North Texas head coach Ross Hodge, center, instructs his team as they play against Memphis during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Nikki Boertman)

WVU made it official Wednesday afternoon that Ross Hodge would be its next men’s basketball coach.

“Ross Hodge is a proven winner and leader who has demonstrated success at every stop of his career,” WVU athletic director Wren Baker said. “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. More importantly, Ross is an incredible person and family man. His wife, Shelly, along with their children, Emery and Reed, will be great assets to our community and state. Please join me in welcoming the Hodge Family to Almost Heaven.”

Hodge, 44, has spent the last eight seasons at North Texas, including the last two as head coach, posting a 46-23 (.667) record. With a win Tuesday at Oklahoma State, Hodge’s North Texas team won its 27th game of the season and will compete in the semifinals of the NIT next Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Hodge has compiled a record of 192-47 (.803) in seven seasons as a head coach.

He has agreed to a five-year deal with WVU.

“It is with great honor and humility that I accept the head men’s basketball coaching position at West Virginia University,” Hodge said. “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 Gee and Benson and the rest of the administration.

“We loved our time in Denton and the many meaningful relationships we established over the last eight years. We are forever grateful for the opportunity afforded to us by Jared Mosley.

“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. Shelly, Emery, Reed and I can’t wait to meet all of you.”

Original story

West Virginia University athletic director Wren Baker is treading familiar ground in hiring his next men’s basketball coach, according to published reports. The Mountaineers will hire North Texas head coach Ross Hodge for the job.

Hodge has UNT currently in the NIT semifinals after defeating Big 12 school Oklahoma State 61-59 in the tournament quarters. Hodge and Baker previously crossed paths when Baker was North Texas’ AD and Hodge was an assistant basketball coach under then-head Grant McCasland.

In two seasons as the Mean Green’s head coach, Hodge followed a 19-win 2023-24 campaign with a season that so far has included 27 wins and a second-place regular season finish in the American Athletic Conference. Hodge is 45-23 in the last two seasons. His other previous head coaching experience came at the junior college level, where he went 146-24 at Paris Junior College and Midland Community College.

Hodge would replace Darian DeVries, who left WVU after one season to take the head coaching job at Indiana.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports was first to report the news.