WVU Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted: 2020

Written by Bryan Messerly

Collegiate: Keri Bland ran track and cross country for WVU from 2007-2011. A nine-time All-American, continued to leave her name in the WVU record books as the most decorated athlete in WVU track and field history.

In 2011, Bland earned third-team All-America honors in the 1,500-meter run with an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a time of 4:24. She aided the Mountaineers to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships, marking the third-straight year WVU finished in the nation’s top 10. Bland, along with teammate Marie-Louise Asselin, became the only Mountaineers in school history to earn All-America honors for three seasons in cross county, as she finished 34th (20:45).

The team captain in 2010, Bland, set four of her 15 top-five track and field program records. She continues to hold first place in the 4x800 meter relay, fourth place in DMR splits 1200, second place in the 800-meter run, fourth place in the 1,500-meter run and first place in the 4x800 meter relay.

The Fairview, W.Va., native earned two All-America honors in the 2009 indoor track season, as she placed eighth in the mile and was a part of the distance medley relay team. Bland continued to dominate in the outdoor season, as she earned her fourth honor of the year by virtue of finishing as one of the top U.S. citizens in the 1,500-meter race, marking the second time she earned honors in all three seasons (cross county, indoor track and outdoor track).

Bland was an essential part of the Mountaineers team in 2008, when she led WVU to its most successful season in school history as the squad placed fourth at the NCAA Championship, first at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals and second at the Big East Championship. She was the first Mountaineer to finish at the NCAA Championship, where she finished 14th with a time of 20:20. In the 2008 indoor track season, Bland was a part of the All-America distance medley team that set a school record and placed fourth in the country. She finished the 2008 outdoor season by earning All-America honors in the 1,500 meters to become the first female in WVU history to earn All-America honors in three sports in the same year.

In 2007, Bland and Marie-Louise Asselin helped guide the Mountaineers to their first conference title and the highest finish at nationals in school history (ninth) in 2007. At nationals, Bland was the second Mountaineer to cross the line in 23rd at 20:58. Bland, along with Asselin, was named a first team All-American, marking the first time WVU’s cross country program had multiple All-Americans in the same year. Bland earned all-Big East and all-Mid-Atlantic region accolades during the season after finishing fourth and seventh, respectively, in those races.

Bland continues to hold 10 top-five indoor track program records and five top-five outdoor program records at WVU.

Sports Awards/Honors:

Cross Country: NCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region (06,07,08,09), CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team (2011), CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team (2011), USTFCCCA Cross Country All-America (2007, 2009) and USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Academic (07, 08, 09).

Track and Field: Big East Indoor Outstanding Track Performer (2009), Big East Individual Indoor Champion (2008-1,000-meter run; 2009- mile run) and ECAC Outdoor Champion (2008).

Professional: Has been teaching at North Marion High School, as well as holding the position of head coach of the girls cross country team.

Personal: Daughter of Bart and Susan Bland. Born February 3, 1988. Earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from West Virginia University.