experiential learning opportunity organized by Patrick Hairston from the School of Sport Sciences, students attended a pre-game operations meeting before being paired with supervisors to shadow on game day. The experience offered an inside look at event and facility management, including pre-game preparations to post-game wrap-up.

On the surface, forensics science and human performance might seem worlds apart. The former involves meticulously piecing together evidence to solve crimes, while the latter seeks to optimize athletic performance on the field. Yet both disciplines share a core principle: the art and science of problem-solving through data. At WVU, Troy Bishop has found an unexpected yet harmonious bridge between the two.

Growing up in Felton, Del., Bishop attended a technical high school and learned to weld. However, he was inspired by his father, a police officer, to pursue a career in law enforcement. His interest in forensic science led him to WVU, renowned for its top-tier program in the field.

The College of Applied Human Sciences (CAHS) continues to strengthen its student-centered initiatives with the addition of two staff members to its Office of Student Success: Courtney Pletcher, Career Development Specialist, and Rachael Conrad, Student Experience Coordinator.

Pletcher brings extensive experience in career counseling, student engagement, and professional development to her new role as Career Development Specialist. A native of San Antonio, Texas, she is a first-generation college student whose journey includes service in the U.S. Navy. Her professional experience spans 17 years across multiple industries, with a focus on career counseling and student engagement in higher education.

Canyon Lohnas, a Ph.D. student at West Virginia University, has been named to the International Literacy Association’s 2025 30 Under 30 list, which highlights emerging leaders who are transforming literacy education and promoting equity in classrooms, communities and beyond.

This global cohort features changemakers from 12 countries, all under the age of 30, who are driving innovations and advocating for accessible, inclusive learning experiences. Lohnas, 28, was honored for his work in health literacy.

Adam McNeill’s path to West Virginia University was shaped by his family’s ties to WVU and his own passion for sports. A sport management major from Charlotte, N.C., McNeill has already built an impressive résumé, including an extensive internship with Learfield. With his sights set on a career in corporate partnerships, McNeill is consistently working to expand his network and opportunities that are provided to him by WVU.