If there were any doubts about Ross Hodge being prepared to dive right into building his initial roster at West Virginia, last week should have alleviated those worries.
Hodge and his coaching team have successfully incorporated five players into the roster in the past week, establishing some crucial components for the Mountaineers’ appearance in their inaugural year.
West Virginia has secured transfer commitments from UNC Wilmington center Harlan Obioha, North Texas forward Brenen Lorient, Chattanooga guard Honor Huff, and Troy forward Jackson Fields.
Obioha, standing 7 feet tall and weighing 280 pounds, drew significant attention from various schools like Texas, Cincinnati, Mississippi State, Wichita State, Wake Forest, and Rutgers after he joined the transfer market.
Obioha played just one season for the Seahawks, averaging 9.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and achieving a shooting percentage of 63 percent from the field while starting 23 games last year. Finding quality bigs in the transfer market is challenging, and bringing in Obioha was a fantastic initial move for building the roster.
Lorient, measuring 6-foot-9 and weighing 215 pounds, recently completed an impressive season with the Mean Green, where he posted averages of 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and over 1.1 blocks per game in 24.8 minutes of play.
He achieved a 57-percent shooting percentage from the field, earning recognition as a first-team all-American Athletic Conference selection and receiving the honor of Sixth Man of the Year in the league. The skilled forward could have created a significant transfer portal market, but upon entering, he had a no-contact designation and chose to join Hodge in Morgantown for the last year of his career.
Huff, standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 168 pounds, had earlier limited his choices to West Virginia, St. John’s, Iowa, Pittsburgh, and Vanderbilt, and was seen as one of the top shooting guards in the portal.
The high-scoring guard turned into a top target for West Virginia in the transfer portal and is arriving after a season where he averaged 15.2 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds, making 42.4 percent of his field goal attempts and an impressive 41.6 percent on three-pointers.
In total, Huff recorded 131 successful three-pointers during the season, placing him at the highest position in college basketball for made shots from beyond the arc. He was chosen for the all-Southern Conference first team.
Fields, standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 210 pounds, recorded an average of 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds during the previous season, shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three over 63 attempts. He played three seasons at Troy and is a flexible choice who can score near the basket while also being able to spread the floor from his forward position.
Fields can also safeguard the rim and guard various positions on defense, making him an appealing choice for the roster construction as an athletic option to enhance quality depth.
The most recent addition is Deandre Thomas, a 2025 forward from Allen (Tx.), who had been committed to North Texas but chose to join Hodge in Morgantown. Thomas, standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 210 pounds, committed to North Texas in November but sought his release and will now continue his college career in Morgantown.
Thomas recorded an average of 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during his senior year and is yet another adaptable forward who could impact the rotation as a freshman, depending on the overall team composition. It demonstrates Hodge’s belief in his capabilities and the confidence that Thomas placed in him as a coach.
West Virginia currently has five members on the roster, in addition to any leftover members from the former coaching staff that are still present in Morgantown. As shown by the ongoing developments, the Mountaineers remain very engaged in the transfer market for additional essential players, with Lincoln Memorial guard Wes Enis visiting over the weekend.
Enis, standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 200 pounds, played for the Railsplitters for two years, leaving his mark on the court. In his first year, Enis earned the title of South Atlantic Freshman of the Year and was selected as a third-team all-league player, averaging 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
He achieved 44 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
The Ohio native subsequently earned the title of South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year during his sophomore year and was also selected for the league’s all-defensive team. Enis recorded average stats of 20.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists each game.
This comprised hitting 45-percent of his shots from the field and boosting his three-point shooting to 41.1-percent from long range. It could potentially serve as another impactful addition, while others remain in touch with the Mountaineers coaching staff.
