University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Ben Stewart
Hodge Presenting At TABC Virtual Clinic
5/15/2020 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON — North Texas associate head men's basketball coach Ross Hodge will be a presenter this Saturday at 1 p.m. CT in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches virtual clinic "implementing change."
Hodge will be discussing the Mean Green basketball team's defense that was critical in its run to the 2020 Conference USA regular season championship and finishing with a program-best 14-4 league record.
Hodge and head coach Grant McCasland's staff won the title in just their third year at North Texas. Since arriving in Denton in March of 2017, defense has been the focus and Hodge has been crucial to the Mean Green's defensive strategies, which each year are ranked as one of the best in C-USA and in the nation.
If you'd like to book a spot to hear Hodge click here
Along with posting a program-best 14-4 league record, North Texas' guard Javion Hamlet was named the league's player of the year. It was the first time in 31 years UNT had a player named to that honor. Furthermore, McCasland and the staff were named C-USA Coach of the Year after the season. It was the first time a Mean Green head coach had earned league coach of the year honors since 1989.
Recognition is nothing new for Hodge, he is thought of as one of the best assistant coaches in the nation as success has followed him everywhere he goes.
Immediately following his graduation from Texas A&M Commerce in 2003, Hodge began his coaching career with the Lions where they won a Lone Star Conference title in 2005.
In 2006 he became the head coach at Paris Junior College and began a five-year run where he compiled a 146-24 overall record as PJC and Midland Junior College's head coach. With PJC, he won two Texas Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season championships and in 2006-07 he was named the conference coach of the year. The following season, Hodge earned Region 14 Coach of the Year honors after his team won the Region 14 Tournament and finished eighth in the NJCAA Tournament. In his two-year stint with Midland College, Hodge guided the Chaparrals to an impressive 63-7 (.900) record and coached eventual San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic guard Jonathon Simmons. Hodge saw his 2010-11 squad post a 33-4 record while winning the Western Junior College Athletics Conference Title, the Region V Tournament championship and advance to the NJCAA Championship game. In his first season (2009-10), following McCasland's departure to Midwestern State, Hodge led Midland College to their best start in program history (26-0) and an appearance in the Region V Tournament title game.
Hodge joined the Division I coaching ranks when he was hired by Larry Eustachy as an assistant coach at Southern Miss prior to the 2011-12 season. The Golden Eagles posted a 25-9 overall record and a 11-5 league record. Southern Miss received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament as an eighth seed.
Hodge then headed to Colorado State with Eustachy where they'd lead the Rams to a four-year stretch with 87 wins, the most in program history. CSU went 26-9 in 2012-13, bowing out in the third round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual champion Louisville. The Rams led the nation in rebound margin (+11.9) and ranked 31st in scoring margin (+9.3) and Colorado State entered the national polls for the first time since 1954.
Colorado State posted a program-best 27-7 record in 2014-15, concluding the year with an NIT appearance.
Hodge was named a top-five assistant coach in the Mountain West conference by Next Up Recruits in 2013.
In 2016 Hodge joined McCasland at Arkansas State for a one year stint before the entire staff moved to Denton in 2017.
Hodge will be discussing the Mean Green basketball team's defense that was critical in its run to the 2020 Conference USA regular season championship and finishing with a program-best 14-4 league record.
Hodge and head coach Grant McCasland's staff won the title in just their third year at North Texas. Since arriving in Denton in March of 2017, defense has been the focus and Hodge has been crucial to the Mean Green's defensive strategies, which each year are ranked as one of the best in C-USA and in the nation.
If you'd like to book a spot to hear Hodge click here
Along with posting a program-best 14-4 league record, North Texas' guard Javion Hamlet was named the league's player of the year. It was the first time in 31 years UNT had a player named to that honor. Furthermore, McCasland and the staff were named C-USA Coach of the Year after the season. It was the first time a Mean Green head coach had earned league coach of the year honors since 1989.
Recognition is nothing new for Hodge, he is thought of as one of the best assistant coaches in the nation as success has followed him everywhere he goes.
Immediately following his graduation from Texas A&M Commerce in 2003, Hodge began his coaching career with the Lions where they won a Lone Star Conference title in 2005.
In 2006 he became the head coach at Paris Junior College and began a five-year run where he compiled a 146-24 overall record as PJC and Midland Junior College's head coach. With PJC, he won two Texas Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season championships and in 2006-07 he was named the conference coach of the year. The following season, Hodge earned Region 14 Coach of the Year honors after his team won the Region 14 Tournament and finished eighth in the NJCAA Tournament. In his two-year stint with Midland College, Hodge guided the Chaparrals to an impressive 63-7 (.900) record and coached eventual San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic guard Jonathon Simmons. Hodge saw his 2010-11 squad post a 33-4 record while winning the Western Junior College Athletics Conference Title, the Region V Tournament championship and advance to the NJCAA Championship game. In his first season (2009-10), following McCasland's departure to Midwestern State, Hodge led Midland College to their best start in program history (26-0) and an appearance in the Region V Tournament title game.
Hodge joined the Division I coaching ranks when he was hired by Larry Eustachy as an assistant coach at Southern Miss prior to the 2011-12 season. The Golden Eagles posted a 25-9 overall record and a 11-5 league record. Southern Miss received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament as an eighth seed.
Hodge then headed to Colorado State with Eustachy where they'd lead the Rams to a four-year stretch with 87 wins, the most in program history. CSU went 26-9 in 2012-13, bowing out in the third round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual champion Louisville. The Rams led the nation in rebound margin (+11.9) and ranked 31st in scoring margin (+9.3) and Colorado State entered the national polls for the first time since 1954.
Colorado State posted a program-best 27-7 record in 2014-15, concluding the year with an NIT appearance.
Hodge was named a top-five assistant coach in the Mountain West conference by Next Up Recruits in 2013.
In 2016 Hodge joined McCasland at Arkansas State for a one year stint before the entire staff moved to Denton in 2017.
Players Mentioned
Guard
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