Jan 11, 2026 By Rob Burchianti 2 min read

Laurel Highlands graduate Rodney Gallagher III has found his landing spot after leaving West Virginia via the transfer portal.

Gallagher traveled to Tucson to visit Arizona on Friday and announced on Saturday on social media that he has committed to Wildcats, which means he will remain in the Big 12 Conference.

Arizona and WVU are slated to meet next season in Morgantown with the date to be determined.

Gallagher, a 5-foot-10, 181-pound wide receiver, has one year of eligibility remaining after spending the past three years with the Mountaineers where he recorded 64 receptions for 605 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 221 yards.

Gallagher was second in receptions at WVU last season with 28 for 243 yards and ran the ball 14 times for 83 yards. He had seven catches for 61 yards in WVU’s 31-24 overtime victory over Pitt on Sept. 13.

Gallagher was the second wide receiver to transfer to Arizona in two days, joining former USC Trojan D.J. Jordan who committed on Thursday.

Gallagher was recruited by then West Virginia head coach Neal Brown and played under Brown during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Brown was fired after the 2024 season and replaced by former WVU coach Rich Rodriguez for a second stint with at the university.

During his lone season under Rodriguez, Gallagher for the most part was productive early in games but given significantly fewer opportunities during the third and fourth quarters.

Gallagher helped lead Laurel Highlands’ football team to its first two WPIAL playoff victories and first conference championship. He also was a four-time all-state basketball player for the Mustangs who twice made late game-winning free throws to win WPIAL championships in 2020 and 2022. He ended his basketball career as LH’s all-time leading scorer with 2,035 points.

Gallagher was a multi-year Herald-Standard Player of the Year in both football and basketball.

Gallagher will have a highly talented quarterback throwing to him at Arizona in Noah Fifita who passed for 3,228 yards as a redshirt junior during the 2025 season which was the sixth-most in school history. His 29 touchdown passes, including three in a 24-19 Holiday Bowl loss to SMU, were a school record. He was named Big 12 First Team All Conference.

Arizona’s head coach is Brent Brennan, its wide receiver coach is Bobby Wade and its offensive coordinator is Seth Doege.