WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Head coach Eric Burkle has planned something for everyone on Feb. 10 when the West Liberty University baseball team hosts its 2024 Leadoff Dinner inside the Hilltoppers' 144,000-square foot Belmont Savings Bank Practice Facility on the WLU campus.
The event, which gets under way at 6:30 p.m., will feature a keynote address by lead ESPN College Baseball Analyst Mike Rooney along with a catered meal followed by a Night at the Races, a Meet the Team video and more.
"The return of our Leadoff Dinner is huge for our program," said Burkle, who heads into his 12th season at the Hilltopper helm next spring having averaged more than 20 wins a season throughout his tenure. "Not only are we showcasing an outstanding and nationally-known speaker in Mike Rooney, we're putting the Belmont Savings Bank Practice Facility in the spotlight for our alumni, friends and most of all recruits. We have outstanding facilities at West Liberty so this is huge for us."
Rooney has been a familiar face on the college baseball scene for years. He starred for current Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy from 1988-92 at Notre Dame, where he was teammates with current Chicago Cubs field boss Craig Counsell, and also coached at Arizona State from 1999 to 2004. He helped coach and develop a total of 19 players who made it to Major League Baseball, including such All-Stars as Dustin Pedroia and Andre Ethier. Rooney has worked as ESPN's lead college baseball analyst since 2009 and is often referred to as the "voice of college baseball."
Tickets for the event are priced at $75 per person, which includes the catered meal along with three drink tickets. Additional drink tickets will be available for purchase. Following Rooney's keynote address, the 2024 WLU baseball team will be introduced via a video presentation and the Leadoff Dinner will transition into a "Night at the Races" format.
"Proceeds from the event go to support our baseball program in numerous ways, including upgrades for equipment, uniforms and our continuing improvements to Kovalick Field," Burkle said. "From the catered dinner by Aladdin Food Services, to speaker Mike Rooney, to 10 exciting horse races for the Night at the Races, the evening will be full of entertainment and fun for all who attend.
"With only 200 tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis, we expect to sell out pretty quickly so if you're looking to purchase tickets, tables or horses we recommend getting those orders in early. We look forward to welcoming our alumni, parents, and community members back to the hilltop to help us 'leadoff' another season of Hilltopper baseball!"
Guests interested in purchasing tickets or being a sponsor should click this link: https://wlufoundation.org/wlubaseball
For additional information or to purchase horses for the "Night at the Races" event, contact Coach Burkle by email ateburkle@westliberty.edu or by phone: (304) 639-5989.
