Why Ross Hodge Says WVU Is Ideally Positioned to Dominate Regional Recruiting
The Mountaineers’ head coach outlined his recruiting strategy.
Even with the rise of NIL and the transfer portal, recruiting close to home is far from obsolete.
West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge understands how crucial it is to secure top regional talent, and he’s well aware that numerous Big 12–level prospects live only a short drive from Morgantown.
Hodge and his staff plan to heavily target New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, the DMV, and of course West Virginia itself. Speaking on his radio show Tuesday night, Hodge emphasized the value of focusing on the region.
“I think it’s extremely important. If you put a tack in Morgantown and start drawing a widening circle, you want to begin in your own backyard. There have been plenty of good players from Morgantown and the state. Whether it’s here or the DMV… one of the perks of our location is just how close we are to so many places. People are always surprised when we tell them we’re three and a half hours from Baltimore, five from New York, five from Cleveland, six from North Carolina. It doesn’t seem possible, but we’re centrally located near a lot of strong talent.”
Hodge also intends to recruit nationally, something already reflected in this year’s class, which includes teammates Miles Sadler and Aliou Dioum from Bella Vista Prep in Scottsdale, Arizona. Sadler hails from Ontario, while Dioum is originally from Senegal.
“Our brand is powerful. It’s respected both nationally and internationally. The West Virginia brand carries real weight, and it’s been great to share our vision with families and players and have them buy into it.”
Looking ahead, Hodge plans to pursue several prospects in western Pennsylvania and Ohio—regions that have historically been good to the Mountaineers.
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