West Virginia University reliever Ben McDougal was granted a fifth season following a federal court ruling on Wednesday.
US District Judge John Preston Bailey for the Northern District of West Virginia granted a preliminary injunction for McDougal. The NCAA passed a rule this summer that gives players five seasons of college eligibility, but the new rule did not grandfather in the class of 2022 signees.
After battling back from stress fractures in his lower back in the fall of 2025, the Bridgeport (WV) native made his first appearance on the year on Valentines Day against Georgia Southern. He tossed 26 pitches before leaving the game with a flexor strain.
McDougal returned to the mound two months later against Marshall. He made six appearances during the regular season and worked 5.2 innings with four strikeouts. He saved his best for last, collecting his first win against Kentucky in five innings of relief, notching six strikeouts to force a game five of the Morgantown Regional.
Then, McDougal sent the Mountaineers to Omaha, registering the final three outs in the blowout win against Cal Poly.
The six-foot-five lefty continued his postseason prowess with a save against Troy to secure the Mountaineers’ first-ever College Series win.
He finished the season with a 3.14 ERA in 13 appearances.
In McDougal’s first season with the Mountaineers, he made 19 appearances and finished with a 1-1 overall record with a 3.63 ERA and two saves, including entering the Clemson Regional in the ninth with the bases loaded and a full count to deliver the final strike for the 9-6 decision over Clemson for the save.
McDougal holds a 3.44 ERA for his Mountaineer career. He’s thrown 36.2 innings with 30 strikeouts. He owns a 2-1 record with three saves.
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