CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Hurricane High grad, and pitcher for WVU, Noah Short just wrapped up his second full season with the Mountaineers.
Now, Short is getting ready to play a bigger role for this team, with his two years of eligibility left; but he had quite the journey to get to where he is now.
After helping Hurricane win the Class AAA state championship in 2018, he started playing ball at Morehead State.
He was there for just a few months, before taking a big leap of faith and transferring to West Virginia.
“I kind of risked it all and came here and it worked out for me,” said Short. “And to get to walk out there and pitch in front of Mountaineer fans, and just to have that atmosphere behind you is all you could ever ask for. I mean that’s all I ever wanted growing up was to play here. It just wasn’t in the cards for me right out of high school. So to be able to do it now, and contribute to a team in the Big 12 is really cool.”
Short went on to say he wouldn’t be where he is today without the foundation Hurricane baseball built for him.
He credits a lot of his success to head coach Brian Sutphin and the surrounding staff, saying they prepared him mentally to play on a big stage.
Plus, he says, having a community like Hurricane to support you is something to never take for granted.
“I have people texting me after games all the time,” said Short. “People I haven’t heard from in years that will text me about games they always watch and stuff. So yeah it’s really cool to see a community gather behind you.”
Short has two years of eligibility left with the Mountaineers, and has big goals for that remaining time.
“You know, I’ve learned throughout college that the biggest thing is the people you meet and the impact you have on those people,” he said. “It’s not so much what you do on the field or the numbers you put up. Yeah, that’s what you train for, and that’s what your whole goal is as an athlete is to put the best numbers up and win games for your team. But I think a big thing is the impact you have on these younger kids coming in, and teaching them the culture and stuff.
[So my goal is] to just develop as a leader. And as a pitcher, I need to put my team in a good position. If I need to come in and close a game down to win a game, than that’s my responsibility. So just preparing myself for that next season, and playing a bigger role.”