West Virginia University has quickly moved to fill its head men’s basketball coaching vacancy after Darian DeVries’ unexpected departure. According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, WVU is set to hire North Texas’ Ross Hodge on a five-year contract. This decision comes just over a week after DeVries left the program following only one season, prompting the Mountaineers to find a new leader for their team.
Hodge brings a strong coaching background despite having just two years of Division I head coaching experience. Before making the jump to the Division I level, he spent five years as the head coach at Paris Junior College and Midland College from 2006 to 2011. During that time, he compiled an impressive 146-24 combined record, proving his ability to develop winning teams.
Ross Hodge (NCAA)Hodge’s Rise to Success as a Head Coach at North Texas
Following his junior college success, Hodge transitioned to Division I in 2011, serving as an assistant coach at Southern Miss under Larry Eustachy before moving with him to Colorado State. In 2016, he joined Grant McCasland’s staff at Arkansas State and then followed him to North Texas as the associate head coach. Over six years at North Texas, Hodge helped the program achieve a 135-65 record and reach the NCAA Tournament twice.
Hodge was promoted to head coach last season after McCasland left for Texas Tech. In his two seasons in charge, he has led North Texas to a 46-23 record and has guided his team to the semifinals of the NIT. His recent success made him an attractive candidate for WVU, where he will now take on the challenge of rebuilding and strengthening the Mountaineers program.
