Darian DeVries: Indiana is “One of the Top Jobs in America”

Darian DeVries has officially left WVU basketball and accepted the job as head coach at Indiana.

IU made the official announcement shortly after reports of DeVries’s departure started surfacing on social media Tuesday evening.

Welcome to Indiana, Coach DeVries! pic.twitter.com/Hy8y6q3MLd

— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) March 18, 2025

In an introductory statement, DeVries called Indiana one of the best jobs in college basketball.

“This is unquestionably one of the top jobs in America,” DeVries said in a statement released by IU. “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.”

The Indiana job was open after Mike Woodson stepped down as IU’s coach following the season after four years leading the Hoosiers. IU went 19-13 this season and is one of several teams that felt they got snubbed from the NCAA Tournament, like West Virginia.

DeVries, 49, leaves after just one season in Morgantown, leading the Mountaineers to a 19-13 (10-10 Big 12) record this season, just missing out on a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Under DeVries, West Virginia pulled off marquee upset wins over Gonzaga, Kansas and Iowa State, who were all ranked in the top 10. WVU’s win at Kansas this season was the program’s first-ever victory in Allen Fieldhouse.

“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,” IU athletic director Scott Dolson said. “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’s departure casts a shadow of doubt on the immediate future for WVU basketball. His son, standout senior Tucker DeVries, is expected to follow his father to play his final year at Indiana after receiving a medical redshirt this season.

Of the players that could potentially return to WVU, freshman standout Jonathan Powell already intended to enter the transfer portal even prior to this news. Major rotation pieces Amani Hansberry, Sencire Harris and KJ Tenner as well as redshirting underclassmen Dylan Jay, Ofri Naveh and Abraham Oyeadier could all also be on the move.

WVU’s strong recruiting class is also put into jeopardy. DeVries had signed four-star prospects Braydon Hawthorne, Kelvin Odih and Trent MacLean in the 2025 class.