West Virginia has settled on the 23rd head coach in the history of its men’s basketball program.
Sources told MetroNews Darian DeVries of Drake has reached an agreement to become the Mountaineers’ next head coach and the two sides are working to finalize a five-year contract of which terms have not been disclosed.
“Coach DeVries is a phenomenal basketball coach and an even better person and possesses all the qualities we desired in the next leader of our men’s basketball program,” WVU Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “His teams play hard and smart and are efficient on both ends of the floor. He has proven to be a strong recruiter and developer of players but even more importantly, a leader with integrity who develops character in the young men he coaches.
“I know that he and his wife, Ashley, and their children, Tucker and Tatum, will love and embrace West Virginians and West Virginians will love and embrace them. On behalf of the Mountaineer family, I want to welcome the DeVries family to Morgantown.”
DeVries will be formally introduced as West Virginia’s next coach Thursday in Morgantown.
“I’m honored to lead this historic program which has an outstanding tradition and passionate fanbase,” DeVries said. “Gamedays in the WVU Coliseum are legendary, and the incredible support for Mountaineer Basketball is known nationwide. I look forward to building on the success of the program.
“I would like to thank President Gee and Wren Baker for extending me this wonderful opportunity. My family and I are honored and thrilled to be a part of Mountaineer Nation. We have heard so many great things about West Virginia and its people, and we can’t wait to get there.”
DeVries, 48, was head coach of the Bulldogs the last six seasons and compiled a 150-55 record. He led Drake to the NCAA Tournament on three occasions and in each of the last two seasons, though his team never advanced beyond the first round.
A native of Aplington, Iowa, DeVries played at Northern Iowa before beginning his coaching career at Creighton, where he was on the staff for 20 seasons, including 17 as assistant coach. DeVries was with the Blue Jays until becoming a head coach for the first time at Drake in March 2018.
In his first season at Drake, DeVries helped the Bulldogs up their win total by seven from the year prior and they finished 24-10. Drake was 20-14 in DeVries’ second season, before breaking through to qualify for the NCAA Tournament with a 26-5 record in the 2020-21 campaign.
Drake finished 25-11 in DeVries’ fourth season, before reaching the NCAA Tournament each of the last two years with records of 27-8 and 28-7, respectively.
The Bulldogs won 20-plus games in all six of DeVries’ seasons, including 25 or more each of the last four years. It marked the first time in program history that Drake won 20 or more games five straight seasons.
DeVries’ 126 wins over the last five years are the most in any five-year stretch in Drake history, with the previous mark of 122 also held by DeVries from his first five seasons with the Bulldogs.
DeVries’ son, Tucker DeVries, was recently announced as the 11th repeat winner of The Larry Bird Trophy, presented annually the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
In three seasons of college basketball at Drake, Tucker DeVries has 1,867 points and 250 three-pointers. His scoring average has increased every year from 13.9 to 18.6 and most recently 21.6 as a junior.
In his playing days, Darian DeVries was a two-time captain at Northern Iowa and ranks as the program’s 31st all-time leading scorer with 1,084 points.