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MORGANTOWN — West Virginia university men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge will make an average of $3 million per year over the life of a five-year deal with WVU, according to a memorandum of understanding agreed to by both parties and obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.
Hodge will earn $2.8 million for the 2025-26 season, with the contract running from May 1 through April 30. His compensation will then increase by $100,000 each year, with the final year of the deal set for May 1, 2029, through April 30, 2030.
WVU’s new coach will also receive a standard package of allowances, including a courtesy vehicle, 20 tickets to men’s home games and four tickets to home football and women’s basketball games, along with 10 tickets to postseason tournament games in which the Mountaineers are participants, and a country club membership.
WVU will also pay North Texas the $1.2 million buyout which Hodge owes to the school for exiting his employment there early.
Hodge is also being allocated $1.75 million for assistant coaches and support staff (exclusive of trainers and strength coaches).
Should Hodge guide WVU to a top-six finish in either of his first two seasons in the Big 12, his contract will automatically be extended by one year at the salary of $3.3 million.
Graduated buyout scales exist on both sides of the deal. If WVU fires Hodge without cause prior to April 30, 2027, it will owe him 100% of the remaining value of his contract. That drops to 75% if the firing occurs after that date.
If Hodge departs of his own volition prior to April 30, 2026, he will owe WVU 75% of the total remaining value of his contract. That drops to 56.25% if he departs between May 1, 2026, and April 30, 2027, and to 37.5% were he to leave after May 1, 2027.
Hodge’s incentive structure includes payments for conference and NCAA tournament achievements, season ticket sales, coach of the year awards and team Academic Performance Rating (APR).
PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES: NCAA tournament first-round appearance — $20,000; second-round appearance — $30,000; third-round appearance — $40,000; fourth-round appearance — $40,000; Final Four appearance — $100,000; national championship game — $200,000; Big 12 Conference regular-season first place or tie — $40,000; regular-season second place or tie $35,000; regular-season third place or tie — $20,000; regular-season fourth place or tie — $10,000; tournament runner-up — $30,000; tournament championship — $40,000. Other: season ticket sales of 6,500-7,499 — $10,000; season ticket sales greater than 7,500 — $20,000; Big 12 Coach of the Year — $30,000; AP or NABC National Coach of the Year — $50,000; APR 930-949 — $10,000; APR 950 or greater — $20,000; team GPA 2.65 or greater — $10,000.
