MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A capital improvement project to build a new athletic complex at University High School has reached a financial milestone.
Co-Chairs of the Sports Complex at UHS Committee Heidi Metheny and her husband Greg announced to the Monongalia County Board of Education that over $2.6 million has been contributed by a combination of UHS alumni and private donors to support construction of the approximately $4 million proposal. The funding will be supported with a $2 million match from the county school system and will support the construction of three state-of-the-art athletic courts and fields with modernized amenities that would not be seen in other high schools in the county.
“I get the privilege to be able to say that our total commitment, including the Board of Education match, and we can go through all of the numbers, we’re at $4,850,000 to build this complex,” said Greg Metheny in a presentation to the board on Tuesday.
According to the Metheny’s, funding was supported through three major donations, with several private contributions being pledged over the past couple of years. This includes a $1 million contribution from Nancy Pride Raley, the sister of UHS Athletic Hall of Famer Ronald “Duke” Pride, an anonymous contribution of $125,000 in commemoration of the 2024 University High School Softball Team that won the WVSSAC State Championship, as well as a $250,000 contribution from former Major League Baseball player Jedd Gyorko and his family. Added with the extra contribution from former University High School alum Derrick Reynolds of over $1.2 million, the UHS community found a way to match the $2 million match from the county school system. A match that Metheny said was a major catalyst for the donations.
“We give thanks to the board because that was a great impetus to get the thing rolling, to offer the $2 million match, which kind of showed the support of the school system,” said Metheny.
The over $4 million in donations will support the construction of two separate athletic fields as well as a facility that will hold eight tennis courts. The project budget includes state-of-the-art baseball and softball fields with modern amenities that will have complete warmup mounds and batting cages, along with modernized seating, stadium scoreboards, and concession areas. With the contribution from Reynolds, a Class of 2001 graduate of UHS, a project that has been several years in the making finally appears to be becoming a reality.
“I’m happy to be in this position to help out to finish the commitment that was needed to finish something that’s way, long overdue,” said Reynolds during the BOE’s meeting on Tuesday.
While nothing was formally approved during the Mon County BOE’s meeting Tuesday, members of the board vocally supported the $2 million match that was formerly stated back in 2023. If the funding is maintained by the county school system, it will not only allow for the construction of the new baseball and softball fields, but they’ll also support the construction of new tennis courts and a connector to the University High School football field. Despite no formal allocations by the BOE, it appears that the multi-year plan to secure funding for athletic facilities at UHS has been successful.
“You have a lot to be proud of,” said Board President Mike Kelly. “We thank you for all of that endeavor, because it’s not easy putting all of these puzzle pieces together to make it all happen, and I’m excited about it,” he said.