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When the West Virginia University football team took the field Saturday wearing its “Coal Rush” uniform, the Mountaineers delivered a powerful tribute to the men and women who mine West Virginia coal. Accompanied onto the field by miners from American Consolidated Natural Resources and Core Energy, the team celebrated an industry – and a workforce – that has helped shape our state’s identity for generations.
The “Coal Rush” uniform is more than an alternate game-day look. It recognizes the work ethic, courage and determination of West Virginia coal miners and their enduring contributions to our state and nation.
In announcing the uniform design several years ago, WVU Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker explained the meaning behind it: “If our football team was going to have a black alternate uniform, we wanted it to tell a story and mean something to our fans. Coal mining has a deep history in West Virginia, and the work ethic of coal miners is woven into the fabric of our culture.”
The slogans accompanying the uniforms – “West Virginia Mined” and “Built on Bravery” – capture the spirit of the tribute. They reflect the demanding work of mining and the resilience, pride and resolve that unite West Virginians.
That connection is already woven into the Mountaineer experience. From the “Mountaineer Mantrip” and the piece of coal players touch as they enter the stadium to campus buildings bearing the names of coal industry leaders and university graduates, WVU has long recognized the bond between our flagship university and our foundational industry.
For generations, West Virginia miners have helped supply the coal needed to power America’s economy and produce the steel used to build our nation. Their contributions are not simply part of our history. Coal miners remain an essential part of West Virginia’s workforce, communities and future.
By bringing miners onto the field alongside the players, WVU put the people behind that legacy front and center. It gave fans an opportunity to recognize not only what coal has meant to West Virginia, but also the miners whose hard work continues to make those contributions possible.
On behalf of the West Virginia Coal Association, I thank West Virginia University, its athletics leadership and the football program for this meaningful recognition. The “Coal Rush” tradition brings together two enduring sources of Mountain State pride: West Virginia coal and West Virginia University.
Let’s Go Mountaineers!
Chris Hamilton
President, West Virginia Coal Association
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Chris Hamilton, President and CEO of the West Virginia Coal Association, issued the following statement on the agreement to advance the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026:
“Senator Shelley Moore Capito has worked tirelessly to bring lawmakers together around a permitting agreement that can strengthen America’s energy future. The West Virginia Coal Association applauds her leadership, as well as the Trump Administration and the bipartisan work of Chairman Lee and Ranking Members Whitehouse and Heinrich, in reaching a deal on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026.
“Modernizing federal environmental reviews and providing greater certainty for permit holders would help coal producers and the broader energy sector plan investments, maintain and build infrastructure, and respond to growing demand for reliable power. An all-of-the-above energy strategy must recognize the role coal plays alongside other resources. We thank Senator Capito for keeping West Virginia’s energy workers and communities at the forefront of this effort, and we look forward to seeing this legislation advance.”
For additional information or comment, contact Chris Hamilton at (304) 342-4153.
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The America’s Coal Associations today applauded the Trump Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for finalizing the repeal of the Biden-era power-plant Carbon Rule and proposing to rescind remaining greenhouse-gas regulations for power plants under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act.
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The West Virginia Coal Association today applauded the Trump Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for finalizing the repeal of the Biden-era power-plant Carbon Rule and proposing to rescind remaining greenhouse-gas regulations for power plants under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act.
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To The “Charleston Gazette” Editor:
Phil Kabler’s weekend column, “Friends of Coal aren’t friends of miners,” is an affront to every miner, mine supervisor and mine operator, as well as the 50,000 West Virginians who show up at a mine site every day to contribute to the production, construction, preparation or transportation phases of mining. Its sweeping portrayal of the industry disregards the commitment, professionalism and personal responsibility demonstrated daily by the people who make West Virginia mining possible.
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