West Virginia announces Josh Eilert to serve as interim head coach for 2023-24 season

West Virginia has announced the decision to name Josh Eilert the interim head coach for the 2023-24 season. He’ll step in for Bob Huggins, who resigned earlier this month.

Eilert has been on the West Virginia staff for the last 15 seasons, serving as director of basketball operations before moving into an assistant coach role. He has never been a head coach, but appears ready to take over the Mountaineers for at least one season in the wake of Huggins’ resignation.

“Josh Eilert is the right person to lead our men’s basketball program next season,” West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker said in a statement. “He has been an important part of our success, and he has displayed great integrity, work ethic and dedication. He has been involved in all facets of our program during his time on the basketball staff, and he has earned this opportunity to coach our team on an interim basis for the 2023-24 season.

“Our athletics department will provide Josh, his staff and our student-athletes with a great support system and will do everything we can to ensure a successful season. Change is never easy and always presents challenges, but I am confident that this is the correct decision at this time. Moving forward and continuing our preparation for the upcoming season is the top priority now for our program.”

Eilert also released a statement on the decision, acknowledging his excitement to get to work and getting the roster ready before the Mountaineers’ trip to Italy.

“I would like to thank Wren Baker, President Gee, Rob Alsop, Steve Uryasz and the rest of our administration for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead our storied Mountaineer basketball program,” Eilert said. “I would also like to thank Coach Huggins for retaining me on his staff at K-State in 2006 and for bringing me to West Virginia in 2007. I’ve learned so much from Coach Huggins, and it was an honor to work for a Hall of Fame coach for the last 17 years.

“I’m excited about this opportunity to lead the wonderful group of guys that we have in our locker room. They have been working extremely hard on the court, in the weight room and in the classroom since they returned to campus on June 5. In the coming days and weeks, I will be solidifying our roster and getting our team ready to head to Italy later this summer.”

Huggins resigned June 17 following an arrest for DUI. That came just a few weeks after he restructured his contract after saying a homophobic slur on Cincinnati radio. He spent 16 years in Morgantown and had a 345-203 record with West Virginia.

West Virginia was also one of the biggest winners in the transfer portal this cycle, bringing in the No. 3-ranked transfer class, according to the On3 Team Transfer Portal Rankings. Players received a 30-day window to re-enter the portal if they so chose, and keeping the roster in tact was viewed as a top priority immediately after Huggins’ resignation.