Josh Eilert named interim coach for 23-24 season

Jun 26, 2023

MORGANTOWN, WV—-It’s no surprise that WVU Athletic Director Wren Baker didn’t waste any time in naming Josh Eilert as successor to Hall of Fame Coach Bob Huggins Saturday night. Eilert has been on the basketball staff for 16 years and knows how Huggins ran the ship. Plus it was one way to keep the players from abandoning ship. According to sources Kerr Kriisa announced his return to WVU Sunday afternoon. We will now see if Tre Mitchell and Joe Toussaint change their minds and return.

Eilert’s naming as interim coach couldn’t have come at a better time due to the uncertainty at head coach. It’s hopeful that Eilert stabilizes the program this summer and keeps as much of the roster as possible intact. Eilert released this statement Sunday, “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. 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,” he said.

“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 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.” he added.

Eilert hopefully will be able to lure back Mitchell and Toussaint. Prior to his resignation, Huggins compiled one of the top transfer portal classes in the nation. Notable additions included Syracuse transfer Jesse Edwards, Arizona’s Kriisa, Montana State’s RaeQuan Battle and Manhattan’s Omar Silverio.

Eilert completed his playing career at Kansas State in 2004. Prior to arriving in Kansas, Eilert played two seasons at Cloud County Community College. While at KSU, Eilert was firts team all Big 12 academic selection as a senior and four times was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Eilert will be introduced at a press conference Monday afternoon. Let’s hope he will lead the Mountaineers to a great 2003-24 season. The naming of Eilert as interim gives AD Baker a year to search for another head coach. Maybe Eilert will do wonders with his team and keep the head coaching job since he was taught under Huggins for 16 years.