by: Justin Walker
The WVU fanbase can breathe a sigh of relief. After an extensive search that lasted a week, West Virginia Director of Athletics, Wren Baker, has reportedly found a new men’s basketball coach.
After interviewing several candidates, Baker came around to a familiar name and place to find West Virginia’s new basketball coach. Per multiple media reports, Baker has selected Ross Hodge to lead the Mountaineer men’s program. Hodge will come to Morgantown after spending the past two seasons as the head coach at North Texas; where Wren Baker served as Athletic Director from 2016-2022. Prior to becoming Head Coach, Hodge spent six years as Associate Head Coach for the Mean Green under Grant McCasland. The 44-year old was promoted to head coach after McCasland left to take the head coaching job at Texas Tech.
This season, Hodge led North Texas to the semifinals of the NIT. They play their next game on Tuesday. He has led them to a record of 27-8 and a second place finish in the American Athletic Conference. In his two years as the head man in Denton, he holds an overall record of 44-23.
Prior to joining McCasland’s staff at North Texas, Hodge was with him at Arkansas State for one season. He has also held assistant roles at Colorado State, Southern Miss, Paris Junior College, and Texas A&M Commerce.
Hodge’s first head coaching job was when he took over as the head coach at Paris Junior College. He held that role from 2006-2009. He held the same role at Midland Junior College from 2009-2011 before moving into assistant roles at the Division I level. His overall record as a head coach at the Junior College level is 146-24. His Midland team was NJCAA National Runner-up in 2010-2011.
Not only has Hodge been a successful coach, the familiarity between him and Wren Baker is beneficial. Baker was the Vice President and Director of Athletics at UNT from 2016-2022. He was responsible for hiring Grant McCasland in 2017; who as mentioned earlier, brought Hodge with him to Denton.
To watch a discussion of Ross Hodge in video form, check out this episode of Hoops from the Hills.
Photo credit: North Texas Athletics
