Sam James to Represent WVU at Champions for Life

Redshirt senior wide receiver Sam James is WVU’s representative for the Big 12’s Champions for Life campaign in Arlington, Texas tomorrow according to a statement released by the school today.

He will be joining the four other players already on their way to the Big 12 media day. In the statement it said that Champions of Life “program features outstanding student-athletes who best represent their athletic programs.”

Sam James will be representing WVU as a part of the Big 12’s Champions for Life campaign tomorrow in Arlington, TX.

This program features outstanding student-athletes who best represent their athletic programs. pic.twitter.com/GbmNAL2DYE

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) July 12, 2022

James has been with West Virginia since 2018, but only appeared in four games that year and was redshirted. He broke out in 2019, his redshirt freshman season, when he was named as a All-Big 12 Team honorable mention. In 12 games that year he caught 69 passes for 677 years and two touchdowns.

He hasn’t replicated that season since, with his yards per game average (33.3 in 2020, 39.0 in 2021) dropping by nearly 20 yards per game in the past two years from his peak 56.4 yards per game average in 2019.

Still though, the representation is more than just what a player does on the field. It’s about how they represent the program as a whole represent the program as a whole. And James has been very vocal about his battles with mental health. Him being so open has allowed him to be seen as an inspiration, perhaps being the reason for the invite.

The full description for the recognition from their website is as follows:

“Now in its seventh season, Big 12 Champions for Life has featured the life-changing stories of over 350 student-athletes and university alumni. The young men and women who have earned a scholarship to compete in their chosen sports embody the defining characteristics of a champion: leadership, perseverance, community service, and discipline…

“These leaders have used their platforms and voices to stand up for what they believe in, inspiring their teammates and communities – and creating change. New stories from student-athletes representing each of the conference’s ten universities will be shared throughout the 2021-22 academic year.”