Wheeling, W. Va. - With the 2025-2026 athletic year coming to a close, the Wheeling University Athletic Department is taking the time to honor their student-athletes for their hard work throughout. They will be hosting the third annual Cardinal High Flyers Night on Wednesday, April 29th, in the Alma Grace McDonough Performance Gym at 7 PM. The event gives a chance for the department to hand out their annual department awards, while honoring all of the student-athletes for their success both on the field and in the classroom. 

After coming back virtually during the 2021-2022 season, the 2025-2026 awards banquet will mark the third year in a row that the event has been held in person. All Wheeling University students, faculty, and staff are invited to the event, as we celebrate the achievements of our student-athletes and coaches throughout the year. Cardinal fans are also welcome to the event, with free admission as well as light refreshments available after the event. Cardinal High Flyer Night serves as the year-end celebration of Wheeling Athletics, recapping the fun and excitement the department has seen throughout the 2025-2026 season. The night begins with remarks from President Dr. Diana Vargo and Athletic Director Carrie Hanna, followed by a recap of the 2025-2026 athletic season, highlighting success both on the field and in the classroom. 

Then, the department hands out it's year-end athletic awards, honoring students for their individual achievements. In total, 14 department awards will be handed out at the event, including two awards that will be given away for the first time this season. Leading the list of honorees are the Male and Female Athletes of the Year, given annually to the top male and female graduating senior, honoring them for the entirety of their career at Wheeling University. The top academic seniors are honored as well, with the Fr. Charles Currie S.J. Scholar Athlete Award. This is a university award, given annually to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative GPA in the class. Depending on whether the honoree is a male or female student-athlete. The highest GPA of the other gender is given as well as the Male or Female Student-Athlete of the Year. 

Following the senior awards, are the Male and Female Rookie of the Year honors given out by the department. These awards go to the top male and female student-athlete in their first year with the program, which must also be their first year of regular competition at the collegiate level. The Cardinal Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are given out to the two student-athletes, one male and one female, who best exemplify the university's mission of Faith, Learning, and Service with and Among Others. The Male and Female Difference Makers of the year are next, honoring the players who most impacted their teams during the year, but might not have been the top performing athlete. These athletes fly under the radar but, without them their team would not have been as successful. 

The final recurring award is the Male and Female Inspirational Athlete of the Year award. This award honors athletes who have been through hardship, struggles, or who have battled back to be key contributors on their teams. The final two awards are first time awards for the 2025-2026 season, with the Department's Coach of the Year Award and Team of the Year Award. The Coach of the Year honor goes to the Coach who best represented the university while leading their team to success on the field and in the classroom. The final award is the Team of the Year Award, going to the program that had the biggest story of the year competing as one of the top teams in their conference. Following the presentation of the department awards, the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) will present their awards as voted on by the Wheeling University Student-Athletes. 

For those who can't make Cardinal High Flyer Night in person, the event will also be streamed on mountaineast.tv for parents and families to watch from home, and you can watch it by clicking HERE. Friends and families are welcome to the Alma Grace McDonough Center for the event, with doors opening at 6:30 PM.