Indiana to hire Darian DeVries as its next head coach

Indiana is hiring West Virginia‘s Darian DeVries as its next head coach On3’s Joe Tipton confirmed. The news was first reported by Jeff Goodman. DeVries will replace Mike Woodson, who led the program for four seasons but, in February, announced he would be stepping away from the role at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.

DeVries only spent one season at West Virginia. The Mountaineers finished with a 19-13 overall record and a 10-10 mark in conference play this season.

West Virginia burst out the starting gates this season, picking up wins over Gonzaga and Arizona before December. However, disaster struck when Tucker DeVries, Darian’s son, was forced to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Tucker was averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 41.2% from beyond the field and a jaw-dropping 47.3% from beyond the arc. His injury was a major setback to West Virginia’s hot start.

Alas, Darian DeVries didn’t allow his team to wallow for long. West Virginia pushed forward, picking up several marquee wins throughout the season, including a 62-61 victory over Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse and a 64-57 triumph over Iowa State, which was ranked No. 2 in the country at the time.

Despite finishing the season with six Quad 1 wins, West Virginia was left out of the 68-team NCAA Tournament field. Many experts considered it the biggest snub of the selection process, and West Virginia’s governor announced he will be launching an investigation into the selection committee.

Before taking over at Indiana, Darian DeVries spent six seasons at the helm of Drake, where he amassed a 150-55 record, one regular-season conference title and two conference tournament championships. The Bulldogs made the NCAA Tournament in three of his six seasons.

For his efforts, he was named the MVC Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021. Now, DeVries will look to find similar success at Indiana.

The once perennial powerhouse has fallen on hard times in recent years. The Hoosiers have only earned a ticket to the Big Dance twice in the past eight seasons. Moreover, it’s been nearly a quarter of a century since they advanced past the Sweet Sixteen.

Nonetheless, Indiana’s roots are strong and DeVries has the opportunity to reinvigorate a worn-down fanbase. After all, IU is still one of the most storied programs in college basketball, boasting five national championships and eight Final Four appearances.

If Indiana fans are lucky, DeVries will hoist the program back onto the national stage where it enjoyed the limelight for so many years. He hasn’t had any trouble breathing life into programs that needed it in the past.