Local News

Elkins native to be honored during WVU Senior Day

MORGANTOWN -- It will be a bittersweet moment for Elkins native Nic Haynes when West Virginia University and TCU clash in a Big 12 Conference basketball game today at the WVU Coliseum.

That's because it will be Senior Day for all Mountaineer players and basketball staff, which includes Haynes who has been a student manager with the team for the past four seasons.

"I'm excited for the game, but I'm sad that it is all coming to an end," Haynes said. "I've been with the team the past four years and I know I'm really going to miss it when it's gone."

Haynes, who was both a manager while at Elkins High School and Elkins Middle School, first met WVU coach Bob Huggins through former EHS coach and standout athlete the late Roy Simms. The two were introduced by Simms when Haynes was selling popcorn with his Cub Scout group.

Of course Huggins and other members of the WVU basketball staff at the time purchased some popcorn off Haynes and the rest is history as sometime after that Haynes got his first job with Mountaineer legend when he started working the summer basketball camps at WVU.

"Coach Huggins has been great and has always been super nice to me," said Haynes. "He's always made it a point to talk to me everytime that he sees me. He has been really great to work for. He's just a great guy."

Haynes has always been a diehard Mountaineer fan and during the past five years he has been fortunate enough to travel and visit many Big 12 Conference venues. But his most memorable trip, however, was one he made with the team to Madison Square Garden in New York City.

"I've gotten to go on several good trips, but my favorite one was the one we took to Madison Square Garden," he admitted. "Unfortunately we lost the game, but I'm a big Pittsburgh Penguins hockey fan and the coolest thing was that the locker room we used was a vintage NHL locker room."

Haynes, who has maintained a 3.8 GPA while majoring in sports management at WVU, said his duties with the West Virginia basketball program changes each and every day.

"I assist with the basketball staff and anything that may come up," said Haynes. "It really varies from day-to-day what I have to do. One day I may be rebounding for players, while the next I may just be running errands for staff members. It all depends on what needs to be done."

Haynes is the son of Dr. Stephanie Haynes and Voras and Judge Lori Haynes. He plans on attending law school in the fall.