Virginia

West Virginia moving quickly in building basketball roster

Published

11 months ago

April 14, 2025

West Virginia moving quickly in building basketball roster

If anybody had any doubts that Ross Hodge wouldn’t be ready to hit the ground running in constructing his first roster at West Virginia the last week should have calmed those concerns.

Hodge and his coaching staff have already added five players to the roster over the last week with some key pieces already being put in place for what the Mountaineers are going to look like in year one.

West Virginia has already added transfer commitments from UNC Wilmington center Harlan Obioha, North Texas forward Brenen Lorient, Chattanooga guard Honor Huff and Troy forward Jackson Fields.

Obioha, 7-foot-0, 280-pounds, attracted plenty of interest once he entered the transfer market from schools such as Texas, Cincinnati, Mississippi State, Wichita State, Wake Forest and Rutgers, among others.

Obioha spent only one season with the Seahawks, where he averaged 9.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and shot 63-percent from the field while starting 23 games this past year. Quality bigs are hard to come by in the transfer market and adding Obioha was an excellent start to the base the roster build.

Lorient, 6-foot-9, 215-pounds, is coming off a standout season with the Mean Green where he averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and over 1.1 blocks per game across 24.8 minutes per game.

He shot 57-percent from the field and his efforts were rewarded by being named a first-team all-American Athletic Conference selection and the league’s Sixth Man of the Year. The talented forward would have had a major transfer portal market but when he entered the database had a no-contact tag and then elected to follow Hodge to Morgantown for the final year of his career.

Huff, 5-foot-10, 168-pounds, had previously narrowed down his options to West Virginia, St. John’s, Iowa, Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt and was considered one of the best shooting guards available in the portal.

The high-scoring guard became a priority for West Virginia in the transfer portal and is coming off a season where he averaged 15.2 points, 2.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds while hitting 42.4-percent of his shots and an impressive 41.6-percent of his three-point attempts.

Overall, Huff made a total of 131 on the season from deep and that total ranked him atop all of college basketball in terms of made three-pointers. He was an all-Southern Conference first-team selection.

Fields, 6-foot-8, 210-pounds, averaged 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds this past season while shooting 48.7-percent from the field and 33.3–percent from three on 63 attempts. He spent three seasons at Troy and is a versatile option that can finish around the rim as well as being used to stretch the floor from his forward spot.

Fields also can protect the rim and defend multiple positions on the defensive end which makes him an intriguing option in the roster build as an athletic option to add quality depth.

The final piece to date is Allen (Tx.) 2025 forward Deandre Thomas who was previously committed to North Texas but elected to follow Hodge to Morgantown. Thomas, 6-foot-7, 210-pounds, signed with North Texas in November but requested his release and now will spend his college career in Morgantown.

Thomas averaged 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a senior and is another versatile forward that will have a chance to make a dent in the rotation as a freshman depending on the rest of the build. It’s a testament to how Hodge felt about his potential and the trust that Thomas had in him as a coach.

West Virginia has five pieces on the roster in place on top of any of the remaining pieces from the previous coaching staff that remain in Morgantown. And as evidenced by what’s unfolding with the Mountaineers still highly active in the transfer market for other key pieces with Lincoln Memorial guard Wes Enis visiting over the weekend.

Enis, 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, spent two years with the Railsplitters where he made his impact felt on the floor. As a freshman, Enis was named South Atlantic Freshman of the Year and a third-team all-league selection after averaging 17.9 points and 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

He shot 44-percent from the floor and 36-percent from three.

The Ohio native followed that up by being named South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore as well as being on the league’s all-defensive team. Enis averaged 20.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

That included shooting 45-percent from the floor and increasing his three-point output to 41.1–percent from deep. It would potentially be another impact addition, while others are continuing to be contacted by the Mountaineers coaching staff.

This thing is only just beginning.

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Virginia

Patchwork 250: Share your community’s unique history for Virginia’s 250th anniversary

Published

6 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Patchwork 250: Share your community’s unique history for Virginia’s 250th anniversary

We’re highlighting the many threads that make Virginia so special

Virginia is filled with so much history just waiting to be explored. As we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States and Virginia, we’re celebrating this milestone with a new series: Patchwork 250.

The series will highlight the many threads that make Virginia so special and celebrate every patch (whether that’s a remarkable person, an unforgettable location or a memorable event).

As this new initiative gets underway, we’d love to hear from you. Share your favorite pieces of history and be a part of Virginia’s ongoing story.

Using Pin It or the form below, let us know: what’s a unique piece of history from your community that you think more people should know about?

Click here for more details.

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Virginia

Fatal motorcycle-pickup collision shuts northbound S. Virginia Street Thursday evening

Published

18 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Fatal motorcycle-pickup collision shuts northbound S. Virginia Street Thursday evening

A fatal collision between a motorcycle and a pickup truck on Thursday evening has claimed a life and prompted a significant road closure in South Reno.

The Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) responded to reports of the crash at approximately 5:29 p.m. on February 26. The incident occurred on northbound South Virginia Street, just north of Damonte Ranch Parkway.

According to the Nevada State Police, the rider of the motorcycle, an adult male, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. The driver of the pickup truck remained on-site, though no further details regarding other injuries or the cause of the crash have been released. Northbound South Virginia Street: Completely shut down from Damonte Ranch Parkway to Bishop Manogue Drive.

Southbound South Virginia Street: Open, but expect “rubbernecking” delays as drivers pass the emergency vehicles. Officials expect the northbound lanes to remain closed until at least 11:30 p.m. as the NHP Highway Patrol Division completes their investigation.

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Virginia

York County’s Commonwealth Attorney, United Way of the Virginia Peninsula Partner to Establish The Guardian Network | Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

York County’s Commonwealth Attorney, United Way of the Virginia Peninsula Partner to Establish The Guardian Network | Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

A new effort is being led by Commonwealth Attorney Krystyn Reid, with support from Sen. Danny Diggs to help missing persons. (Ron Lach/Pexels.com)

HAMPTON ROADS— A proposed initiative known as The Guardian Network seeks to strengthen coordination and public access to verified information when children, seniors, and vulnerable adults go missing in Virginia.

The effort is being led by Commonwealth Attorney Krystyn Reid, with support from Sen. Danny Diggs through a budget amendment to SB30. If the amendment passes, development would move forward through the Virginia State Police.

Reid said the idea grew from her years of public service.

“The difference between politics and public service is simple,” Reid said. “One is what you say. The other is what you do.”

Reid began her career representing domestic violence survivors and said she witnessed firsthand how quickly families can be thrown into crisis.

“When someone does not make it home, that is a family’s worst moment,” Reid said. “The Guardian Network comes from a belief that we can strengthen coordination in those first critical hours and better protect vulnerable communities.”

The network is designed to complement existing alert systems such as AMBER, Silver, Ashanti and CODI alerts. Participation would be voluntary for both families and the public.

“It does not replace them. It reinforces them,” Reid said. “What we lack is one centralized, accessible place to see verified information. This is about coordination and clarity.”

Currently, information can be fragmented, she said, making it harder for families and communities to respond effectively.

“Families in crisis should not have to search multiple platforms,” Reid said. “Public safety requires structure. Our response should be organized and accessible.”

The United Way of the Virginia Peninsula has expressed support for the initiative, citing its alignment with the organization’s mission to improve lives by advancing education, financial stability and health.

“Children are the highest age demographic experiencing eviction and homelessness, which creates unique vulnerabilities including separation, exploitation and trafficking,” said Charvalla West of United Way of the Virginia Peninsula. “Seniors face increasing isolation, housing instability and caregiver strain in what many describe as the ‘Silver Tsunami’ of a rapidly aging population.”

She said the organization supports The Guardian Network because it strengthens coordination during the most critical moments when vulnerable individuals go missing.

“The Guardian Network aligns directly with our work to stabilize families and protect vulnerable communities,” West said. “When vulnerabilities are reduced, safety increases.”

United Way collaborates with certified partner agencies across the Virginia Peninsula that focus on homelessness prevention, youth development, domestic violence response, aging services and housing repair. Those organizations would continue serving in their core roles, providing safe housing, trauma-informed care, mentorship, caregiver support and case management, while the network enhances coordination and awareness.

“The Guardian Network enhances coordination and awareness, while nonprofits provide the direct relational support that protects individuals before, during and after crisis events,” West said.

The concept also includes a second phase of development that would establish a standing advisory committee composed of survivors, impacted family members, nonprofit leaders, victim advocates and public safety professionals. A third phase would focus on identifying and allocating resources to support coordinated response efforts in collaboration with law enforcement, including ensuring necessary logistical supplies are available during active situations.

The immediate focus is Virginia. If successful, supporters say the model could be scalable to other states seeking to strengthen coordination in missing-person cases.

Reid said the goal is clear.

“A stronger safety net. Better coordination. And helping bring loved ones home,” she said. “Everyone deserves to come home.”

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