Who & Where
1 Morgantown
It's home to West Virginia University, whose football team has 
been coached by such greats as Earle (Greasy) Neale, Bobby Bowden 
and Don Nehlen and has produced 153 NFL draftees, including 14 
Pro Bowl players.
2 Rich Braham
The Bengals' longtime lineman played his college ball in his 
hometown of Morgantown, where he was the Mountaineers' MVP and an 
All-America in 1993.
3 Vicky Bullett
The former WNBA All-Star center, who retired last month, was a 
U.S. Olympian in 1988 and '92. She grew up in Martinsburg and is 
the alltime leading scorer at the University of Maryland.
HOT SPOT
4 Upper Gauley River
With its ferocious drops and gut-busting Class V+ (highest 
category) rapids, this rafting mecca is often cited as one of the 
top 10 white-water rivers in the world. It descends more than 335 
feet in less than nine miles.
5 White Sulphur Springs
Home to Oakhurst Links, which claims to be America's first 
organized golf club (1884) and was reopened in 1994 after more 
than 80 years of abandonment. Players are required to use replica 
hickory-shafted clubs and gutta-percha balls.
6 Bimbo Coles
The 13-year NBA guard from Lewisburg is Virginia Tech's career 
scoring leader.
7 Rod Thorn
The Nets G.M. and former league executive played eight NBA 
seasons. When the Princeton native was a hotly recruited high 
schooler, the state legislature declared him a "natural resource" 
of the state to encourage him to stay at home; he became an 
All-America for the Mountaineers.
8 Christy Martin 
Nicknamed the Coal Miner's Daughter, the Mullens native was a 
pioneer in women's boxing; in 1996 she became the first female 
boxer to grace the cover of SI.
9 Curt Warner
The running back from Pineville set 41 school records at Penn 
State and ranks second on the Seahawks' career rushing list.
10 Gino Marchetti 
Named the top defensive end of the NFL's first 50 years, the 
11-time Pro Bowler for the Baltimore Colts was born in Smithers. 
During World War II, his family was moved to a California 
detention camp because his father was an Italian immigrant.
11 Jason Williams
The Grizzlies' point guard and former Marshall and Florida star 
hails from Belle and played basketball with Randy Moss at DuPont 
High. 
12 Randy Moss
The Vikings' wideout and Rand native was a state high school 
player of the year in football and basketball.
13 Hot Rod Hundley 
The Charleston native and longtime voice of the Jazz was a 
flashy, three-time All-America guard at West Virginia and the 
first pick (by the Cincinnati Royals) in the 1957 NBA draft.
14 Huntington
Home to Marshall University, it is West Virginia's SI Sportstown, 
for having the state's best community sports programs.
COLOR PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER SMITH (UPPER GAULEY RIVER) The Upper Gauley's Pillow Rock Rapid.
COLOR ILLUSTRATION: MAP ILLUSTRATION BY JOE ZEFF CHARLESTON

