West Virginia names assistant Josh Eilert to replace Bob Huggins after failed national search
West Virginia basketball assistant Josh Eilert will take over the program following the departure of longtime head coach Bob Huggins.
The university announced the decision Saturday. Eilert will take the head coaching job on an interim basis. Athletic director Wren Baker announced in the program's statement that it tried and failed to conduct a national search for a new coach and will continue to search at the end of next season.
"I spoke with knowledgeable basketball people around the country over the last week, including coaches, professional basketball executives and others of whom I trust to identify a strong group of candidates to speak with," Baker said. "Ultimately what I came to recognize, was that conducting this search in late June was difficult for many of our candidates and also it put our talented student-athletes at a real disadvantage. With that said, we will conduct our national search at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season."
Eilert takes over six days after Huggins announced his resignation amid a tumultuous offseason. Huggins uttered an anti-gay slur during a radio interview in May. The university responded by suspending Huggins and reducing his salary by $1 million. On June 16, Huggins was arrested and charged with DUI. He announced his resignation the following day.
Huggins coached West Virginia to 11 NCAA tournament appearances in 16 seasons from 2007-2023, including the program's second-ever Final Four in 2010 and first since 1959. Three players including projected starting point guard Kerr Kriisa have put their names in the transfer portal since Huggins' departure.
Eilert, 42, played two seasons of college basketball at Kansas State from 2002-04. He joined West Virginia's staff as a video coordinator in 2007 alongside Huggins and has worked various roles within the program before taking a full-time assistant coaching role in 2022.
“Josh Eilert is the right person to lead our men’s basketball program next season,” Baker said via the team 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."
