WVU Sports Hall of Fame
Barney Gedwillas
Inducted: 2002
Written by Shelly Poe
A native of Thomas, W.Va., Barney Gedwillas was a four-year letterman for the Mountaineer track team from 1932-36.
Gedwillas was considered WVU’s best distance runner before World War II and was one of the premier runners in the nation during the 1930s. As a senior, he participated in the 1936 U.S. Olympic Trials at 5,000 meters; running with a blister, he finished fourth, one spot away from a berth in the Berlin Olympics.
He also served as team captain as a senior while setting WVU school records in the mile (4:24.6) and two-mile (9:37.2) that stood for 32 years. He was selected into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
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