Focused on building a WVSSAC sports complex.

We are excited to announce a major capital campaign to raise funding for the new Sports Complex at University High School. A committee has been formed and is working in conjunction with and at the direction of the University High School administration as well as Monongalia County Superintendent and Monongalia County Board of Education.

We are also excited to name the baseball field in honor of Jedd Gyorko, a UHS baseball alum, former West Virginia University starting shortstop. Winner of the Brooks Wallace Award and retired Major League Baseball player.

“Having my Alma Mater’s baseball field named after me is truly an honor. I look forward to assisting with this project and soon watching UHS host games on their home field” - Jedd Gyorko

The Sports Complex at UHS will be located to the right of the school on the hill referred to as the “Dotson Tipple’ site and will host WVSSAC-approved games, tournaments, and events that will greatly benefit UHS and the Morgantown community.

The committee’s goal is to complete the project to the compliance of WVSSAC, thus enabling the sports programs to host high school games, tournaments, and other events pertinent to UHS and the community.

Since its inception in 1925, UHS has never had on-site facilities for their spring athletic programs requiring athletes to travel long distances offsite for practices and games, raising concerns for both wasted time and safety. The Sports Complex at UHS will greatly mitigate these problems and risks.

The Sports Complex at UHS will provide significant benefits the school and the community by:

• Increasing safety and participation for students allowing them to stay after school to attend practices and games. Statistics have proven that high school students that participate in school-based extracurricular activities have improved behavioral, academic, and mental health differences than their non-participating counter parts.
• Combating childhood and adolescent obesity by improving and expanding the physical education courses and the opportunity for activity and movement during the day. According to the Center for Disease Control, West Virginia has the second highest obesity rate in the nation.
• Expanding the diversity of the physical activity choices available to students by enabling UHS to offer a “Classroom Outside of the Classroom.”
• Facilitating community youth sports programs by hosting tournaments, bringing the community together, resulting in increased traffic to the area.

Beyond the direct benefits to our students, this project holds immense potential to improve and invigorate the community: repurposing unused mine land, stimulating new and existing businesses, including construction companies, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and convenience stores, among others.

The Sports Complex at UHS will be built on several acres of reclaimed land opening access to Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) grants, as well as federal funding.

UHS moved to the Bakers Ridge location in 2008 allowing the building to sit on several acres of reclaimed land. The community assisted with the building of a beautiful football field that comes alive every Friday night in the fall. The school spirit that exudes while the community gathers on those evenings is palpable. There can be no better use of the Dotson Tipple site than to build a sports complex complementing the football stadium while creating a hub for the school and Morgantown community.