Veteran Journalist Minnich Joins Connect-Bridgeport
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on February 28, 2026
Connect-Bridgeport has added to its staff with the recent hiring of a familiar name in North Central West Virginia.
Michael Minnich, who helped in keeping the sports section at WV News one of the best in West Virginia, began in his new capacity this week. Minnich will oversee the bulk of sports coverage, while also focusing on features, coverage of events and arts at Bridgeport High School, and other assignments.
“I’m excited to come on board. I’m someone who really enjoys forging deep ties within the community, with the coaches, and all those involved in Bridgeport,” said Minnich. “I’m thrilled to work on what I’ve already established with the locally and, particularly, those I’ll be working with in Bridgeport.”
Minnich comes to Connect-Bridgeport after nearly 10 years on the sports staff at WV News, including as the sports editor since 2017, and has served in various positions, including president, for the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Before that, he was the sports editor at the Mineral Daily News Tribune in his hometown of Keyser from 2009-2016.
Minnich also has a long career in sports broadcasting, starting in studio radio at his college alma mater, West Virginia University.
He is currently the main play-by-play announcer for West Virginia gymnastics and currently calls some WVU soccer, volleyball, and women’s basketball games. He called soccer for Virginia Tech last fall as well.
On the professional side, he was the first voice of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Washington Spirit and has been part of every in-house broadcasting endeavor by the club since its inception in 2013, including on ESPN Radio 630 during the Spirit’s run to the NWSL championship game in 2024.
He has also called NWSL matches internationally on several platforms, including Paramount+, and is active as a statistician and historian for the league.
Minnich worked the 2024 Paris Olympics as a soccer statistician and was based at NBC Sports’ broadcasting hub in Stamford, Connecticut.
Minnich lives in Morgantown with his cat, Willa.
