Huntington Prep, or Huntington St. Joseph Prep, is a basketball-focused college preparatory school located in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 2009 by Head Coach, Rob Fulford and Associate Head Coach, Arkell Bruce. In 2014 Coach Fulford accepted a job as an assistant coach at the Univeristy of Missouri, and Coach Bruce became Huntingon Prep’s second head coach.
BASKETBALL PROGRAM
Huntington Prep is one a perennial top ten basketball programs in the nation and is home to some of the top high school level players in the world, including 2013 graduate Andrew Wiggins.
All students are considered NCAA Division I prospects and are recruited by some of the top programs in the country. They practice and live in Huntington, WV, with home games played at St. Joseph HS and the local Big Sandy Superstore Arena for bigger matchups. Formerly “H-PREP” played at the now demolished Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse.
THE NICKNAME AND OTHER SPORTS
The team’s nickname was the “Express” which was a derivative of the nickname of the former Huntington High School, “Pony Express”, and the city’s railroad heritage. (The current Huntington High is a consolidation of the original Huntington High and Huntington East High School, and took East’s nickname of “Highlanders”.) Huntington Prep has now changed their nickname to the “Fighting Irish”, the same as St. Joe’s other teams.
St. Joseph also fields a boys varsity and boys JV team, and a girls varsity and JV team in basketball. The girls team has won 5 state championships in a row in WV Class A.
SCHOOL COLORS
The school colors are Carolina Blue and yellow and the team is under contract with Nike.
TRAINING FACILITIES
Marshall University Rec Center – Training Facilities
- 4 college-regulation courts
- Swimming pool w/ multiple lanes and a hot tub
- 37-foot rock climbing wall
- Boxing/Martial Arts room
Marshall Rec Courts
- 4 College Regulation Courts
- During season players get acclimated to practicing and conditioning on a college court
- Off-season players build chemistry by playing pick-up games together
Marshall Rec Aquatics Center
- Includes multiple swimming lanes and a hot tub
- Players often enjoy after practice/workout swims
DEMOGRAPHICS
Players on this years team hail from Canada, USA, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana and Spain.
Past countries represented include Russia, Mali, Senegal, Serbia, Turkey, and Benin.
COACHES
The team is coached by West Virginia natives Arkell Bruce and Jeremy Grubbs, along with Huntington Prep alum Herve Aholode. All have either coached or played at the college level. The strength coaches are Chris Lane and Mike Callanan.
2016 – 17 TEAM TRAINING SCHEDULE
Sunday
5:00pm Study Hall @ St. Joseph High School
6:00pm Workout @ St. Joseph High School
Monday & Wednesday
3:30pm Study Hall @ St.Joseph High School
4:30-6:30pm Workout & Pick up games @ Marshall University Rec Center
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
3:30-4:30pm Weights @ Marshall University Rec Center
4:30-6:30pm Workout & Pick up games @ Marshall University Rec Center
Saturday– off
TOP DOCTORS & PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
Top Doctors & Physical Therapists
- H-Prep athletes receive elite care from Huntington’s top orthopedic doctors & physical therapists
- Scott Orthopedic Center
- Riverside Physical Therapy
- Haught Chiropractic Center
- “The best ability is availability!”