Local Sports

Senators off to good start

D&E on a mission for first winning season in more than 40 years

ELKINS -- To say something special is brewing for the Davis & Elkins College men's basketball team this season would be quite an understatement in regards to historic proportions.

The Senators and fourth-year coach Daniel Mondragon are off to a 6-1 start, with the lone loss coming to the 12th-ranked team in the country in Fairmont State.

"We kind of thought this team had the potential for a good season," Mondragon said. "This is my fourth season and my third recruiting class and each year we've been getting better and better in all areas and inching forward."

Mondragon and his squad are in position to accomplish something that hasn't happened for D&E men's basketball since 1981 --finish with a winning record.

"It's something always on the back of our minds," Mondragon said of the possible feat. "When you take over a program it's a goal to have a winning season. It's rarely mentioned but the players are aware of the history."

The 1980-81 team -- coached by Joe Super-- finished with a 14-11 mark.

Eight coaches have followed since Super's final season in 1985 with no success of being above the .500 mark.

The 1989-90 team of Tom Wilson was the last to get off to such a start as this year's unit, eventually finishing with an 8-20 record. The 2009-10 squad of Bruce Martin went 13-14 and former Elkins High School standout Nick Patella flirted with a winning record in his second year at the helm in 2016-17, going 13-15.

Mondragon has faced adversity during his four-year tenure with the pandemic, injuries and being a late hire, taking the post in September of 2019.

"My first season here I couldn't recruit and then in March of 2020, COVID hit and we couldn't recruit in-person for a year-and-a-half," he said. "It didn't make it any easier for us for sure."

Mondragon recalls the challenge his team faced during the pandemic.

"We had to play like 10 games in 20 days with only seven players because of the restrictions," Mondragon said. "It was like something you would see in a movie."

But Mondragon added the adversity his team faced made them stronger.

"We got through that as a team," he said. "And now the guys are seeing what we went through pay off with some success. These guys stayed with us during the bad times and last year we had nine of our scholarship players return."

On the court, D&E has been led by Sam Rolle IV, who recently went over 1,000 points for his caree. The junior guard, who was the MEC Freshman of the Year in 2020-21, is averaging 18.7 points per game, leads the MEC in assists with 5.9 per game and is second in steals (2.9 pg.)

Three other players are averaging in double figures in senior guard Evan Busby (13.3), 6-foot-8 junior forward Vadim Clanet (12.7) and 6-8 freshman forward Clarens Pierre (10.6).

Mondragon said Breland Walton, a fifth-year senior, is expected back in a couple weeks after being sidelined with an injury. The 6-5 forward and Beckley native was an all-MEC second-team selection in 2020-21.

D&E is back in action at 4 p.m. today at home as the fifth-ranked team in the nation West Liberty visits the McDonnell Center for an MEC matchup. Admission to the game is free. The women's teams will face off at 2 p.m. as well.

"We would love to get a big crowd for this game," Mondragon said. "We've been trying to get out to the community and we want Elkins to be proud of this team.

"This is a great basketball town and we want the fans to come out and watch our product on the court."