Seven selected for WVU Hall of Fame
Named to this year’s list of Hall of Fame luminaries are three football standouts — running back Noel Devine, linebacker Dale Farley and defensive tackle Mike Fox — along with gymnast Lajuanda Moody, women’s basketball’s Olayinka Sanni, rifle team All-American Nicco Campriani and cross country All-American Keri Bland.
The newest class will be feted this fall with a banquet and then introduced on the field at a home football game against Virginia Tech on Sept. 18.
The diminutive Devine played for the Mountaineers from 2007-2010 and is WVU’s career all-purpose yardage leader with 5,761.
Devine had 19 career games where he gained at least 100 yards on the ground. During his four-year career he played in four bowl games.
A three-year starter at linebacker, Farley played from 1968 through 1970. The 1969 Mountaineer edition had a 10-1 record.
Farley played in the Senior Bowl and was named an All-American in 1969 by the Sporting News.
West Virginia had a 25-7 overall record in Farley’s years as a Mountaineer.
After Fox had helped the Mountaineers to a Gator Bowl win in 1989, he was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the game.
Fox’s career at WVU was from 1986 through and 1989. Following his days in Morgantown, Fox then was able to start 84 games in the National Football League.
Moody was an All-American gymnast and was a team leader as the Mountaineers won three Atlantic 10 championships during her career that carried from 1991 through 1994.
She won three Atlantic 10 all-around championships (1991 through 1993).
Sanni had a four-year career, playing from 2005 through 2008.
She scored 1,602 points and claimed 773 career rebounds. After she entered the WNBA, Sanni had a three-year career in that professional league.
During the Golden Era of national championships for WVU’s rifle team, Campriani was a four-time All-American. He specialized in air rifle.
Parlaying a collegiate national championship in 2011 with a participation in the 2012 Olympic Games, Campriani was then able to win three gold medals as a member of the United States team.
The much decorated Bland was actually a nine-time All-American selection in either cross country, outdoor track or indoor track during her WVU career, which lasted from 2006-2011. The Fairview, W.Va., native participated in distance races at the national meet level throughout the winters and springs of her four years in Morgantown.
Instituted in 1991, the WVU Sports Hall of Fame now has over 200 members.