CHARLESTON – University of Charleston football player Chavon Wright has won the Hardman Award for Athlete of the Year in the state, as voted by members of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
The Hardman Award, called the Amateur Athlete of the Year from 1934-82, is named for A.L. “Shorty” Hardman, who served as sports editor (1936-60) and executive sports editor (1960-78) of the Charleston Gazette.
Wright, a 5-foot-8, 200-pound redshirt junior running back in the 2024 season, was second in the Harlon Hill Trophy balloting, which goes to the Division II National Player of the Year.
“It’s an honor (to win the Hardman Award),” Wright said. “When I saw the list of names of people that have received this award in the past, I’m familiar with plenty of them.”
Wright singled out Rakeem Cato, the Marshall University quarterback who won the Hardman in 2013 and 2014. Cato was a prep standout in the city Wright grew up.
“We’re from the same area in Miami,” Wright explained. “He had the best arm, I always heard. But he was also called ‘undersized,’ no one gave him a shot coming out, except Marshall. And you see what he did.”
Wright said he related to that stigma, “definitely.”
“They said I was too short, not fast enough,” Wright said. “But not many go on to become a state’s Athlete of the Year. It’s a big award in West Virginia. I’m blessed.”
Wright said he is appreciative of the UC community and staff that welcomed him with open arms, and his teammates – especially his offensive line, and the coaches who trusted and believed in him.
An All-American, Wright led the nation in total rushing yards and rushing touchdowns last season. His 38 rushing touchdowns established a new all-time NCAA Division II single season record.
Just this week, the NCAA shipped three plaques to the UC campus signifying Wright was an NCAA Division II Statistical Champion in the following categories in 2024 – contributing 20.0 points per game, 186.1 rushing yards per game and 193.33 all-purpose yards per game.
“There is no more deserving player,” said current Northern Illinois offensive coordinator Quinn Sanders, who coached Wright at UC. “Chavon is one of the best football players I’ve ever been around. He’s very special. When it was crunch time, you didn’t hesitate to call his number and know that something good was going to happen.”
Glancing at past Hardman honorees, Sanders called it, “truly one of the biggest honors, considering the players that came before (Wright) on the list.”
“It’s a very special award the names that he will be forever linked to, like Jerry West and Randy Moss – people that have done so many great things,” Sanders added. “No one can ever take that away from (Wright).”
Reid Amos, the Mountain East commissioner also recognized Wright’s feats.
“Chavon Wright put together one of the most remarkable seasons, statistically, the Mountain East Conference has seen by any student-athlete,” said Amos, the MEC’s Commissioner since the league’s inception in 2013. “He shattered conference records and set new national marks, which earned him Offensive Player of the Year in the MEC and Super Region 1. He was a deserving first team All-American and a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy. “We are thrilled the WVSWA recognized those tremendous accomplishments and placed one of the MEC’s own alongside the greatest amateur athletes in state history,” Amos added.
Wright rushed 355 times for 2,235 yards for the 2024 season.
All of his numbers were mind-boggling: Wright averaged 6.3 yards per carry, led all divisions in touchdowns, had at least 100 rushing yards in all 12 of UC’s games, reached the 200-yard mark four times, and had multiple touchdowns in every regular season game. UC was 11-0 overall and 9-0 in the regular season.
The Golden Eagles went into the NCAA Division II Super Region One Playoffs with a No. 2 seed, but lost to Ashland 40-38 in the first round. Wright ran for 226 yards and a TD in that playoff game.
“I have so enjoyed watching Chavon on the field throughout the years,” said Bren Stevens, Vice President and Director of Athletics at the University of Charleston. “He has a fun personality and is an incredible human both on and off the field. I am looking forward to seeing how he progresses in the sport of football at the next level. We have been blessed to have such a talented and kind young man on our football team.”
Wright is graduating from UC in a few days and will enter the transfer portal with a year of eligibility remaining.
The only time someone from the University of Charleston has claimed the Hardman Award was 1949 and 1950, when basketball standout George King won it twice while hooping for the Golden Eagles, at what was then Morris Harvey College.
Runners-up for the Hardman Award this year were JJ Quinerly, WVU women’s basketball; Peyton Hall, WVU wrestling; Ceili McCabe, WVU women’s cross country/track; and Wyatt Milum, WVU football. Marshall football All-Americans Mike Green and J.J. Roberts were also nominated.
Visit WVSWA.org for a complete list of Hardman Award winners.
By Jim Workman
