MORGANTOWN — The line formed early Friday evening at the Hazel and J.W. Ruby Community Center at Mylan Park, a familiar sign that one of Morgantown’s most beloved traditions was back.
For more than a decade, Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Huggins has welcomed the community to his annual Fish Fry benefit, an event that blends laughter, music and star power with a mission deeply rooted in West Virginia. The 2026 edition drew more than 2,000 guests and raised funds for the causes closest to Huggins’ heart — advancing cancer care, supporting miners and investing in the health of West Virginians.
Presented by Little General Stores, the evening featured live music, silent and live auctions, special merchandise and a dinner show highlighted by special guests Merril Hoge and Clark Kellogg. But beyond the entertainment, the event carried a message Huggins has repeated since its inception: West Virginians helping West Virginians.
“The way I look at it and enjoy it, it’s one of the great deals we have in Morgantown every year,” Huggins said. “It’s fun. You get to meet people you didn’t meet before, and people come in here just to help. That’s what it’s about.”
Proceeds from the Fish Fry benefit the Norma Mae Huggins Cancer Endowment, Vandalia Health and the Remember the Miners Flagship Scholars Program. Through its partnership with Vandalia Health, funds raised help enhance cancer services and patient support across hospitals and clinics statewide.
The endowment was established in memory of Huggins’ mother, Norma Mae Huggins, who passed away in 2003 after a long battle with colon cancer. Since its founding, the fund has raised more than $20 million to support patient care and clinical cancer research for diseases prevalent in West Virginia — one of the states with the highest cancer mortality rates in the nation.
“All of the money stays here,” Huggins said. “It’s West Virginia for West Virginia.”
A special moment of the evening came shortly after 6:30 p.m., when Vandalia Health announced the naming of the infusion center at the Zelda Stein Weiss Cancer Center at Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center in honor of Norma Mae Huggins. The announcement recognized not only Huggins and his family, but also the legacy of donors who have supported cancer access, care and patient services across the state.
Vandalia Health leaders, including President and CEO David Goldberg and President and CEO David Ramsey, joined Huggins on stage for the announcement, underscoring the long-standing partnership between the endowment and the health system.
For Huggins, the event is as much about people as it is about fundraising. He reflected on growing up in West Virginia and the kindness he has experienced throughout his life.
“The people of West Virginia are so gracious and so kind,” he said. “They care about each other. I don’t know if you can find a better state than the people of West Virginia.”
That sense of care is what continues to draw national figures, longtime supporters and first-time attendees to Morgantown each year. According to Huggins, many of the event’s special guests volunteer their time simply because they believe in the cause.
“That’s West Virginia people helping West Virginia people,” he said. “That’s how I started it. I wanted to help the people.”
Now in its second decade, the Fish Fry has become a cornerstone community event — one that reflects Huggins’ legacy not only as a basketball coach, but as a champion for his home state.
“I don’t know what my legacy is,” Huggins said. “I just hope we keep doing things that help people.”
As doors opened and the crowd filled the Ruby Community Center Friday night, the purpose of the Fish Fry was clear. It is a celebration, a fundraiser and, above all, a reminder of what can happen when a community comes together to care for its own.
For more details about the annual event, visit https://bobhugginsfishfry.org
