Since his move to the Mountain State, newly named WVU head coach Ross Hodge has made a statement in the transfer portal.
From his earliest transfer, Harlan Obioha from UNC-Wilmington, to his most recent pickup, Chance Moore from St. Bonaventure, Hodge’s moves have simply fit West Virginia. However, these transfers have taken the spotlight off of one former college basketball player who joined Hodge’s coaching staff.
Phil Forte joined the North Texas coaching staff on April 17, 2023 and was Hodge’s assistant coach. Prior to North Texas, Forte held the same role at Sam Houston and Saint Louis. In Forte’s first season on staff for the Mean Green, North Texas won 19 total games and reached the second round of the NIT Tournament. This was also the first year North Texas was in the American Athletic Conference, where they ended 10-8 in conference play, making Hodge’s staff the winningest first-year North Texas staff ever.
The name Phil Forte may sound familiar to Mountaineer fans due to his success on the court. His true freshman performance against the Mountaineers established himself early on as a force to be reckoned with at Oklahoma State. The 5-foot-11 Guard became one of the greatest players to grace the hardwood of Gallagher-Iba Arena. In 2013, Forte set the school record for three-pointers made by a freshman, tallying 68 total shots made from beyond the arc and double figures seventeen times, including two 20-point games. The second of which was his a career high 26-point outing against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
The success Forte experienced in his freshman season carried over to his sophomore season as Forte dominated West Virginia yet again in their Big 12 matchup. This time he did so on the defensive side of the ball, recording five steals in that matchup alone. Forte did not cool down on the offensive side of the ball, tallying nine games with 20 points or more. Forte collected notable accolades, becoming the first ever Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and being named to a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection.
To end his collegiate career, Forte set the Oklahoma State record for three-pointers made, making 329 shots from beyond the arc on 832 attempts. Over his college career, Forte racked up a total of 1,792 points, ranking him sixth on Oklahoma State’s all-time scoring list. Forte finished his career with an 88.3% free-throw percentage, the second best in school history, and he led the Cowboys to four NCAA Tournament appearances in four years. Over his time at Oklahoma State, he did all of that playing in only 135 games, eight of which were against the Mountaineers.
Phil Forte’s legacy at Oklahoma State is defined not just by records but by a relentless work ethic, clutch shooting, and unwavering leadership. Alongside Ross Hodge, Forte looks to bring some of those values to his new team at West Virginia University.
