TITLE: “Forever a Mountaineer”: Avon Cobourne Stuns WVU Nation With $12.3 Million Stadium Gift
MORGANTOWN, WV – JUNE 21, 2025
In a breathtaking display of Mountaineer pride and enduring legacy, West Virginia football legend Avon Cobourne has donated a staggering $12.3 million to West Virginia University’s new stadium expansion project, instantly etching his name deeper into the annals of Mountaineer history.
The announcement was made during a packed press conference inside Milan Puskar Stadium, where fans, alumni, and student-athletes erupted in applause as Cobourne—dressed in a sharp navy suit with a gold WVU pin on his lapel—delivered an emotional speech.
> “The Virginia Mountaineer pride lives on in me wherever I go,” Cobourne said, his voice cracking as he addressed the crowd. “This isn’t just a donation. It’s my way of giving back to the people, the state, and the school that raised me into the man I am today.”
Cobourne, who rushed for a school-record 5,164 yards between 1999 and 2002, remains one of the most beloved athletes in WVU history. The gift, the largest ever by a former WVU football player, will fund the Avon Cobourne Legacy Training Complex, a state-of-the-art athletic facility designed to serve student-athletes across all sports. It includes an indoor turf field, sports science labs, wellness recovery centers, and leadership development suites.
University President Dr. Carla Williams called it “a gift of monumental magnitude” that goes far beyond bricks and mortar.
> “Avon’s donation symbolizes the spirit of what it means to be a Mountaineer—resilient, loyal, and deeply connected to the community,” Williams said. “This will inspire generations.”
Cobourne’s contribution comes as WVU is in the final phase of its $180 million stadium renovation project, set to turn Milan Puskar Stadium into one of the most technologically advanced collegiate stadiums in America. His portion fully funds Phase III: the athletic innovation wing and team development center.
Head football coach Neal Brown, who called Cobourne a “pillar of grit and excellence,” added, “This is more than a financial gift. This is a declaration that WVU is home—and that legacy matters.”
What’s perhaps most striking is that Cobourne made this contribution privately and quietly until university officials asked to publicly recognize him. According to sources close to the former All-Big East tailback, he wanted the focus to be on “the players coming up.”
Indeed, Cobourne’s journey—once a lightly recruited running back from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, turned All-American and eventual Super Bowl champion with the Montreal Alouettes—mirrors the underdog spirit that defines West Virginia.
Standing at the podium, with tears in his eyes and his hand over his heart, he concluded, “This stadium gave me dreams. I’m just returning the favor.”
The Mountaineer family calls it “The Cobourne Effect”—a legacy of humility, excellence, and undying loyalty. And now, every snap, every run, every chant of “Let’s Go Mountaineers” will echo through a stadium built not just by bricks, but by the heart of a legend.
