Herbert Hoover High School (West Virginia): Difference between revisions

Herbert Hoover High School (HHHS) is a public high school in Elkview, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Kanawha County Schools district.

Herbert Hoover High School first opened its doors in September 1963, following the consolidation of Clendenin High School and Elkview High School. The school began integrating 9th grade students during the 1992–1993 academic year. Historically, Herbert Hoover High School faced challenges with academic performance and was once considered among the lower-performing schools in West Virginia. In 2009, Mike Kelley was hired as the new principal, bringing a renewed focus on academic achievement and school culture.^[3]

During the 2016 West Virginia flood, the school building was damaged beyond repair on June 23 when the Elk River put 7 feet (2.1 m) of water into the school. On July 21, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared the building a total loss and the Kanawha County School Board began expedited plans for a new building, however several delays prevented the advancement of the project, and the new facility is expected to be opened in August 2023. For the 2016–17 school year, students shared space, via a split schedule, with Elkview Middle School. This involved each group attending school for four-and-one-half hours per day with reading and homework assignments. A temporary campus of modified mobile home-type units known as “modulars” was constructed adjacent to the middle school, and a normal schedule was resumed for the 2017–18 school year. FEMA provided the modulars and will fund approximately 75 to 80% of the cost for the new building.^[4] The old, damaged building was demolished in September 2018.^[5]

Following the destruction of the original school building during the 2016 West Virginia flood, a new campus started construction on January 22, 2020, in Elkview. The new Herbert Hoover High School officially opened to students in August 2023.^{[citation needed]}

Herbert Hoover High School is part of Kanawha County Schools, the largest school district in West Virginia.^[6] Students at Herbert Hoover primarily come from the northern part of the county, including Elkview, Pinch, Clendenin, and the Big Chimney area.

Feeder schools for Herbert Hoover include Elkview Middle School and several elementary schools in the Elkview–Clendenin area, such as Clendenin Elementary, Pinch Elementary, and Elk Elementary Center.^[7]

Herbert Hoover competes in Class AAA as a member of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC). The Huskies sponsor 18 athletic teams across boys, girls, and co-ed sports. The program has won multiple state championships in softball and baseball, and has produced numerous individual state champions in wrestling and track and field.

Athletic teams representing Herbert Hoover High School

Herbert Hoover Huskies
School	Herbert Hoover High School
Conference	Cardinal Conference
WVSSAC	Class AAA
Athletic director	Richard Parsons
Location	Elkview, West Virginia
First season	1963
Varsity teams	18
Football stadium	Husky Stadium (4,000)
Basketball arena	Husky Gymnasium (1,000)[8]
Baseball stadium	Husky Baseball Complex
Softball stadium	Husky Softball Complex
Mascot	Herbie
Nickname	Huskies
Marching band	“Pride of the Elk River”
Colors	Scarlet  Royal blue

The Herbert Hoover High School baseball team competes in Class AAA of the WVSSAC. The Huskies have made seven appearances in the WVSSAC state baseball tournament, winning two Class AA state championships (2007, 2013) and finishing as runner-up in 2012.

Head coach: JR Oliver
Seasons as head coach:
State tournament appearances: 7 (1975, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2024)
State runner-ups: 1 (2012)
State championships: 2 (2007, 2013)
Source:^[9]

Herbert Hoover High School football competes in the WVSSAC as a member of the Cardinal Conference, led by Joey Fields since 2020, and plays its home games at Husky Stadium.

Head coach: Joey Fields (51–14 – .785) ^[16]
Seasons at school: 6th (2020–present)
State runner-ups: 2 (2022, 2024)
All-time program record: 328–328–1 (.500)

Husky Stadium, located on the Herbert Hoover High School campus in Elkview, West Virginia, opened on September 8, 2023, with a game against Nitro High School as the home of the Huskies football team. ^[17] Since its opening, the Huskies have compiled a 13–0 home record (1.000) as of September 27, 2025.

Herbert Hoover has appeared in the WVSSAC playoffs 18 times, holding a 16–18 record, and has finished as state runner-up twice (2022 and 2024).^[18]

Source:^[19][20]

• Robin Lyons, FB, 1974 Kennedy Award (WV high school football player of the year)^[21]
• Dane Hatfield, QB, 2024 House Award (Top WV high school quarterback), 42–9 record as a starter^[22][23]

Source: ^[24]

Sources:^[26]

Herbert Hoover softball is one of the state’s most decorated programs, winning six WVSSAC state championships since 2014.

Head coach: Missy Smith (444–125, .780)^[27]
Seasons as head coach: 20th (2006–present)
State tournament appearances: 11
State runner-ups: 3 (1997, 2005, 2023)
State championships: 6 (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)

Source:^{[28] [29]}

Players

• Allison Rager – 2014 West Virginia Sports Writers Association Player of the Year
• Delani Buckner – 2018, 2020 West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year; 2019 West Virginia Sports Writers Association Player of the Year
• Laila Varney – 2024 West Virginia Sports Writers Association Player of the Year

Coaches

• Missy Smith – 2018 MaxPreps National Softball Coach of the Year^[30]
• Missy Smith – 2020 Van Meter Award (High School Coach of the Year)^[31]

WVSSAC Champions Cup

The WVSSAC Champions Cup is awarded annually by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) to the high school that accumulates the most points across all sanctioned athletic and academic competitions in a given year. The cup recognizes overall excellence in interscholastic sports, rewarding schools that perform consistently well across multiple programs rather than a single sport. Points are typically awarded based on team finishes in state championships, with additional consideration for sportsmanship and participation.