Visit Toothman Ford

Insider Names Top Candidates to Be West Virginia’s Next Head Basketball Coach

By
Brad Smith
-

COVER PHOTO: Clutch Points

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — The West Virginia Mountaineers men’s basketball team is currently 8-14 overall and 3-6 in the Big 12 Conference under interim head coach Josh Eilert. Although Eilert certainly didn’t create the mess that the team is in, it’s unlikely that he will be named the new permanent head coach after this season. Instead, West Virginia’s director of athletics, Wren Baker, will conduct a nationwide search to replace Eilert on the Mountaineers’ bench.

Earlier today, famed social media insider, Trilly Donovan, revealed which names he’s heard most often as potentially ending up at West Virginia.

“Names I’m hearing the most at WVU,” Donavon said. “Dustin Kerns. Mark Byington. Niko Medved. Dusty May. Wren Baker is one of the sharpest hoops ADs out there. He will make a great hire.”

This list is very similar to the one that I released a few weeks ago, so we’re hearing many of the same names as being high on Baker’s list.

Dustin Kerns, the current head coach at Applachian State, has a 114-99 overall record, and App State is 15-4 overall this season and 6-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. I have not heard his name mentioned much and I see Kerns as a longshot to land the position.

Mark Byington, 46, is the head coach at James Madison, and has a 68-34 overall record. This season, JMU is 18-2 and he was named the CAA Coach of the Year in 2021.

Niko Medved, 50, is the head coach at Colorado State, and he has connections to West Virginia University through donors. I’ve heard that Wren Baker is very high on him and he will be a top candidate for the position. He’s 104-67 overall as a head coach and was the SOCon Coach of the Year in 2017.

Dusty May, 47, is perhaps the hottest young coach in college basketball and will likely be Wren Baker’s #1 target this offseason. Last season, May led Florida Atlantic to a 35-4 record and a trip to the NCAA Final Four. Florida Atlantic is 16-4 overall and 6-1 in conference play this season, and May, the reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year, is 118-64 (.646 winning percentage).

Related Posts: