A Basketball Life
Mike Carey is being inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. A native of Clarksburg, Carey played three sports at Liberty High School and then played basketball for Salem International University. In his freshman year, he was named the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference freshman of the year, an honor his son would also win in 2006.
In four seasons at Salem, Carey scored over 2,000 points and was the conference scoring leader in 1978. He was elected into the Salem Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
Mike began coaching basketball immediately after he graduated from Salem International University in 1980. He coached at every level, eventually ending up as the head coach for the West Virginia University women’s basketball program. A position he held for 20 years before retiring in 2022.
His coaching career began as the head girl’s basketball coach at Flemington High School, while also being the assistant varsity boy’s basketball coach. After three seasons, Carey moved to his hometown of Clarksburg to be the girl’s varsity coach at Liberty High School, a post he held through 1987.
Carey entered the college ranks the following year as an assistant coach at his alma mater. After one season as an assistant, he became the head women’s coach and compiled a 288-102 record during his 13 seasons at Salem International University.
In 2001, Carey landed the head coaching position at West Virginia University, where he guided the women’s basketball program for 20 seasons. In his 20 years with the Mountaineers, he compiled a 462–254 record, making the postseason 16 times. West Virginia’s triumph in the 2017 Big 12 Tournament over then No. 2 Baylor (77-66) was a highlight of Carey’s impressive career at WVU. Carey was honored as Big East Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2010.
Carey and former WVU quarterback Jeff Hostetler will be honored on May 7, when they are inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in Charleston by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Carey is married to Cheryl (Minnix) Carey. Together, they have four children—Chris, Chelsy, Craig, and Chelby.
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