Syvertson picks WVU
It was never an issue over how much Shady Spring (W.Va.) punter Houstin Syvertson wanted to play at West Virginia, it was about deciding if he wanted to pursue a walk-on opportunity over potential scholarship offers. And Thursday night, the in-state product decided to commit to the Mountaineers as a preferred walk-on.
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"That family feeling was incredible. I sat down with my mom and my dad and I said I don't want to go anywhere else. I'm a homegrown West Virginian and my roots are going to stay where they are," he said. "West Virginia is where I'm at."
The decision was one he had been weighing back and forth for the past couple weeks, but ultimately he knew he had found a home in Morgantown after this weekend's official visit.
"I didn't want to wait any longer. I feel great about it and I've always worked as hard as I can for anything," he said. "Go will get me there and I've got to trust in him and keep working," he said.
"Everyone was so close knit together, I'd call it a blood family," he added. "It's really great."
During his time in Morgantown the West Virginia coaches told Syvertson that he has the potential to play multiple positions outside of punter, including tight end, linebacker and fullback. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder has no problem lining up anywhere the coaches see best fit.
"That lit me up right then. I've got a different attitude about working hard and I've got things I want to change so it just makes me that much more determined," he said.
Syvertson has already had many friends and family reach out to him about his decision and as a home-grown product the opportunity to stay and play for the team he grew up cheering for is a dream come true.
"It means the world to me," he said. "I've watched WVU and I've always heard about it being amazing and I get to be one of the every so many kids that get that chance to be on the team."
Syvertson had originally planned additional visits to Robert Morris and Rutgers, but will now not take any more trips and is solid with his commitment to the Mountaineers. He plans to arrive on campus in June.