Painful Exit: Grant Hussey Unhappy After Being Benched in NCAA Tournament—”HE IS LEAVING WVU FOR GOOD”
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Mountaineers’ postseason hopes may have ended on the field, but the aftershocks are still shaking West Virginia University’s baseball program. In what many are calling a dramatic and emotional exit, star slugger Grant Hussey is officially leaving WVU after being benched during the NCAA Tournament.
Sources close to the program confirm Hussey’s frustration had been boiling long before the first pitch of the regional. The senior first baseman, a Morgantown native and fan-favorite, was shockingly left out of the starting lineup in a must-win game against Ole Miss—a game the Mountaineers would go on to lose in extra innings. “I gave everything I had to this program,” Hussey said in a tearful interview moments after the final out. “To be benched at the biggest moment—it broke me.”
Though no official transfer destination has been announced, Hussey confirmed he will not be returning to WVU next season. “I’m done here,” he said flatly, the weight of years of loyalty and service to the program heavy in his voice. “This isn’t how I wanted my story to end, but I’m not going to let someone else write the ending for me.”
Head Coach Randy Mazey’s decision to sit Hussey raised eyebrows across college baseball circles. While Mazey offered a diplomatic explanation—citing matchups, recent slumps, and “strategic adjustments”—fans and analysts weren’t buying it. “You don’t bench a guy like Hussey in the NCAA Tournament unless there’s something deeper going on,” said former MLB scout Dave Walden on ESPN Radio. “He’s the heart of that team. You live and die with your leaders. You don’t bury them on the bench.”
Hussey’s departure now sends ripple effects throughout a roster already teetering on rebuild. Over his three seasons at WVU, he smashed 39 home runs, racked up over 120 RBIs, and became a clubhouse cornerstone. His power, grit, and connection to the community made him more than just a stat sheet presence—he was a Mountaineer through and through.
“I still bleed blue and gold,” Hussey said. “But sometimes, love just ain’t enough. I can’t stay where I’m not trusted.”
Teammates were reportedly stunned. Sophomore outfielder Dylan Cale said, “We thought he was joking at first. Then we saw the look in his eyes… he’s really gone.” One anonymous player said the locker room after the game felt like “a funeral”—not just for the season, but for the end of an era.
As Hussey enters the transfer portal, speculation swirls about potential landing spots, with ACC and Big Ten programs already rumored to be making calls.
In Morgantown, a mural bearing Hussey’s name still stands in the student section tunnel, faded but proud. Whether he finds glory elsewhere or not, for Mountaineer fans, Grant Hussey’s legacy won’t be erased—but his exit will sting for a long, long time.
