Coach Richard "Dyke" Raese led West Virginia University to its first major sports championship by winning the 1942 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in basketball. Born in Davis, Tucker County, Raese played and coached sports at Davis High before moving on to WVU.

At WVU, his basketball team—made up of local players—won the NIT by upsetting three top teams, including the defending champs. Raese coached from 1938 to 1942, finishing with a 55-29 record before serving in World War II. Later, he worked in business and media. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.