Wheeling Miners Explained

Wheeling Miners
Founded:2023
City:WesBanco Arena
in Wheeling, West Virginia
Misc:GoWVMiners.com
Colors:Navy blue, gold, white
Coach:Joshua Resignalo
Owner:Chris Duffy
Dempsey Fields
Darryl Seabridge
Craig McIntyre
Jennifer McIntyre
General Manager:Joshua Resignalo
Dance Team Coach:Cassidy Sansone
League:
Team History:
  • West Virginia Miners (2023)
  • Wheeling Miners (2024–future)
No League Champs:1
No Div Champs:1
League Champs:
  • 2024
Div Champs:
  • 2024
Playoff Appearances:
  • 2024
No Playoff Appearances:1
Arena Years:

The Wheeling Miners are an indoor football team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are current members of the American Arena League 2 and play their home games at the WesBanco Arena starting in 2024. They replaced the now-defunct West Virginia Roughriders. On June 21, 2024, it was announced that they will join the National Arena League for 2025 and beyond.

History

The team were originally to have been known as the West Virginia Miners and were to have played in the American Indoor Football league. On July 14, 2023, the AIF announced that Wheeling, West Virginia, would become the fourth city in the newly-revived league to host a new expansion franchise owned by Chris Duffy, Dempsey Fields, and Darryl Seabridge. Head coach and general manager is Joshua Resignalo.[1] Just three days later, the name, logos and colors were unveiled as those of the West Virginia Miners,[2] [3] sharing its name with the defunct Prospect League summer collegiate baseball franchise. They are the latest team be set to play at the WesBanco Arena. Past teams include the Ohio Valley Greyhounds and West Virginia Roughriders.

Just a couple of months later, the AIF dropped the Miners from their website and the team began looking for a new league. On November 1, 2023, the announced their intention to play in the American Arena League's AAL2 and were renamed the Wheeling Miners.[4] [5]

On June 21, 2024, the Miners announced that they have become new members of the National Arena League. Mere weeks later, on July 6, 2024, the Miners dismantled the Peach State Cats 61-14 to win the AAL2 Championship before leaving for the NAL.

External Links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indoor Football Returning to the Ohio Valley . Ohio Valley Athletics . aif-proindoorfootball.com . July 31, 2023.
  2. Web site: American Indoor Football (AIF) Announces Wheeling, WV Team Name and Venue for the 2024 Indoor Season . American Indoor Football . aif-proindoorfootball.com . July 31, 2023.
  3. Web site: West Virginia has a new indoor football team, what's the name? . John Lynch, Scott Nolte . WTRF.com . July 31, 2023.
  4. Web site: Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report November 6, 2023. OurSports Central. en-US.
  5. Web site: Wheeling Miners . Wheeling Miners staff . Facebook.com . November 9, 2023.