Darian DeVries

Darian Dale DeVries (born April 7, 1975) is an American basketball coach who is currently the head men's basketball coach at Indiana. He was previously the head coach at Drake University from 2018 to 2024 and at West Virginia during the 2024–25 season.

Early life

DeVries was born and raised in Aplington, Iowa. The oldest of five siblings, he played basketball and football at Aplington High School for three years before graduating from the merged Aplington-Parkersburg High School in 1993.

Coaching history

Early career

DeVries played collegiately at Northern Iowa. After graduating, he joined Creighton University as a graduate manager in its men's basketball program. After three seasons as a graduate manager, DeVries was named assistant coach in 2001. He stayed with Creighton following the departure of Dana Altman and the hire of Greg McDermott.

Drake University

DeVries became a head coach for the first time when he accepted the job at former conference rival Drake in March 2018.Darian DeVries Named Drake Men's Basketball Head Coach
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DeVries' helped the Bulldogs program start the season with 9–2 record, the program's best open to a season since 2007–08. The Bulldogs win over Valparaiso Feb 16 was the team's 20th win of the season to mark the sixth 20-win season in program history. This accomplishment came after inheriting the second-fewest returning letterwinners in the nation.

Following that start, starting point guard and potential MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year candidate Nick Norton suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game of the MVC season. DeVries' team proceeded to win four of its next five games to move into a tie for third place in the league standings. At the close of the 2018–19 season, he was named MVC Coach of the Year.

In his next season, DeVries made history as the first coach to lead an 8-seed to a win over the 1-seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ("Arch Madness"), defeating UNI 77–56.

DeVries' success at Drake continued in the 2020–21 season where he took the team to a 18–0 start which included the Bulldogs' inclusion in the AP Top 25 poll. After losing two of their top players to injury, DeVries' led Drake to their first at-large NCAA Tournament bid in years, and their first NCAA tournament win in 50 years to the day with a win over former Valley foe Wichita State. DeVries was also named MVC Coach of the Year for the second time in three years. In March 2021, DeVries signed an 8-year contract extension with Drake, keeping him in Des Moines through the 2028–29 season.

DeVries achieved his 100th win on November 21, 2022, at the US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam against Tarleton State.

West Virginia

On March 24, 2024, West Virginia hired DeVries as its next head basketball coach, replacing interim coach Josh Eilert. DeVries was hired for $2.8 million, with a $100,000 increase each year. In his first and only year as the Mountaineers' head coach, DeVries led the team to a 19-13 record with a 10-10 record in Big 12 play. DeVries' son Tucker underwent surgery for an upper-body injury and played in only eight games. West Virginia was excluded from the 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, with West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey holding a press conference asking for an investigation into the selection process and stating "this was a miscarriage of justice and robbery at the highest levels."

Indiana

On March 18, 2025, DeVries was hired as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers after spending one year at West Virginia. The deal was reported to be for six years, with DeVries being paid nearly $5 million each season. In his introductory press conference, DeVries stated that he intended to stay with West Virginia and build on his first season, but that "the opportunity came along to possibly be the head coach at Indiana - a dream job for anyone - but especially for someone that grew up in the Midwest. The chance to lead one of the biggest brands in college basketball was something I could not pass up."

Personal life

DeVries is the older brother of former University of Iowa All-American and NFL defensive end Jared DeVries. The older of his two children, Tucker, played for him at Drake and West Virginia, and was named MVC Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024.

Head coaching record

References

External links

Drake University profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devries, Darian
1975 births
Living people
American men's basketball coaches
American men's basketball players
Basketball coaches from Iowa
Basketball players from Iowa
College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
Creighton Bluejays men's basketball coaches
Drake Bulldogs men's basketball coaches
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball coaches
Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball players
People from Butler County, Iowa
West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball coaches
20th-century American sportsmen