Rival Head Coach Leaves After One Year for Indiana Job

West Virginia head basketball coach Darian DeVries spent just one year with the WVU basketball program before taking the Indiana head coaching job.

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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.

Mike Woodson stepped down as Indiana’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’s name was brought up in several coaching rumors this offseason, beginning with the vacancy at Iowa. Those rumors were dismissed, but DeVries’ was quickly linked with Indiana shortly after.

DeVries’s departure casts a shadow of doubt on the immediate future for WVU basketball. His son, standout senior Tucker DeVries, will almost certainly follow his father to play his final year 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.

Pitt beat West Virginia 86-62 in DeVries’ lone Backyard Brawl contest, this past season.