Indiana men’s basketball is hiring Darian DeVries as its new head coach, Indiana Athletics announced in a press release Tuesday. DeVries takes over for Mike Woodson, who stepped down after four years at the helm.
"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 the release. "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."
DeVries joins the Hoosiers after one season as West Virginia University’s head coach, during which the Mountaineers went 19-13 and were the first team excluded from the NCAA Tournament. Dolson noted in the release West Virginia finished last in the Big 12 before DeVries took over, and he more than doubled its win total in his first season.
Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said DeVries has demonstrated that he embraces Indiana's elite standard in everything from academics to athletics.
"In fact, he has a well-established track record of elevating programs to new levels of success," Whitten said in the release. "This is a great day for IU Men’s Basketball and Indiana University."
DeVries, who hails from Aplington, Iowa, said he has always admired Indiana basketball for its championship-level success, tradition and fan support.
“This is unquestionably one of the top jobs in America," DeVries said in the release. "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."
Before his brief stop at West Virginia, DeVries spent six years as the head coach at Drake University. He led the Bulldogs to three NCAA Tournament appearances, two Missouri Valley Conference tournament championships and one regular season conference title. DeVries earned Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021.
The 49-year-old compiled a 150-55 record at Drake, and he won at least 20 games each season. DeVries owns a 1-3 record in the NCAA Tournament, with his lone win coming over Wichita State on March 18, 2021, in the First Four.
DeVries started his coaching career as a graduate manager at Creighton University in 1998. He held the role until 2001, when he became an assistant on the Bluejays’ staff. DeVries remained an assistant at Creighton through 2018, when he left for Drake.
Before entering the coaching industry, DeVries played point guard at the University of Northern Iowa from 1994-98. He started 65 of his 108 appearances, averaging 10 points, 2.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game for his career. As a senior in 1997-98, DeVries scored 12.6 points and dished 3.1 assists per game while shooting 43.9% on 3-pointers.
DeVries is the 31st head coach in Indiana men’s basketball history. His two most recent predecessors — Woodson and Archie Miller — each lasted only four seasons. Woodson led Indiana to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, but the Hoosiers have won only two games in March Madness over the past nine years.
Indiana went 19-13 this past season and hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since the 2022-23 season.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball offseason.
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to properly reflect the name of Drake University’s athletic conference.
