WHEELING — It’s official. The West Virginia Roughriders are returning for what they hope is another exciting season of indoor football in the spring of 2020. However, they won’t be defending their American Arena League championship as they have joined the National Arena League (NAL).

That announcement came from team owner Gregg Fornario during a press conference Tuesday morning inside the lobby of WesBanco Arena.

“Last season was amazing. It was an amazing moment to share not only with the players and coaches, but also the fans in the community … the Ohio Valley,” team owner Gregg Fornario stressed. “Our first year here and we were welcomed like no other (place). We were very excited about that.”

He said the team’s success came not only on the field, but off it as well.

“I’d like to thank our sponsors that came out last year and really stepped up for us,” he added. “I’d also like to thank our fans who made it very loud in WesBanco for us all season long. It made it difficult to hear and that was a big part of our success.

“When you put a roster together you always feel confident about your roster. You know guys are capable of achieving goals that you’ve set for them, but when it actually comes together, there is nothing sweeter than that,” he explained. “These guys went 13-0 last season and won a championship. They never overlooked an opponent and like Coach Mook (Zimmerman) preached to them, ‘we just want to be 1-0 thirteen times.’ When we looked ahead, it was only at that team we were playing that week.

“There’s three words I use to describe last season,” Fornario said. “Perfection. We went 13-0 and won a championship. Focus. Myself, the coaching staff and players were mentally prepared for every game, every challenge that lie ahead. Family. Not just the brotherhood of the coaches and the players, but the fans and the community. Not every city gets that. We love being here in the Ohio Valley.”

Head coach Mook Zimmerman, who is 32-2 as a head coach, is ready for another season in Wheeling.

“It feels good to be back in the Friendly City. I love this city,” the always dapper-dressed Zimmerman said. “I sit here with this championship ring on my finger because we dedicated last season — every day, every play, every down, every quarter — to the Friendly City, the Ohio Valley. I would tell the guys every week, ‘this one is for the Ohio Valley. I told them after the championship game that this one was for the Ohio Valley.’ It made it that much sweeter for us and the fans.”

He said nothing changes as far as the culture goes.

“We’ve developed a winning culture here. We have a winning tradition here and in Richmond. Culture and tradition don’t leave, they continue from season to season,” he noted. “No matter the league. No matter the place. You can look forward to having that same winning tradition and that winning culture.

“Football isn’t fun. Winning is,” he stressed.

Fornario told the fans, media and other dignitaries in attendance that they can expect some very good football next spring.

“We know we’ll have a target on our back. We went 13-0 last season in a different league. We’re entering a new league that is very competitive,” he said. “We have a lot to prove.”

Chris Siegfried, NAL Commissioner, was in attendance and said he is very pleased with locating a team in this region.

“I love this part of the country. I grew up in northeast Pennsylvania and I have some ties to the western part of the state,” Siegfried, who played collegiately at Division II Millersville University in Pa., said. “I love this game. Arena football has been in my blood since 1992.”

Siegfried is a veteran of the NAL. He has more than 12 years of coaching experience in the Arena Football League and arenafootball2 league. As a head coach, he has compiled a 90-59 win-loss record over nine seasons. He was the 2006 af2 Coach of the Year as well as being named the 2006 Inland Northwest Coach of the Year while guiding the Spokane Shock to the ArenaCup Championship.

“The NAL is a great league. We formed it about 3.5 years ago as a way to compete with the Arena Football League. It’s been an interesting ride with some ups and downs, but we are extremely excited to bring a championship team from Wheeling to our league,” he mentioned. “They (the Roughriders) have been doing what the Baltimore Ravens seem to be doing in the NFL this year, beating people up.

“With the Jacksonville Sharks, we now have two championship teams in our league to battle it out,” he continued. “I have high expectations from Gregg and his team. I fully expect them to bring that first-class product to our league and make our league a better league.

“Personally, I feel like we are getting the best in the West Virginia Roughriders. They’ve been tearing it up as the Roughriders in a couple of different cities … everywhere they’ve gone. They know they’ve got a target on their back. They’re from a different league and they want to come in and push people around and show teams they are here to play. I fully expect this to be an extremely competitive year with a lot of parity.”

The NAL, which is now the premier indoor league with the AFL ceasing operations, has six other teams in the Jacksonville Sharks, the Orlando Predators, the Columbus (Ga.) Lions, the New Jersey Flight, New York Streets and Massachusetts Pirates.

Wide receiver Connor Arlia, one of several returning signees, also spoke to the crowd.

“After being a part of this organization for a year now, I can say it is great for the Roughriders to be in Wheeling again,” the former Weirton Madonna all-stater said. “This is a first-class organization. I would like to thank Gregg and Mook for re-signing me. It really means a lot to me.”

Fornario gave the 5-9, 180-pounder some high praise.

“Pound-for-pound, he is the best player in arena football. He reminds me of one of my childhood idols in Wayne Chrebet who played for the New York Jets,” Fornario said.