Story by
Year Two of the Ross Hodge Era Brings Higher Expectations: WVU Men’s Basketball 2026-27 Roster Breakdown
- Story by
- Year Two of the Ross Hodge Era Brings Higher Expectations: WVU Men’s Basketball 2026-27 Roster Breakdown
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ross Hodge of the West Virginia Mountaineers looks on during a college basketball exhibition game against the Maryland Terrapins at the Xfinity Center on October 18, 2026 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are now past Halloween in the calendar which means one thing: another basketball season is upon us. For the Mountaineers, this is one of the most anticipated basketball seasons I can remember since…2019?
Advertisement
For the first time since the Bob Huggins era, the program will have continuity at the head coach position. Ross Hodge is entering year two, fresh off a successful 21-14 campaign in his first year in Morgantown, which culminated winning the College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas over the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Mountaineers will have a mix of some familiar faces from last year's squad, while adding some new names and faces from both the transfer portal and the high school ranks. Let's breakdown the roster by position with names you need to know who are expected to make an impact this season so you can be in the know by tip-off for Monday night's game against Niagra!
Guards
Miles Sadler:The crown jewel of Hodge's recruiting class. Sadler is a 6"0 point guard out of Bella Vista and was a five star recruit coming out of high school. Sadler was actually the highest rated WVU recruit ever according to 247 sports. Sadler is a name Mountaineer fans are going to know pretty quickly as he is expected to get a ton of minutes right away and is expected to contribute from the jump for this Mountaineer team.
Advertisement
Amir Jenkins:Before Brennan Lorient was granted another year of eligibility and rejoined the program, Amir Jenkins was arguably the biggest player Hodge was able to retain from last year's team. As a freshman Jenkins logged 16 minutes a game before missing the postseason with a shoulder injury. Jenkins was able to get valuable experience playing against Big XII opponents last year and will be able to see his role expand this season as a sophomore
Finely Bizjack:While Sadler and Jenkins give the frontcourt youth and upside, Finley Bizjack is a transfer who will give this team some much needed experience. Bizjack was a transfer portal addition from Butler where he averaged 17 points per game. The 6"4 senior will give the Mountaineers a three point shooting threat and some secondary ballhandling capabilities. Bizjack has the shooting ability to take over stretches of a game and will open up the offense for the other four Mountaineers on a court. Much like Honor Huff before him, I think Bizjack will be a fan favorite.
Jonson Sanon:Outside of Bizjack, I think Jonson Sanon was another transfer that got the attention of a lot of people when he transferred to Morgantown. Sanon, the 6"5 junior, transferred from St. John's where he averaged nearly eight points per game and two rebounds. This is also Sanon's second stop in the Big XII as he spent his freshman year at Arizona State. Sanon will be some size and scoring to the frontcourt which will blend well in lineups in which Jenkins and/or Sadler are on the court.
Martin Somerville:Another experienced transfer in the frontcourt for Hodge and company. Martin Somerville, the 6"3 junior is a transfer from Florida State where he played in all 33 games for the Seminoles while averaging eight points, three rebounds, and two assists per game. I think Somerville will be a "do it all" type of guy for the Mountaineers this season. I think his approach will fit perfectly into what Hodge wants to do on defense and will come away with some big steals as he averaged 1.5 per game last season. I think he'll be able to lead the second unit and be a valuable bench player this season.
Advertisement
Forwards:
Brenen Lorient:In an unexpected turn of events, Brenen Lorient was able to be granted another year of eligibility, and while that may change again he is going to suit up and play until otherwise. After following Hodge from North Texas to West Virginia last year, Lorient was a key piece in last year's Mountaineer team. The 6"9 forward was healthy and started in every single game for the Mountaineers last season, while averaging just under 12 points a game with 5 rebounds. Lorient gave the Mountaineers a reliable offensive presence while providing suffocating defense as he led the team with 45 blocks. On paper, the 2026 Mountaineers looked like a good team WITHOUT Lorient in the picture. WITH B Lo back into the mix, it gives this Mountaineer team some much needed size and depth they need in order to compete in the Big XII.
Javan Buchanan:Just like Brenen Lorient, Javan Buchanan was granted another year of eligibility and until stated otherwise he is going to be a part of the team. Buchanan, the 6"7 transfer from Boise State was another key portal add for Hodge. He started 31 games for Boise State last year and gave the Mustangs 12 points and five rebounds a game. Before B Lo was able to rejoin the team, Buchanan was slated to take his role. Now with both of them in the fold, Hodge and company have two experienced forwards who can get a bucket when the team needs it while locking down the man in front of them on defense.
Seydou Traore:The Mountaineers stayed in the conference with this portal add. The 6"6 junior guard/forward spent last season at Utah where he averaged nine points, three rebounds, and two assists per game for the Utes. Traore is going to give the Mountaineers another experienced wing who has been battle tested in the Big XII.
Advertisement
Centers:
Amadou Seini:If Miles Sadler was the crown jewel of Ross Hodge's recruiting class, Amadou Seini is one heck of a throw in. The 7"1 freshman center was teammates with Sadler at Bella Vista Prep, and the Florida Academy is clearly becoming a pipeline to Morgantown. Seini gives the Mountaineers a true presence in the post, which is something they haven't had for quite a while. Being a freshman in the Big XII is tough, being a freshman center in this conference is tougher. Seini will make his biggest mark on this team on the boards, if he can get a ton of defensive rebounds as well as getting extra possessions from offensive rebounds he will be hard to take off the court.
Mouhamed Sylla:Another big (literally) portal addition for Hodge and company is the Goergia Tech transfer Mouhamed Sylla. Stop me if you heard this before, but the 6"10 sophomore played his high school ball at Bella Vista Prep. For Georgia Tech, Sylla averaged 9 points per game with seven rebounds. If he can get similar production and hold up defensively, he may prove to be the biggest (again literally) add to this team. They did not have consistent production from their bigs last year, Sylla can provide that while Seini can add upside.
The Rest:
Freshmen guards Keonte Greybearand Jelani McKoycould be factors as depth, as well as sophomore guard MJ Feenane. Freshman forward Max Olejaszwas a standout player for Wheeling Central high school, and freshman center Aliou Dioumis another player from Bella Vista Prep that could see his role expand as the season goes on.
Advertisement
Like I said, on paper this is a very intriguing roster. There is a ton to like here as there is a mix of playmaking, shooting, size, and athleticism. You also figure this should be a good defensive team based on who your head coach is. This is also a team I think that will get better as the season goes on. They have a tough non-conference schedule before heading into what should be another tough season in the Big XII.
I am excited to see year two under Ross Hodge, especially since West Virginia seems to finally (hopefully) have stability at head coach. This should be a very fun team to watch, and if things break right, be a team that leads this program back to the NCAA Tournament.
Basketball season is back! Mountaineer basketball is back! Let's enjoy what should be a fun season in Morgantown!
