West Virginia University has just unveiled its brand new football uniforms for the 2024 season, blending iconic elements of the Mountaineers’ storied past with cutting-edge Nike technology. Fans will immediately recognize the nods to classic WVU looks, while players will benefit from the performance enhancements of modern uniform innovation, designed for peak performance on the gridiron.
“When we set out to create these new uniforms, our priority was to honor our deep history and tradition while incorporating the best in modern technology,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker. “We also wanted to ensure instant recognition – that when you see these uniforms, you know it’s West Virginia Mountaineer football. I believe our design team, equipment staff, and partners at Nike have truly delivered on that vision.”
The core of the Mountaineers’ uniform repertoire remains the same, featuring blue, gold, and white jerseys and pants. WVU joins the ranks of teams utilizing Nike’s Vapor F.U.S.E. uniform chassis, a system engineered for optimal athletic performance. This advanced design prioritizes zoned breathability, utilizing lightweight stretch fabric, shaped collars, and mobility sleeves to maximize comfort, range of motion, and thermal regulation through moisture wicking.
However, beyond the performance-driven template, it’s the aesthetic details and historical callbacks woven into these new uniforms that are sure to resonate deeply with Mountaineer fans across generations.
A prominent return to the jerseys is the iconic Flying WV logo on the sleeves, marking its comeback for the first time since 2012. This sleeve logo was a defining feature of Mountaineer uniforms throughout the successful Don Nehlen era, until a uniform redesign in 2013. The Flying WV will be proudly displayed on the sleeves of all three jersey versions. Furthermore, the white jersey will revive another cherished detail from pre-2013 designs: a gold outline on the blue jersey numbers.
A white WVU jersey showcasing the return of the gold outline on the blue numbers and the Flying WV logo on the sleeves, blending classic design with modern fabric.
Adding to the nostalgic feel, all three jersey sets will feature a shoulder stripe reminiscent of the successful 2007-2012 period. During this six-season span, the Mountaineers achieved remarkable success, winning two BCS bowl games, three conference championships, and boasting an impressive 55-23 record (.705). The jersey wordmarks also carry specific distinctions: the white jersey features the “West Virginia” wordmark across the chest, while the blue and gold jerseys display the word “Mountaineers.” Continuing a consistent design element, all three jerseys will incorporate the outline of the state of West Virginia. The state motto, “Montani Semper Liberi,” also makes its return to the inside collar, a subtle yet meaningful detail.
A display of the new WVU jersey sets in white, blue and gold, highlighting the shoulder stripe and Flying WV logo, showcasing the team’s colors and heritage.
Delving even deeper into Mountaineer lore, the gold pants are set to bring back the celebrated “Nehlen” stripes for the first time since 1993. These distinctive two thick blue stripes originally debuted on WVU gold pants in Don Nehlen’s inaugural game as head coach against Cincinnati in 1980. They became a hallmark of his tenure, synonymous with tradition and winning football. During the years the “Nehlen Stripes” graced the gold pants, West Virginia secured 103 victories and made eight bowl appearances, including prestigious berths in the Fiesta and Sugar Bowls.
In a new addition for 2024, the blue pants will also feature the “Nehlen Stripes” full-time, creating a visual connection to the “Country Roads” blue pants worn in 2023. Conversely, the white pants will showcase a different historical stripe pattern: a blue-gold-blue striping design evocative of the 1960s and 70s, and later revived during the Rich Rodriguez era. This striping on the white pants is a direct callback to memorable road victories under Rodriguez, including the 2002 wins against Virginia Tech and Pitt, which propelled his program into the national spotlight. All three sets of pants will prominently feature the Flying WV logo on the upper right front leg panel.
The new WVU pants in gold, blue, and white, showcasing the iconic “Nehlen” stripes on the gold and blue pants, and the blue-gold-blue striping on the white pants, reflecting different eras of WVU football history.
“We intentionally looked back into our past and brought forward some of the most beloved elements of our uniform history – the details that have made this football program so special,” commented head coach Neal Brown. “These new uniforms truly represent a blend of tradition and modern technology. We now have a wide array of combinations to choose from each week, and our players are incredibly excited about the new look. Ultimately, regardless of the specific jersey and pant combination, fans will instantly recognize it as the West Virginia Mountaineers taking the field.”
WVU’s new uniform system retains the number and lettering font initially designed by Nike as part of the university’s 2019 rebranding initiative. Excluding helmets, all jerseys and pants are designed to be interchangeable, offering West Virginia a total of nine distinct pant and jersey combinations. Adding helmets into the equation, the Mountaineers will continue to utilize their classic blue helmet with a gold Flying WV, alongside white and gold helmet options, providing virtually limitless combinations for game days.
Similar to the “Country Roads” uniforms of the previous two seasons, these new West Virginia uniforms were developed in-house by the athletics department in close collaboration with Nike. Key members of the athletics department design team included Kristin Coldsnow, Matt Wells, Michael Fragale, Joe Swan, and Steve Uryasz. This team worked closely with football equipment managers Dan Nehlen and Austin Blake, as well as head football coach Neal Brown and football administrators Patrick Johnston and Coleman Barnes, to finalize the fresh look for the 2024 Mountaineers.
