WVU Men’s Basketball is getting forward Brenen Lorient back for the 2026-27 season, per On3, following the ruling in the Wisne v. NCAA lawsuit. Read more: Brenen Lorient returning to WVU Men’s Basketball; other court updates.
The ruling, issued by Judge Charlotte Sweeney in the Colorado District Court, required the NCAA to grant athletes from the 2022 high school recruiting class a fifth year of eligibility.
The NCAA immediately appealed the ruling that was made on July 31, but Sweeney declined it. The NCAA is still actively trying to appeal the decision.
Lorient, who graduated from Calvary Christian Academy in Florida in 2022, is just one of many who have taken advantage of the ruling by returning to college athletics.
Various court battles
The Wisne v. NCAA lawsuit opened the door for Lorient to return, but he and Javan Buchanan took extra measures to ensure their return in the event the Colorado ruling is overturned.
Both players filed their own lawsuit against the NCAA in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. It seeks “temporary, preliminary, permanent, and declaratory relief.”
Related: Lorient, Buchanan file lawsuit against NCAA, seeking fifth season of eligibility
While Lorient is reportedly set to return, the battle rolls on for Buchanan. The latter already had a waiver denied by the NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility.
Buchanan believes the “Five-for-Five” rule should apply to him, to. This is because he played two years at the NAIA level with Indiana Wesleyan before playing D1 with Boise State.
Buchanan has yet to play in the old gold and blue, but was picked up by WVU in the transfer portal this offseason.
Coach Hodge and Lorient share history, dating back to time before WVU
WVU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ross Hodge stated in a recent press conference that he has remained in communication with the process for Buchanan and has been supportive of the return of both him and Lorient.
Read more: Takeaways from Ross Hodge’s summer press conference
Before WVU, Lorient played for Hodge during the 2024-25 season, his last season as the head coach of North Texas.
When Hodge was hired to be the head coach of WVU ahead of the 2025-26 season, Lorient entered the transfer portal and joined the Mountaineers with Hodge.
Lorient and North Texas under Hodge made a run in the 2025 NIT making it all the way to the semifinals.
Lorient also earned American Athletic Conference First Team All-Conference honors. He was also named the AAC Sixth Man of the Year in his lone season with the Mean Green.
More about Lorient
If the return of Lorient becomes official and Buchanan is also approved to return, that would bring the WVU Men’s Basketball roster to 15 players. The roster is currently at 14 and still lists Buchanan.
Lorient started all 34 games he played in this past season at WVU. He averaged 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
This past season, he led the Mountaineers in blocked shots with 45.
In the College Basketball Crown, Lorient scored 14 points against Stanford and 15 points against Creighton and Oklahoma, respectively. WVU won the tournament championship against Oklahoma in overtime, 89-82.
Lorient was named to the College Basketball Crown All-Tournament Team.
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