Sophomore Honors College student Colson Glover has fulfilled his lifelong dream to serve West Virginia University and the people of his home state as the Mountaineer mascot. The Lewisburg native was announced as the 67th Mountaineer today (March 7) at the men’s basketball game vs. Baylor.

Named after Colson Hall, a building on the Downtown Campus, Glover reports that one of his first memories of the University is waiting at the bottom of the College of Law steps after a football game to give the 2011-12 mascot Brock Burwell a Gatorade.

“Throughout my childhood I have always idolized and admired the Mountaineer mascot with hopes that I too might wear the buckskins,” Glover said. “There is no bigger honor or privilege than for me to serve the people of my state and university while showing the world why West Virginia is termed ‘Almost Heaven.’”

Glover, a neuroscience major minoring in wildlife and fisheries resources, serves as an undergraduate researcher with the School of Medicine and a tutor for student-athletes and in the Department of Biology. He is also an active member of the WVU Pre-Med Club and volunteers his time to WVU Medicine Children’s and the Core Arboretum.

“Getting the opportunity to work with the most beloved tradition at WVU, the Mountaineer mascot, has certainly been the highlight of my career,” said Sonja Wilson, senior advisor of the Mountaineer Mascot Program. “I have immensely enjoyed my year advising Timmy Eads and now look forward to starting a new year with Colson.”

In a formal “Passing of the Rifle” ceremony, Glover will accept the rifle—and the responsibilities—of the Mountaineer mascot from Eads. The event is open to the public and will take place on April 17 at 3 p.m. in the lounge area of Elizabeth Moore Hall.

He will officially begin his duties for the 2020-21 year with the Gold-Blue Spring Game on Saturday (April 18) at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Center.

Glover was among the top four to vie for the Mountaineer mascot. The others were Brooke Ashby, a junior from Mannington; Hunter Ayers, a senior from Moorefield; and Christopher “Connor” Capron, a sophomore from Sutton.

Ashby will be invited to take the role as the alternate Mountaineer mascot.