North Texas coach Ross Hodge instructs his team during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game against Memphis on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn.
North Texas coach Ross Hodge instructs his team during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game against Memphis on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn.
West Virginia has its fourth men’s basketball coach in a span of less than three years in place.
The Mountaineers named North Texas coach Ross Hodge their coach on Wednesday.
BREAKING: West Virginia is hiring North Texas coach Ross Hodge on a five-year contract, sources tell CBS Sports. The deal will be officially announced soon. Hodge's UNT team is still playing in the NIT. Hodge has ties to WVU AD Wren Baker, who was at UNT before getting to WVU.
Hodge replaces Darian DeVries, who left for the vacant Indiana University position.
Hodge agreed to a five-year deal, according to a release from WVU. He is the Mountaineers’ 24th coach and sixth since 2000.
“Ross Hodge is a proven winner and leader who has demonstrated success at every stop of his career,†WVU athletic director Wren Baker said in a release. “He has won more than 80% of his games as a head coach while establishing himself as one of the best defensive minds in college basketball. His teams play with toughness and grit and Mountaineer Nation will love the passion his players have for the game.â€
WVU has seen Bob Huggins, Josh Eilert and DeVries all serve as coach since 2023.
Baker was the athletic director at North Texas when Hodge was an assistant to Grant McCasland. Hodge did so for six seasons.
Under Hodge, North Texas finished second this season in the American Athletic Conference, going 14-4 in league play. The Mean Green is 27-8 going into the NIT semifinals on April 1, having beaten Oklahoma State, 61-59, in a thriller in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Tuesday to get there.
Hodge has only been a Division I head coach for two seasons, during which time North Texas is 46-23.
“It is great honor and humility that I accept the head men’s basketball coaching position at West Virginia University,†Hodge said in a release.
“I have such respect for the toughness, grit and pride of the people of West Virginia, and my hope is that we can reflect that with how our team competes on the court. I understand the great responsibility of continuing the tradition of Mountaineer basketball and sincerely appreciate the trust and belief of Wren Baker, Presidents [Gordon] Gee and [Michael] Benson and the rest of the administration.â€
University officials confirm hiring of North Texas coach Ross Hodge. WVU AD Wren Baker was AD at UNT when Hodge was associate head coach with Grant McCasland at UNT.
Hodge’s other head-coaching experience has come at Paris Junior College and Midland College — both in Texas, Hodge’s home state. Overall, his head-coaching record is 192-47.
His first season at North Texas saw the Mean Green finish 19-15 and 10-8 in conference play.
The Mean Green’s win total has improved by eight wins and counting between Hodge’s first and second seasons.
North Texas made the NCAA tournament once while Hodge was an assistant.
WVU has made the NCAA tournament twice since 2019.
“We believe we have everything we need to be successful and to challenge for Big 12 championships and look forward to competing against the best coaches and best teams in the country,†Hodge said.
Hodge has other stops as an assistant at the Division I level at Southern Miss, Colorado State and Arkansas State.
