Get ready to set your alarms, as the West Virginia Mountaineers women’s basketball program officially announced a date, time, and opponent for their 2026 Education Day contest. The team announced on their website that they would be taking on the Akron Zips at 10:30 am on Tuesday, November 17th at Hope Coliseum.
During last year’s education day contest, head coach Mark Kellogg collected his 500th career victory with an 80-51 victory over Appalachian State. The game drew a crowd of 10,067, with schools from all around the Mountain State traveling to support their Mountaineers. Guard Gia Cooke paced the team in scoring with 19, while Meme Wheeler put on a show with 15 points and five boards.
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As you can imagine, having thousands of grade school kids in the coliseum at once screaming at the top of their lungs before noon creates quite the unique atmosphere that only continues to grow with time.
Education Day is becoming one of the coolest traditions in women’s college basketball
There is no such thing as too much college basketball, and to have a division one game in the middle of the season this early in the morning is a rarity on its own. The tradition started in 2018, when the team took on Dayton at 10 a.m. sharp. Complimentary admission for teachers, students, staff, and chaperones has been provided since the inception of the event, but has only grown more and more over the years.
The idea of the tradition remains largely the same: interactive learning opportunities, giving students a chance to learn while at the game, while also giving them an opportunity to attend a sporting event free of charge.
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With the national attention the Mountaineers women’s basketball program has received over the last year after winning the Big 12 Conference Tournament and hosting first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games in Morgantown for the first time in decades, it would not be shocking to see increased demand and an even larger crowd for games this season, with Education Day being no exception.
If you are an educator, you can go here to find more information about how your school can attend the 2026 Education Day contest. The team did include in their announcement that registration will close when they reach capacity due to limited bus parking at Hope Coliseum. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of one of the fastest-rising and unique traditions in women’s college basketball.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/westvirginia as WVU Women’s Basketball Sets Date, Time, and Opponent For Education Day Game.
