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Our analysis found West Liberty University to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division II) in West Virginia. This public school is set in West Liberty, WV.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 10 colleges for Student Athletes (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Learn more about these schools below:
Our analysis found West Liberty University to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division II) in West Virginia. This public school is set in West Liberty, WV.
Shepherd University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division II), at #2. Based in Shepherdstown, WV, Shepherd University is a public institution.
Fairmont State University landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division II). Fairmont State University is a public school based in Fairmont, WV.
Davis & Elkins College is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division II), at #4. Davis & Elkins College is a private not-for-profit school based in Elkins, WV.
Wheeling University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Wheeling University is a private not-for-profit school based in Wheeling, WV.
West Virginia Wesleyan College did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Buckhannon, WV.
Bluefield State University did well this year, earning the #7 position. Based in Bluefield, WV, Bluefield State University is a public institution.
West Virginia State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Institute, WV, West Virginia State University is a public institution.
Concord University placed #9 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). This public school is set in Athens, WV.
Glenville State University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Glenville State University is a public school based in Glenville, WV.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
See our data sources and methodologies.