Indiana named Darian DeVries its next head basketball coach on Tuesday, selecting the highly-regarded coach of West Virginia as it tries to restore the program into a national contender.
DeVries, 49, spent one season coaching the Mountaineers after a strong six-year stint at Drake.
Indiana announced in February that coach Mike Woodson would step down at the end of the Hoosiers’ season after four seasons in the role. Indiana went 82-53 in Woodson’s tenure and missed the past two NCAA Tournaments.
DeVries was born and raised in Iowa and was thought to be a candidate for the Hawkeyes’ opening, but he expressed high regard for the Hoosiers in a statement Tuesday.
“This is unquestionably one of the top jobs in America,” DeVries said. “As someone who grew up in the Midwest loving the game of basketball, I’ve always admired the IU Basketball program for its championship-level success, tradition and fan support. There’s a passion to succeed at the very highest levels both within the Big Ten and in the NCAA Tournament, and that’s a desire that as a coach I share.
“On top of that, the alignment is there on a department and university level to make that happen. I’m excited for this opportunity and am ready to work relentlessly to assemble a staff and a roster that competes for championships.”
In his lone season at West Virginia, DeVries coached the team to a 19-13 record featuring surprise wins over Gonzaga, Kansas and Iowa State. It was a shock to many that the Mountaineers were listed as the first team out of the NCAA Tournament field (Indiana was the second team out).
DeVries took over in Morgantown after leading Drake to six straight 20-win seasons, including two Missouri Valley tournament championships and three NCAA Tournament bids in his last four years there.
As a Division I head coach, DeVries is 169-68.
“We went into this coaching search with some very specific things we were looking for in our next head coach, and Darian emerged as someone who, on paper, met and often exceeded our criteria,” Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said in a statement. “Once we had a chance to talk to him, we knew we had the right person.
“Darian has a plan for building a championship culture that can compete at the highest level on a year-in, year-out basis. He has extensive D-1 coaching experience that includes 15 trips to the NCAA Tournament as a head coach or as an assistant. … We are excited to welcome Darian and the entire DeVries family to our Hoosier family.”
Tucker DeVries, son of the coach, is expected to follow his father to Indiana. Tucker DeVries’ season was cut short at West Virginia due to a shoulder injury. He was a two-time Missouri Valley Player of the Year at Drake before following his dad to West Virginia.
–Field Level Media
