WVSports.com continues with our popular feature: The 3-2-1. We'll break down three things we learned that week, two questions we have and give one prediction.
Here is the next installment of the 3-2-1, looking at the West Virginia football program, the latest on basketball and what’s happening in recruiting.
3 things I learned:
1–West Virginia wins their first outright Big 12 baseball regular season title. The Mountaineer didn't win the battle Thursday night against Kansas, falling 3-0. But the program certainly did win the war, at least in the regular season, by claiming the 2025 league crown after Arizona State fell to Oklahoma State 6-2.
It's the second Big 12 championship for the Mountaineers after sharing the crown in 2023, but this one hits a little different, being an outright title.
There were high expectations for this baseball team heading into the season and Steve Sabins and the club certainly surpassed those at this stage of the year. Quite the debut year for the new skipper and the winning percentage locks the Mountaineers into the first overall seed in the Big 12 Conference tournament that begins this week.
"No mixed emotions for me because winning is really hard, and life can be hard. Winning titles at West Virginia in a 14-team league that is not a mixed feeling for me. That's a beautiful thing," Sabins said.
A well-earned finish for a team that was picked fourth in the league's pre-season poll and for the most part simply took care of business. The Mountaineers were able to accomplish this despite competing against some teams that have better recruiting areas, bigger budgets and some with better tradition so it deserves to be celebrated.
But now, the focus shifts to trying to close things out strong and attempt to put themselves in position to potentially host a regional which would create an electric atmosphere in Morgantown for a program that continues to grow. While it’s been tough sledding of late but you can’t take away that championship from this team.
2–Five assistants now in place. West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge has completed his coaching staff at least in regards to on-the-court assistants with the hiring of Johnny Estelle and Andre Shaw now made official.
Those two names shouldn't come as any surprise if you've been reading both the Blue Lot message board or this column in recent weeks as we reported the hires would be made April 25 for Estelle and April 28 for Shaw.
Still, those two now join what was already in place with assistant Jase Herl, assistant Phil Forte and assistant Mike Randle already being added to the staff.
That makes all five of the assistants ones that have worked for Hodge at North Texas since he was elevated to the head coaching role in Denton in 2023.
Hodge had at least at least $1,750,000 to allocate to the assistant coaches and support staff and this collection of coaches will cost the program $1,300,000, which still provides plenty of leeway when it comes to adding other positions.
It's important for Hodge to have the leeway to construct a coaching staff that he trusts and believes in as he makes the jump to the high major level and clearly that is already established with this group after working together for two seasons.
3–No football roster movement. For the first time since the Mountaineers added a total of 25 players from April 17 to May 4, the football program didn't add any commitments for the 2025 season. That isn't necessarily surprising as we're rapidly approaching when the team will reconvene for the summer May 27.
Still, it's important to note that even with that being said this roster build likely isn't over just yet. The program could still use some help at a few areas and that will likely continue if the right fits come available between now and when the season kicks off Aug. 30 against Robert Morris.
