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After Huggins’ Exit, Interim Coach Josh Eilert Up For Challenge With Rebuilt Lineup At WVU

West Virginia had an offseason that no one hoped for. Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins is gone following a June drunken-driving arrest. Assistant Josh Eilert was named interim coach and worked to keep his roster from imploding.

West Virginia had an offseason that no one hoped for.

Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins is gone following a June drunken-driving arrest. Assistant Josh Eilert was named interim coach and worked feverishly to keep his roster from imploding because players had an emergency 30-day window to enter the transfer portal.

Several veteran players found new schools, others who had entered the portal stayed put and many newcomers arrived weeks after Huggins left. An August exhibition trip to Italy was postponed until next summer.

“It was a balancing act,” Eilert said. “It was a very delicate situation. First and foremost, I wanted to figure out who was all-in and I wanted to back them and let them know that they’re part of the foundation moving forward. And then slowly but surely as the 30 days came to a close, we’d start moving forward and putting those other pieces together and bringing those pieces in.”

On the wall of his office — Huggins’ old office — Eilert has a large photo of his introductory news conference. In the background is a reminder of his current situation: a TV graphic with the word “interim.”

In his view, Eilert, who was given a 10-month contract, is the head coach throughout the upcoming season, interim or not, and he wants to prove that he’s capable of building a program and having that tag removed.

“Now, is there a lot of pressure? Absolutely,” Eilert said. “But I’m excited to take on that challenge.”

OUT BEFORE THEY PLAYED

Once practices began, Eilert kicked graduate transfer guard Jose Perez off the team. Perez said on X, formerly Twitter, that his exit was over an academic disagreement involving study hall. Eilert said he set some non-negotiable rules during their first team meeting.

“I wasn’t going to compromise the integrity of the program and the culture of the program,” Eilert said.

After transferring from Manhattan, Perez sat out last season when the NCAA denied his waiver to play immediately. He transferred to Arizona State.

The NCAA also denied waiver requests by guards Omar Silverio and RaeQuan Battle. Silverio was Perez’s teammate at Manhattan but never played there and previously played at Hofstra. The Mountaineers planned to appeal the decision on Battle, who averaged 17.7 points last season at Montana State and previously played at Washington.

PROJECTING THE LINEUP

Only four players are back from last season’s roster.

The focus of the offense will be on Syracuse transfer center Jesse Edwards, who averaged 14.5 points and 10.3 rebounds last season. He’ll get plenty of looks from guard Kerr Kriisa, who averaged 10 points and five assists per game at Arizona.

After that, it gets tricky. In Battle’s place, the Mountaineers could turn to returning guards Seth Wilson and Kobe Johnson.

In the mix at forward are Georgetown transfer Akok Akok; Iona transfer Quinn Slazinski; freshman Ofri Naveh and veteran bench players Josiah Harris and Patrick Suemnick.

INTERNATIONAL LOOK

The roster has a considerable international flavor. For many of those foreign-born players, soccer was their first sport.

Edwards is from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Kriisa’s hometown is Tartu, Estonia. Akok, who grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, and backup center Ali Ragab are natives of Cairo, Egypt. Naveh is from Neot Golan, Israel.

“Yeah, it’s fun. Everybody’s got different cultures, different backgrounds,” Edwards said. “For the American guys, it might be something new, seeing all these dudes with different ideas and accents.”

THINKING OF HUGGS

Huggins signed Kriisa in April. Like others, Kriisa initially re-entered the portal after Huggins’ arrest, then decided he would remain with the Mountaineers.

“After everything went down, Bob told me that he’s going to be here for me. Whatever I need,” Kriisa said. “I felt that made me feel very comfortable, even though if he’s not around the team, he’s still going to be here in Morgantown and be here for me.”

THE SCHEDULE

West Virginia opens the season at home Nov. 6 against Missouri State. The Mountaineers start Big 12 play at No. 7 Houston on Jan. 6, host No. 18 Texas on Jan. 13, top-ranked Kansas on Jan. 20 and No. 20 Baylor on Feb. 17.

Kenova Pumpkins And Diminished Trust In Media On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, thousands of visitors from all over the region visit the small town of Kenova each year to see more than 3,000 pumpkins aglow for the Halloween weekend. Briana Heaney has the story.

On this West Virginia Morning, thousands of visitors from all over the region visit the small town of Kenova each year to see more than 3,000 pumpkins aglow for the Halloween weekend. Briana Heaney has the story.

Also, in this show, we are struggling with trust in America. Some people distrust our institutions and each other. Recently, Us & Them host Trey Kay partnered with West Virginia University (WVU) for a conversation on diminished trust in the media. His guests were Raney Aronson-Rath editor in chief of the PBS investigative journalism series Frontline – and June Cross, professor of journalism from Columbia University. We listen to an excerpt from that conversation.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.

Caroline MacGregor produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Us & Them: Diminished Trust In The News Media

We used to trust the news, but now some polls and surveys show that our confidence has eroded. Recently, the Us & Them team partnered with West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media for a conversation on diminished trust in journalism. Host Trey Kay spoke with Raney Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, and June Cross, director of the documentary journalism program at the Columbia Journalism School.

Trust is in short supply in America as social and political divides continue to erode our faith in our democratic republic. National surveys and polls show that people distrust each other as well as our government and institutions.

Us & Them Host Trey Kay recently partnered with West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media for a conversation focusing on diminished trust in journalism and the news media. He spoke with special guests Raney Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, and June Cross, director of the documentary journalism program at the Columbia Journalism School.

The panelists agreed that the rise of social media and the hollowing out of local news have been part of the problem. The event included thought-provoking audience questions and comments about who and what they trust. This episode of Us & Them draws from that live event as we figure out where to turn for reliable information.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council, and the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

Professor June Cross (left) of the Columbia Journalism School and Raney Aronson-Rath (center) editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, speak with Us & Them Host Trey Kay at West Virginia University.

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

Raney Aronson-Rath is editor-in-chief and executive producer of Frontline, PBS’s flagship investigative journalism series. She is a leading voice on the future of journalism. Under her leadership, Frontline has won every major award in broadcast journalism.

*Courtesy Photo*

June Cross is Columbia University’s Fred W. Friendly, professor of media and society, and director of the Documentary Journalism Program. Her work has been awarded with the highest honors in broadcast journalism, and her career has highlighted stories of the dispossessed and the intersection of race, politics, and public health. She joined the Columbia Journalism School in 2001, and she is now a tenured faculty member.

*Courtesy Photo*

“We’ve heard from many people who say that the erosion in public trust in America is an existential threat to our democratic republic. We believe this is *the* issue of our times.” — Trey Kay, *Us & Them* host

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

An audience of students, faculty and community members from throughout West Virginia came to West Virginia University’s Reynolds Hall to listen to a discussion about diminished trust in the news media and journalism.

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

I’m 18 and journalism has been so skewed for my whole life. My political consciousness kind of was there during the Trump presidency, and we know that since then the media has been so biased… Have you noticed any trends of apathy or ignorance among teenagers in my generation towards politics and current events? Because we just don’t care what the media has to say, because it’s been so bad.” — West Virginia University student

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

“I want to talk to you about the role and impact of technology and journalism. Should journalists be rushing towards new technologies? And what about also the impact of AI [Artificial Intelligence]? Raney, you said that you know journalists are trained to be able to distinguish reality from fake. What if we are soon or if not already in that time where we genuinely cannot tell what is true and what is not?” — Prof. Robert Quick, director of Marshall University’s W. Page Pitt School of Journalism & Mass Communications

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

“My trust in West Virginia media was diminished after the West Virginia Broadcasters Association and West Virginia media, including Public Broadcasting, changed the debate rules to exclude third party candidates. How do we restore our faith that we can return to a structure where outside voices and not just the two corporate parties have a seat at the table?” — Joel Brown, West Virginia University staff

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

“There is something to be said that we’ve splintered and that we’re getting news from TikTok instead of just the CBS Nightly News. That it’s not just Walter Cronkite, it’s a variety of voices that are doing this online. But at the same time, you both also mentioned that, that part of this splintering and this distrust resulted as a [democratizing of] the media ecosystem since more and more people have entered. And so I’m wondering, is part of restoring faith in the media, actually restoring some sense of gatekeepers?” — Amy Eddings, reporter from Ideastream Public Media in Cleveland, OH

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

“When do the individuals that are beholden to media, have a love for media and actually care about the reputation of media, begin to step in and say, ‘For the integrity of my profession, I need to show some authenticity and fix how we as a profession are seen, not the problems of the world per se, but how we conduct ourselves in this profession?’” — Meshea Poore, vice president for West Virginia University’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

*Credit: Julie Blackwood*

WVU President Gee Highlights Path Forward, Hints At More Cuts

President Gordon Gee hinted at more cuts for West Virginia University in his State of the University Address Monday.

Gee opened his remarks by acknowledging the impacts of the Academic Transformation process that has cut dozens of programs and close to 150 faculty positions.

He highlighted several of the university’s successes, including a national astronomy award and increased freshman retention rates before returning to the issue of the university’s budget deficit.

WVU is facing a $45 million budget shortfall, and Gee said the 2024 budget was designed to to reduce expenses by around $21 million.

“The academic program review process, we are estimating the university will yield around $17.3 million in savings by fiscal year 27 after phased retirements and teach-out plans run the record,” he said. “However, the majority of savings will be realized in fiscal year 25.”

Reviews of WVU’s Beckley and Keyser campuses, as well as WVU Extension, are slated for January 2024.

Gee said the cuts are setting the university on a course to become the modern land-grant university of the future by focusing on “four priorities within the pillars of education, health, prosperity and purpose.”

“We will serve as the great connector — building partnerships that drive industry, education and public sector growth,” Gee said. “And we will create the great public square our society so desperately needs, providing a safe and nurturing place for civil discourse and debate for all ideas.”

Gee also highlighted an effort to expand access to the university by increasing the number of students who graduate with zero debt. He said about 45 percent of May 2023 graduates earning bachelor’s degrees completed their education with zero debt.

WVU Professor Indicted For Fraud

Forty-one-year-old Xinjian “Kevin” He is accused of embezzling federal grant funds from WVU’s management and industrial systems engineering department where he worked as an assistant editor.

A former West Virginia University (WVU) professor has been indicted on two counts of federal program fraud for embezzling university grant money.

Forty-one-year-old Xinjian “Kevin” He is accused of embezzling federal grant funds from WVU’s management and industrial systems engineering department where he worked as an assistant editor.

He is alleged to have used the money for his personal use to buy clothing, furniture, electronics and other items.

According to U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, He embezzled $8,360 between March and November 2018 and $16,997 between November 2018 and November 2019.

The indictment was originally returned in 2020 but it was sealed by authorities after He fled the country. The former WVU professor was arrested this year on Sept. 26 in New York after he was caught entering the U.S. from Canada.

If convicted, He faces up to 10 years in prison on each count of fraud.

Friends Across The Political Divide And Keeping The Nations Voter Rolls Clean, This West Virginia Week

On this West Virginia Week, mental health continues to be in the spotlight with federal funds set aside to help finance multiple West Virginia programs. We’ll also hear statistics from the recent mass distribution of the lifesaving Naloxone drug.

On this West Virginia Week, mental health continues to be in the spotlight with federal funds set aside to help finance multiple West Virginia programs. We’ll also hear statistics from the recent mass distribution of the lifesaving Naloxone drug. And, more on West Virginia University and how faculty and students continue to grapple with widespread funding cuts.

There’s also good news for customers of Mountaineer Gas who can expect to see lower bills, and there’s new efforts to expand green technology in the state.

We’ll also hear feature stories about science fiction and technology writer Corey Doctorow and ERIC – the Electronic Registration Information Center, and in this week’s US & Them we’ll hear how two friends manage to keep their relationship intact across the political divide.

Caroline MacGregor is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Caroline MacGregor, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Liz McCormick, and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.