WVU BASKETBALL BURNS HOT: Coach Ross Hodge Demands Answers in Explosive Confrontation with AD Wren Baker Over Missing Pay
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Tensions erupted behind closed doors this week inside the WVU Coliseum, as men’s basketball head coach Ross Hodge launched into a fiery, emotionally charged confrontation with West Virginia University’s Athletic Director, Wren Baker. At the heart of the conflict? A series of delayed payments that have left Hodge “beyond furious,” and cast a shadow over the Mountaineers’ red-hot offseason momentum.
Sources close to the program describe the scene as “unlike anything Morgantown has witnessed in decades.” The confrontation reportedly took place Tuesday morning in Baker’s executive suite, after Hodge—who was hired just last season—discovered that a significant portion of his contractual performance incentives had not been processed, despite a record-setting season that revitalized Mountaineer basketball.
“It wasn’t just about money,” one WVU staffer told reporters under condition of anonymity. “Coach Hodge felt disrespected, like promises were being broken. He put his heart into rebuilding this program, and now he feels shortchanged—literally and symbolically.”
According to internal memos leaked from the athletics office, Hodge was due over $387,000 in combined postseason bonuses and recruiting milestone incentives. After leading the Mountaineers to their first Elite Eight appearance since 2010, landing two Top-25 recruits, and driving a 40% surge in season ticket sales, Hodge was celebrated as the program’s savior. But the financial follow-through never came.
When Baker reportedly asked for “patience while the budget reconciliations settle,” Hodge snapped. Eyewitnesses say the coach slammed his fist on the conference table, his voice echoing through the hallway, demanding immediate resolution or a formal public explanation.
“I didn’t come here to be lied to,” Hodge was overheard shouting. “You don’t shortchange a man who bleeds for this university!”
The confrontation has sent ripples throughout the athletic department. Some staffers are worried about a potential resignation or legal dispute if the issue remains unresolved. Others quietly back Hodge, seeing his anger as justified and long overdue in a system plagued with administrative fog and financial ambiguity.
Meanwhile, the fan base has begun to stir. Social media erupted Wednesday night after #PayCoachHodge trended regionally, with WVU supporters demanding transparency from the university.
Neither Baker nor Hodge has made a public comment yet, but sources say a crisis meeting is scheduled for Friday morning with University President Gordon Gee expected to attend.
What’s clear is that this isn’t just about dollars—it’s about trust, respect, and the identity of a basketball program on the verge of greatness. As summer workouts heat up and recruitment decisions loom, the Mountaineers’ most important battle may not be on the court—but in the boardroom.
And with Ross Hodge unwilling to back down, West Virginia basketball burns hotter than ever.
