West Virginia State University Men's Baseball

Click here for Coaching Records Bryan Poore enters his 27th season as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at West Virginia State University in 2025-26. Poore is 431-324 (0.570) overall since taking the helm at WVSU in 1999, making him the winningest coach in program history. Poore returned to West Virginia State after spending three years as an assistant on Greg White’s coaching staff at Marshall University. Prior to that stint, he worked on White’s staff for five years at the University of Charleston. During his last year at UC, Poore was named Interim Head Coach while White took a one-year sabbatical to be an assistant on Jim Harrick’s staff at UCLA. Poore also served as Charleston’s NCAA Compliance Coordinator while he was there. A native of Winfield, W.Va., Poore worked as an assistant under Tex Williams for one year at Alderson-Broaddus. Additionally, he was the assistant coach for the varsity team and the head coach for the freshman team at Hurricane High School for two seasons. Poore directed Greg White’s ultra-successful summer basketball camps at both UC and Marshall University for eight years. He now directs his own elite camp each summer at WVSU. Poore graduated from West Virginia State in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. He earned his master’s degree in Physical Education from Marshall University in 1994. Poore resides in the Spring Hill neighborhood of South Charleston with his wife, Jennifer, and two kids, Trevor and Anna. He enjoys playing golf and watching NASCAR in his spare time. CAREER COACHING RECORD YEAR                    OVERALL    CONFERENCE - 1996-97 Charleston    12-14      11-9                 - 1999-00 WV State      17-11      10-9                    - 2000-01 WV State      10-18      5-13                    - 2001-02 WV State      9-18       7-11                    - 2002-03 WV State      16-13      10-8 - 2003-04 WV State      25-7       15-3          - 1st Place WVIAC          - WVIAC Tournament Runner-up          - #3 NCAA East Region - 2004-05 WV State      19-10      14-4          - 3rd Place WVIAC - 2005-06 WV State      28-6       15-3          - 4th Place WVIAC          - WVIAC Tournament Champs          - #2 NCAA East Region          - #22 NABC Final Poll - 2006-07 WV State      26-7       13-5          - 3rd Place WVIAC          - WVIAC Tournament Champs          - #5 NCAA East Region - 2007-08 WV State      20-10      16-4          - 3rd Place WVIAC - 2008-09 WV State      24-6       19-1          - 1st Place WVIAC          - #6 NCAA Atlantic Region - 2009-10 WV State      29-4       20-2          - 2nd Place WVIAC          - WVIAC Tournament Champs          - #4 NCAA Atlantic Region          - #12 NABC Final Poll - 2010-11 WV State      20-10      16-6          - 2nd Place WVIAC          - WVIAC Tournament Runner-up - 2011-12 WV State      14-13       12-10 - 2012-13 WV State      10-19        7-15* WVIAC - 2013-14 WV State      13-14        9-13* MEC - 2014-15 WV State       6-25        6-16 - 2015-16 WV State       6-22        4-18 - 2016-17 WV State       7-21        4-18 - 2017-18 WV State      13-16       10-12 - 2018-19 WV State      12-17        9-13 - 2019-20 WV State      19-10       13-9 - 2020-21 WV State       9-7         9-7 - 2021-22 WV State      24-8        18-4 - 2022-23 WV State      20-9        14-8 - 2023-24 WV State      20-10       14-6 - 2024-25 WV State      15-13       11-9 WVSU Career Record......431-324,   300-227 WVIAC/MEC Overall Record..........443-338,   311-236 WVIAC/MEC        -- 2 WVIAC Regular Season Championships -- 3 WVIAC Tournament Championships -- 6 NCAA Regionals -- 5 NCAA Regional Semi-Finals

Loyd has been the major reason WVSUs offense is feared and its hitters respected nationally. Under his tutelage 48  of those WVSU hitters have been selected to the All-Conference team. That includes eight who were honored as conference Hitter of the Year and 11 have been named All-Americans. A total of seven Yellow Jacket hitters have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft. As a team the Yellow Jackets have led the nation in batting average three times as well as in home runs, slugging percentage, and scoring with Loyd as batting coach. That has helped WVSU become synonymous with winning as the Yellow Jackets have captured nine conference championships and made two NCAA Division II World Series appearances. Along the way Loyd has gained the respect of his peers resulting in him twice being selected to serve on the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee and being elected President of the West Virginia Baseball Coaches Association. He is a 1990 graduate of Braxton County High School where he lettered in baseball, football, and basketball before leaving to play baseball at West Virginia State. In 1995 Loyd graduated from WVSU and went on to obtain his Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Marshall University.  A father of three lovely girls, Abigail, Madelyn, and Evelyn, Loyd is married the former Megan Redifer, also a former Yellow Jacket athlete.

West Virginia State University introduced Whitney Bays as its new head women's basketball coach on June 23, 2025. Bays arrives with a proven track record of building winning programs, developing elite talent, and prioritizing academic excellence throughout her career. Bays most recently served as assistant coach at Memphis University (2023–2025), where she oversaw the development of both post players and guards, managed recruiting strategies, and collaborated with staff on in-game tactics. Her responsibilities included creating film breakdowns, directing individual workouts, and monitoring the academic progress of student-athletes. During her tenure, she coached standout players such as American Athletic Conference All-Newcomer Team selection Alashia Smith, NCAA Top 5 Shooting Guard and AAC 1st Team All-Conference honoree Tilly Boler, and AAC 2nd Team All-Conference and AAC All-Defensive Team selection Alasia Smith. She also guided Tomya Smith, an AAC All-Freshman Team member and three-time AAC Freshman of the Week, contributing to the overall growth of the program's roster. Prior to Memphis, Bays was assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University (2022–2023), where she implemented game plans, conducted film sessions, and led player development while supporting academic monitoring. Her work helped the team achieve historic success, including a Big South Championship, an undefeated 21–0 conference record (a first in school history), and an NCAA Tournament appearance—the program's first since 2010. The team posted a 29–5 overall record and a perfect 13–0 home court mark, setting multiple program milestones. Bays coached four All-Conference selections, including the Big South Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while collaborating with Big South Coach of the Year Alex Simmons to build a cohesive, high-achieving team. Before her collegiate roles, Bays spent three years as assistant coach at Huntington High School (2019–2022). There, she implemented offensive and defensive strategies, introduced scouting reports to players, and designed individualized workouts to enhance skills. She also connected with coaches to secure Division II offers for two athletes and prioritized academic accountability, meeting with teachers and organizing post-practice study halls to support classroom success. Her efforts helped Huntington win Class 4A State Championships in 2020 and 2021, becoming the first program in school history to claim back-to-back titles. The team finished the 2021 season with a 24–1 record, claimed the Mountain State Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship, and developed standout talent like MSAC Player of the Year and West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year Dionna Gray. In 2020–2021, she contributed to a 16–1 record, the best in school history, and the program's first Class AAAA state title. Bays' playing career further underscores her expertise. A two-time Gatorade West Virginia Player of the Year (2008–2009) at Huntington High School, she averaged 24.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game as a senior and led her team to three state finals appearances. At Purdue University (2012–2015), she earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors and set school records for rebounds in a season (304) and consecutive double-doubles (nine). As a senior, she averaged 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, ranking among the Big Ten's elite in rebounding and scoring. She also played professionally across five countries, including Puerto Rico, where she won a league championship and was named League MVP. Bays holds a degree in Sociology and Business from Purdue University (2015) and has consistently emphasized balancing athletic excellence with academic growth throughout her career. "Whitney Bays is a proven leader who has consistently elevated programs at every level, from high school state championships to NCAA Tournament success," said Sean McAndrews, Interim Athletic Director at WVSU. "Her ability to develop elite talent, like AAC All-Conference players and Big South All-Stars, while maintaining a relentless focus on academic accountability, makes her the perfect fit for our mission. Whitney's championship mindset, both as a player and coach, combined with her deep ties to West Virginia basketball, will ignite our program and inspire our student-athletes to compete at the highest level in the Mountain East Conference." "I'm incredibly honored and humbled to be named the head women's basketball coach at WV State University," Bays said. "This university has a strong historical foundation, and I'm excited to build on that tradition. My vision is to develop champions on the court, in the classroom, and in life. I look forward to connecting with our student-athletes, faculty and staff, alumni, and community. It's good to be home. Go State!"

Sean Loyd enters his 12th season as the Head Baseball Coach at West Virginia State University in 2026. Loyd is 230-162 (0.587) overall, 167-93 (0.642) in conference-play since taking over as head coach. A native of Sutton, W.Va., Loyd took over the West Virginia State baseball program in 2015. He had an immediate impact in his first year by winning the Mountain East Conference (MEC) regular season title and then advancing to the NCAA regionals for the first time since 2010. In 2016, he led the Yellow Jackets to a South Division title by going 24-8 in league play. The MEC subsequently named him Coach of the Year at the end of that season.  Loyd served as the Assistant Baseball Coach of the Yellow Jackets for 20 years, beginning in 1994. He has also served as West Virginia State’s Athletic Director from 2008 until 2015.  During his 20 seasons as an assistant, Loyd played a major role in the ascent of WVSU baseball into the ranks of the country’s elite NCAA Division II programs. While focusing mainly on his duties as a batting and third base coach, he was a major reason why West Virginia State’s offensive prowess became respected across the nation. The Yellow Jackets led the nation in batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, and scoring at the conclusion of three separate seasons while Loyd was West Virginia State’s hitting coach. Under Loyd’s tutelage, 48 position players have been selected to the All-Conference team. Eight of those players were recognized as the conference’s Hitter of the Year and 11 were named All-Americans. Additionally, seven West Virginia State position players were selected in the Major League Baseball draft since Loyd has been a member of the coaching staff. With Loyd involved in the baseball program at WVSU, the Yellow Jackets have claimed 11 conference championships and made two NCAA Division II World Series appearances. His success helped to gain the respect of his peers and resulted in him twice being selected to serve on the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee and being elected President of the West Virginia Baseball Coaches Association. Loyd graduated from Braxton County High School in 1990 where he lettered in baseball, football and basketball. He played baseball at WVSU and graduated in 1995 with his bachelor’s degree. He holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Marshall University.  Loyd is the father of three lovely girls: Abigail, Madelyn and Evelyn. He is married to the former Megan Redifer, a former three-sport WVSU student-athlete.

Karley Walker enters her first third as Assistant Women’s basketball coach at West Virginia State University in 2025-2026.   Karley is coming to WVSU from South Charleston High School where she was the head coach for  2 years. She improved the team's record and advanced further in postseason play each subsequent year. All five of her graduating seniors from the previous season went on to play at the collegiate level.   Walker was the head coach of the girls' basketball program at South Charleston Middle School prior to making the leap to the high school level. In her three years at SCMS, she took the team from finishing 10th in the league all the way up to a second-place finish.   In between her three-year stints at SCHS and SCMS, Walker volunteered as a youth basketball coach at the South Charleston Recreational Center. More recently, she volunteered her time this past summer to coach the fifth-grade team of the West Virginia Hustle AAU organization. The position was familiar to her since she started her coaching career with the Rising Stars AAU organization in the summers of 2014 and 2015.   Walker was the captain and a four-year starter on the women's basketball team at the College of Wooster. She also captained the women's golf team before earning her Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science in 2014.

Steve Crosier enters his second season as an Assistant Coach at West Virginia State University in 2026. Crosier graduated high school from Winfield High School where he was a First-Team All-State Basketball and Baseball player. He then played for the Yellow Jackets and was an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention in 1983-1984. In 1985, he was a free agent with the Montreal Expos in the Gulf Coast League. Following his playing days he was a coach at South Charleston High School for 12 years, winning WVSSAC State Titles in 1992, 1995, and 1996. He followed that coaching stint up with 10 years of coaching at both the division I and division II collegiate levels, before coaching professional baseball for 12 years, coaching over 200 players at the professional level. Crosier's athletic honors include membership in the WVSU Sports Hall of Fame, the Artie Museum Legends Hall of Fame, the Winfield High School Hall of Fame, the South Charleston High School Hall of Fame, and the West Virginia High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Crosier graduated in 1984 from WVSU with a B.S. in Education, in 1992 he earned his Master's in Physical Education and in 1998 he graduated with a Masters in Special Education, both from Marshall University. Crosier curently resides in Hurricane, W.Va.

Greg Keaton enters his twelfth season as the Assistant Baseball Coach at West Virginia State University in 2026. Keaton came to WVSU after a four-year stint at NCAA Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University (2014-2017). Preceding Lenoir-Rhyne, Keaton coached at USC-Sumter during the first six seasons (2008-2013) of the program's inception. The Fire Ants compiled a 243-103 (.701) mark over the course of those six seasons and won a pair of Region 10 Championships in 2009 (52-11) and 2011 (41-11) with Keaton as their hitting and catching coach. Keaton's previous collegiate stops include Prince George Community College (Md.), Montgomery College (Md.), Davis & Elkins College (W.Va.), and WVU Tech. Keaton coached high school baseball at both Logan and South Charleston. At Logan, Keaton was part of four state championship teams as a player and a coach. He is a member of the Logan High School Hall of Fame, the Artie Museum Legends Hall of Fame, as well as the West Virginia Baseball Coaching Hall of Fame. As a summer league head coach, Keaton worked in the Mountain Athletic League (Bash 22), the Great Lakes League (Sandusky Baystars), and the Valley Baseball League (Rockbridge Rapids/Woodstock River Bandits). During his spells in summer-league ball, Keaton volunteered his time as a mentor with the Logan Legion teams. Keaton also spent his summers working as an assistant coach in the Southern Collegiate League (Fort Mill, S.C.), the Northwoods League (Battle Creek Bombers), and numerous U18 teams in both West Virginia and Ohio. Keaton was the hitting coach for the West Virginia Miners of The Prospect League in 2015 and 2016, helping lead the team to a league championship in the summer of 2016.  He has had the pleasure of working with over 90 players who have signed professional contracts. Keaton is a graduate of both West Virginia University and Marshall University.