Big news coming out of the WVU Tech men's basketball program: Head coach Corey Acord is officially here to stay. The Golden Bears have removed the interim tag from Acord's title, solidifying his role as the program's leader moving forward.

A proud Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, Acord took to social media last week to share his gratitude for the opportunity. "First off, I want to thank President (T. Ramon) Stuart, Athletic Director Kenny Howell, and the hiring committee for allowing me to continue to lead this program," he wrote. "It's a great feeling to know that the values and vision of the university align with where we want to go as a basketball program. Your belief in me and the staff will never be taken for granted."

Acord's journey to the helm of the Golden Bears is a testament to hard work and loyalty. After earning his master's degree in sport management from West Virginia University in 2015, he landed his first coaching gig in 2020 as an assistant under then-head coach James Long. When Long departed for the University of Charleston, Acord stayed on staff with new head coach George Wilmore in 2022. When Wilmore left for the private sector last summer, Acord stepped up as interim head coach in August.

During his five seasons as an assistant, the Golden Bears built an impressive 85-50 overall record and a 39-28 mark in the River States Conference. The highlight came in the Covid-abbreviated 2021 season, when they won the RSC Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Last season presented a unique challenge. Left with a depleted roster, Acord had to rebuild from the ground up. The Golden Bears finished 11-16 overall and 8-8 in conference play, but they fought hard to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament. In a thrilling first-round matchup against Indiana-Kokomo, Tech trailed by 15 at halftime before mounting a fierce comeback. They took a 65-64 lead with under three minutes to play, but the Cougars reclaimed the advantage and held on for a 76-71 victory.

Now, with the interim tag removed, Acord is ready to build on that momentum. "To Golden Bear fans, know that you will have a program that loves to compete, values getting better every day on and off the court, and takes pride in making the university proud," he said. "We have some great young men in our program coming back from last season and have more on the way. Looking forward to a great 2026-27 season."