Ross Hodge, a Dallas, Texas native and 2nd year head coach at North Texas, makes the jump from the American Conference to the Big 12. Hodge has gone 45-23 in two years at North Texas
Hodge has helped lead some of the best defenses in the country in the last few years and was very successful doing so. Hodge, in his first season at North Texas, finished with a record of 19-15 and an appearance in the NIT. In his second season, North Texas made major strides; they currently have a record of 27-8 and are now in the Final Four of the NIT after finishing second in the American Conference. Hodge also played a huge role in the success North Texas had under current Texas Tech Head Coach Grant McCasland.
North Texas is currently third in the country behind only Houston (First) and Drake (Second) in scoring defense, top-rated holding opponents to 59.9 points per game. He looks to bring that top rated defense to Morgantown, where WVU has had success on the defensive side of the ball when they were known as “Press Virginia”.
Offensively, they have not been the greatest; they have relied heavily on the three last season and shot 37 percent from three point range, which was best in the American conference. But they only scored 68 points a game this season, which puts them last in the American conference. In Hodge’s first season, they scored around 69 points a game, which was the second worst in the American Conference. North Texas shot 45 percent from the field this season, which was good enough for fifth in the country.
WVU AD said in a statement that he is a proven winner:
"Ross Hodge is a proven winner and leader who has demonstrated success at every stop of his career. 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."
WVU Athletic Director Wren Baker and Hodge have a history together, from when Baker was AD at UNT from 2016 to 2022. Where Hodge was previously Grant McCasland’s top assistant.
Hodge will be the fourth head coach in four seasons for West Virginia University.