Ross Hodge explains what winning experience means in today’s college basketball
West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge knows roster building in today’s college basketball landscape looks a lot different than it used to.
Speaking on the College Talk podcast hosted by Olly Reed, Hodge broke down how the transfer portal has shifted the way programs evaluate and build their rosters.
With constant movement across the portal, the focus isn’t just on talent. It’s about finding players who already understand what it takes to win.
“You’re not having to teach people how to win necessarily,” Hodge said. “You’re just teaching them how we’re going to win together.”
That approach has become a key piece of how the Mountaineers are constructing their roster moving forward.
Winning habits over starting from scratch
In a system where players are coming and going more frequently, Hodge emphasized that experience matters as much as ability.
Players who have been part of winning programs tend to bring similar traits with them.
Sacrifice. Buy-in. Understanding how to operate within a team.
Those are things that can speed up the process when putting a new group together.
“With that being said, you’re going to be incorporating new groups together,” Hodge said. “And so getting people that have won or experienced winning.”
That doesn’t guarantee success, but it can eliminate one step in the process.
The reality of roster turnover
Hodge also addressed what has become one of the biggest challenges for programs and fan bases alike.
Roster movement is no longer unusual. It’s expected.
And it doesn’t always mean something went wrong.
“It’s a tough time for a fan base because you do get emotional connections with players and then they’re gone,” Hodge said. “But a lot of times it’s not personal, there’s other layers to it.”
In many cases, those decisions come down to factors beyond the program itself, including opportunities and financial considerations.
That shift has pushed college basketball closer to a professional model, where movement is part of the system.
Building something that lasts
Even with that reality, Hodge still believes it’s possible to create meaningful connections within a roster.
That’s where identifying the right players becomes critical.
Those with winning experience not only understand the expectations, but they can help establish the culture for others.
“You’re just teaching them how we’re going to win together,” Hodge said.
For West Virginia, that philosophy is shaping how the program moves forward, one roster decision at a time.
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