The Mountaineers will have a roster that is fairly different in comparison to the one that was seen last year. Of the five starters from last year, none of them are on the team this year.
With that comes a brand new lineup, here is a breakdown of the Mountaineers new frontcourt.
Returning to the Mountaineers frontcourt are Josiah Harris and Pat Suemnick, both of whom had sporadic appearances throughout the entirety of the season.
In the offseason, the Mountaineers hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in several new names, especially for the frontcourt.
Jesse Edwards:
Edwards was the Mountaineers main target when addressing the frontcourt in the portal this offseason. Edwards, a fifth year senior coming in at 6 ’11 and 240 pounds, spent the previous four years at Syracuse before transferring to West Virginia for his last year of eligibility. Last season at Syracuse, Edwards averaged 14.5 points and 10 rebounds with nearly 3 blocks a game to go with that.
Ali Ragab:
Ali Ragab was announced as a member of the roster just a month ago. The 7‘0 center spent the previous two seasons at Gannon University before transferring to West Virginia to join the team as a walk-on. In his two years at Gannon, Ragab averaged 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds a game. Ragab was brought in mostly to be a practice player, but still a valuable addition for the Mountaineers.
Ofri Naveh:
Ofri Naveh is the youngest member of not just the Mountaineers frontcourt, but also the Mountaineers roster, being the only true freshman on the roster. Naveh, a 6’6 forward, joins the Mountaineers as an international player from Israel. Naveh spent the summer playing for the Israel U18 team, averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds in seven games.
Quinn Slazinksi:
Slazinski joins the Mountaineers as a fifth year senior, having spent the previous four years at Louisville and then Iona. Last season for Iona, Slazinski averaged 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in the seven games he played before an injury ended his season. Prior to his time in college, Slazinski attended Huntington Prep in West Virginia.
Akok Akok:
A name that some Mountaineer fans may remember from Akok’s time at UConn when the Huskies came to Morgantown in 2021. Akok was a late transfer portal addition for the Mountaineers, earning his commitment just before classes started. A fifth year senior, Akok spent three years at UConn before transferring for Georgetown where he spent last season, averaging 6.5 points and 6.2 rebounds.
