The Mike Woodson era at Indiana came to an end with a loss to Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament, despite many expecting the team from Bloomington to make the NCAA Tournament field. However, the selection committee had other ideas, leaving Indiana out of the tournament.
After Woodson’s announcement that he would step down at the end of the season, Indiana began the search for a new head coach. They chose Darian DeVries, who had been the West Virginia coach for just one year before moving to Indiana.
“At the start, my plan was to continue building on the progress we made in my first year. But when the opportunity to potentially become the head coach at Indiana arose—a dream job for anyone, especially for someone who grew up in the Midwest watching Big 8 and Big 10 basketball—it was something I couldn’t pass up,” DeVries said at his introductory press conference.
Though Indiana had been looking for a new head coach since February, DeVries had already been in talks with the Hoosiers before the season concluded.
“It’s just the way the process unfolds. During their season, they were very respectful of ensuring my focus remained on our team, which I really appreciated,” DeVries explained.
Now a couple of weeks into his new role, DeVries has secured several commitments and reflected on the main reasons he joined Indiana.
“When it’s Indiana, you can’t ignore the brand, the opportunity, and the resources… It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down,” DeVries told Jim Rome.
DeVries is focused on bringing the Hoosiers back to the NCAA Tournament after a few years of absence. As a first-year head coach, his goal is to restore the program to its storied history and success.
