Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Wheeling Park’s Bordas Excited to be Back Home Playing for the Mountaineers
June 25, 2026 03:56 PM | Women's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – It seems fitting that West Virginia University's women's basketball sports information director Chris Coombs decided to have sophomore guard Alexis Bordas speak first to media members following this morning's team workout at the basketball practice facility.
That's because the Wheeling Park standout is the first player with state ties to play in the Mountaineer women's program in a long, long time.
How long?
Morgantown High's Olivia Seggie was the last Mountain State resident to play for the Mountaineers in 2016. The walk-on guard appeared in 24 contests, averaging nearly 12 minutes per game that year.
The last state native to play multiple seasons for WVU was Parkersburg South's Ashley Dunn, a walk-on guard who appeared in 34 games over the 2003 and 2004 seasons. And the last state resident recruited to play for West Virginia and complete a four-year career here was Braxton County High's Mary Grace Carson in 2003.
Since 2010, just two state natives have suited up for the WVU women – Seggie and Madison's Makenzie White.
"It's been quite a while that we had (a state native) here in this program," West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg said following a team workout this morning.
Bordas, one of the most decorated prep players in state history, is well aware of what she's doing at WVU right now following an all-conference freshman season at Duquesne in 2026. She comes from a prominent Wheeling family. Her father, Jamie, is the managing parter of Bordas & Bordas, one of the Mountain State's most successful law practices, and the firm's commercials have become synonymous with Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates games.
"I know it's extra special being from West Virginia, and I'm sure lots of little girls will look up to me and hopefully they will be playing here one day," she said.
Many little girls from Weirton to Welch, Martinsburg to Matewan and all points in between certainly know a lot about Bordas' record-setting career at Wheeling Park High.
The 5-foot-8 guard is the first player in state history to be named Gatorade Player of the Year three times while establishing an Ohio Valley record by making 367 3-point baskets. Her 2,606 career points rank second in state history to Circleville High's Christy Cooper, who tallied 3,392 points during her four-season prep career concluding in 1988.
Cooper was a starting small forward on West Virginia's 1992 team that won 26 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" for the only time in school history. She is among the last of the prominent state natives to play for WVU in the 1990s, joining the likes of Huntington's Donna Abbott and Talisha Hargis, Parkersburg's Lori Wilson, Morgantown's Lori Quertinmont, Jodie Runner, Christie Ammons and Rebecca Burbridge, and Shinnston's Christie Lambert.
In 1995-96, West Virginia had six state residents on its roster, but when Lambert, Ammons, Burbridge and Hargis cycled through the program, so too did its homegrown ties.
So, in that regard, Bordas is somewhat of a unicorn for the Mountaineer women's program these days.
"It's been super-fun already with all the fan support," she said. "(Wednesday night) we had an event and just seeing all the fans and it's June. Everyone is already so excited and rallies around this team."
Bordas said one of the Mountaineer players she followed while growing up was Chase Harler, from Wheeling Central High, who played on the men's team. Women's role models with state ties were literally non-existent for her.
"Honestly, Chase Harler is from Wheeling, so I came to a lot of his games," she points out. "My brother loved Jevon Carter, and we watched a lot more of the men back then, but Kysre Gondrezick was somebody else I always watched."
Bordas demonstrated last year at Duquesne an ability to score and make shots in big games, including a season-high 38 points in the city rivalry game against Pitt. She had 27 in an early-season victory over VCU and topped 20 points in seven other contests.
"Obviously, she had a great freshman year at Duquesne, and she did what she needed to do to get the opportunity that she has now in front of her," Kellogg observed.
The opportunity to play at West Virginia University presented itself once she entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of last season.
Like the rest of the state, she watched WVU's NCAA Tournament home games with great interest and took notice of the rabid fan support the Mountaineers enjoyed at Hope Coliseum.
It was something that she wanted to experience as a player.
"I already knew how West Virginians and the whole entire state kind of rallies around the team, and seeing it come to fruition and taking those extra steps last year and hopefully just keep taking those steps in the coming years and seeing people so fully supporting, it's so cool," she said.
Her relationship with the Kellogg family and their daughter, Kayli, while playing on the AAU basketball circuit made her re-recruitment feel natural.
"It was really helpful during the recruiting process being comfortable and knowing that I am in a place that I will be taken care of, and coach Kellogg is a winner. Knowing that, I wanted to play for him," she said.
Kellogg believes Bordas can do anything that she puts her mind to.
"She still wants to get better and wants to grow her game," he explained. "We know how well she shoots the basketball. It's elite. Now, it's just trying to expand a lot of the other parts of her game, and I've told her a million times, I wouldn't bet against her figuring it out because that's just kind of who she is. She's always done that and found ways to win and win at a high level. I'm sure she'll do the same thing here."
Bordas is eager to get started. She said she is already experiencing the winning culture that Kellogg has been developing here over the last three years.
"We have so many people who play a big part, and you don't really see it when you are just watching the games," she admitted. "You don't see all the behind-the-scenes stuff and how many people it takes, and it really is just a family, and everyone is here together.
"It's been great and just finally being here and getting to meet all of my teammates and getting to know them has been super fun," she added.
As for defending West Virginia's Big 12 championship, Bordas offered this: "I can't take that title, so we'll have to win another one this year," she shrugged.
That's because the Wheeling Park standout is the first player with state ties to play in the Mountaineer women's program in a long, long time.
How long?
Morgantown High's Olivia Seggie was the last Mountain State resident to play for the Mountaineers in 2016. The walk-on guard appeared in 24 contests, averaging nearly 12 minutes per game that year.
The last state native to play multiple seasons for WVU was Parkersburg South's Ashley Dunn, a walk-on guard who appeared in 34 games over the 2003 and 2004 seasons. And the last state resident recruited to play for West Virginia and complete a four-year career here was Braxton County High's Mary Grace Carson in 2003.
Since 2010, just two state natives have suited up for the WVU women – Seggie and Madison's Makenzie White.
"It's been quite a while that we had (a state native) here in this program," West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg said following a team workout this morning.
Bordas, one of the most decorated prep players in state history, is well aware of what she's doing at WVU right now following an all-conference freshman season at Duquesne in 2026. She comes from a prominent Wheeling family. Her father, Jamie, is the managing parter of Bordas & Bordas, one of the Mountain State's most successful law practices, and the firm's commercials have become synonymous with Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates games.
"I know it's extra special being from West Virginia, and I'm sure lots of little girls will look up to me and hopefully they will be playing here one day," she said.
Many little girls from Weirton to Welch, Martinsburg to Matewan and all points in between certainly know a lot about Bordas' record-setting career at Wheeling Park High.
The 5-foot-8 guard is the first player in state history to be named Gatorade Player of the Year three times while establishing an Ohio Valley record by making 367 3-point baskets. Her 2,606 career points rank second in state history to Circleville High's Christy Cooper, who tallied 3,392 points during her four-season prep career concluding in 1988.
Cooper was a starting small forward on West Virginia's 1992 team that won 26 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" for the only time in school history. She is among the last of the prominent state natives to play for WVU in the 1990s, joining the likes of Huntington's Donna Abbott and Talisha Hargis, Parkersburg's Lori Wilson, Morgantown's Lori Quertinmont, Jodie Runner, Christie Ammons and Rebecca Burbridge, and Shinnston's Christie Lambert.
In 1995-96, West Virginia had six state residents on its roster, but when Lambert, Ammons, Burbridge and Hargis cycled through the program, so too did its homegrown ties.
So, in that regard, Bordas is somewhat of a unicorn for the Mountaineer women's program these days.
"It's been super-fun already with all the fan support," she said. "(Wednesday night) we had an event and just seeing all the fans and it's June. Everyone is already so excited and rallies around this team."
Bordas said one of the Mountaineer players she followed while growing up was Chase Harler, from Wheeling Central High, who played on the men's team. Women's role models with state ties were literally non-existent for her.
"Honestly, Chase Harler is from Wheeling, so I came to a lot of his games," she points out. "My brother loved Jevon Carter, and we watched a lot more of the men back then, but Kysre Gondrezick was somebody else I always watched."
Bordas demonstrated last year at Duquesne an ability to score and make shots in big games, including a season-high 38 points in the city rivalry game against Pitt. She had 27 in an early-season victory over VCU and topped 20 points in seven other contests.
"Obviously, she had a great freshman year at Duquesne, and she did what she needed to do to get the opportunity that she has now in front of her," Kellogg observed.
The opportunity to play at West Virginia University presented itself once she entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of last season.
Like the rest of the state, she watched WVU's NCAA Tournament home games with great interest and took notice of the rabid fan support the Mountaineers enjoyed at Hope Coliseum.
It was something that she wanted to experience as a player.
"I already knew how West Virginians and the whole entire state kind of rallies around the team, and seeing it come to fruition and taking those extra steps last year and hopefully just keep taking those steps in the coming years and seeing people so fully supporting, it's so cool," she said.
Her relationship with the Kellogg family and their daughter, Kayli, while playing on the AAU basketball circuit made her re-recruitment feel natural.
"It was really helpful during the recruiting process being comfortable and knowing that I am in a place that I will be taken care of, and coach Kellogg is a winner. Knowing that, I wanted to play for him," she said.
Kellogg believes Bordas can do anything that she puts her mind to.
"She still wants to get better and wants to grow her game," he explained. "We know how well she shoots the basketball. It's elite. Now, it's just trying to expand a lot of the other parts of her game, and I've told her a million times, I wouldn't bet against her figuring it out because that's just kind of who she is. She's always done that and found ways to win and win at a high level. I'm sure she'll do the same thing here."
Bordas is eager to get started. She said she is already experiencing the winning culture that Kellogg has been developing here over the last three years.
"We have so many people who play a big part, and you don't really see it when you are just watching the games," she admitted. "You don't see all the behind-the-scenes stuff and how many people it takes, and it really is just a family, and everyone is here together.
"It's been great and just finally being here and getting to meet all of my teammates and getting to know them has been super fun," she added.
As for defending West Virginia's Big 12 championship, Bordas offered this: "I can't take that title, so we'll have to win another one this year," she shrugged.
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