West Virginia WBB program receives generous donation

“What a tremendous honor for our women’s basketball program to have an endowment for the head coach position. The coaches’ endowment and their additional donation prove once again that the Hayhurst family’s loyalty and commitment to WVU Athletics is unending,” said Vice President and Athletic Director Wren Baker. “Our department cannot thank Christy (Hayhurst Davis) and the Hayhurst family enough for their support, trust and loyalty over the years. This donation will be a huge asset to the overall success of our women’s basketball program.”

The Hayhurst family is recognized as a member of the Gold Coat Circle, the highest level of philanthropic giving, at the Mountaineer Athletic Club.

$2 million will be used to fill the head coaching position, while $500,000 will go towards the day-to-day work of the assistants within the program.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Hayhurst family for their continued support and generous donation to the women’s basketball program,” said Mark Kellogg, coach of the WVU women’s basketball team. “This will help us continue our push toward the Big 12 Conference and NCAA championships. It will allow us to pursue new opportunities within our program and innovate our way in this collegiate landscape while building on the traditions of the West Virginia women’s basketball program.”

More from WVU Athletics:

The Hayhursts are West Virginia natives who grew up in Buckhannon. They are long-time supporters of West Virginia University and Mountaineer Athletics. The Hayhurst family is pleased to continue their long-term support of WVU Athletics and academics with this donation, which will ensure continued support of Coach Kellogg and his staff and players in the classroom and on the field.

Siblings Ronald, the late Robert and the late Robin Hayhurst were all the first in their generation to graduate from WVU with a college degree. Ronald earned his degree in accounting while Robert and Robin earned degrees in sports management. Their passion for sports and academics at WVU has been passed down to the next generation as Robert’s daughter Christy Hayhurst Davis and her husband James Davis (both graduates of the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources) and their three daughters.

The entire Hayhurst family, now spanning three generations, is an avid supporter of West Virginia University and WVU sports.

“The WVU women’s basketball team, under the leadership of Coach Kellogg, along with his coaches and staff, has done an outstanding job of recruiting new members to the team and developing existing ones to ensure their athletic and academic success,” Christy said. “Our family is pleased to support them and the program in the future as they continue to represent all West Virginians and develop the female leaders of tomorrow.”

The donation is the Hayhurst family’s second gift for a head coaching position at WVU and will give $1 million to the shooting program in 2022.