Ross Hodge Puts Final Bow on First WVU Season, Hypes Up Future

Putting a final bow on his first season with WVU, Ross Hodge thanks his players and the fans while teasing what’s to come.

“Mountaineer fans!! Thank you for being with us through some unforgettable firsts, incredible comeback wins, and some heartbreaking losses. This group showed resiliency, toughness and togetherness through it all. Never quitting no matter how hard things may have been, setting a standard and expectation for what is to come. Representing our program, our university and our state with a pride that only people that put on a WVU uniform can truly understand! Thanks again and LETS GO!!!!!,” posted Hodge on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday morning.

Hodge’s season-closing message comes two days after capping off his first year by leading West Virginia to a College Basketball Crown title on Sunday. WVU defeated Oklahoma 89-82 in overtime to secure the championship.

Despite falling shy of the goal of making the NCAA Tournament, Hodge explained why winning the Crown will lay a foundation for future success.

“Nothing ever comes bad from winning. Winning can be contagious in a lot of ways, and use these experiences to hopefully put you in position to one day be playing in the game tomorrow night,” Hodge said.

“It’s not the ultimate goal as a program or university but it sets a standard but it sets a great standard and expectation moving forward,” Hodge added. “And these guys, when we are playing in Final Fours and winning national championships, these guys will know that they started it and they’ll look back on it and know they laid the foundation for what is to come.”

In Hodge’s first season, West Virginia finished the season 21-14 overall with a 9-10 Big 12 record, including 0-1 in the conference tournament. Even though Hodge is only responsible for one season so far, WVU basketball is now in the midst of the program’s first three-year drought without an NCAA Tournament appearance since failing to get in from 1999-2004.

It’s worth noting that the 2005 Mountaineers broke that drought and then reached the Elite Eight.

Find more coverage of Ross Hodge and WVU basketball at WV Sports Now.

For a related story, WV Sports Now’s Luke Blaine explains what winning the Crown means fore WVU basketball.