MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University has found its next men’s basketball head coach.

Darian DeVries, the head coach at Drake since 2018, will become the Mountaineers’ head coach. DeVries has led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in three of the past four years, including this season. He has signed a five-year contract with the Mountaineers, according to the university.

“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 in a release. “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.”

DeVries has served as the head coach at Drake since 2018, becoming one of the most successful coaches in Division I men’s basketball in the time since. He led the Bulldogs to a 150-55, winning at least 20 games in all six seasons at the helm. In fact, this is the only time in Drake men’s basketball history the program has won 20 or more games in at least five consecutive seasons.

DeVries is a finalist for the 2023-24 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball. He brings a career .732 winning percentage as a head coach with him to Morgantown.

“I’m honored to lead this historic program which has an outstanding tradition and passionate fanbase,” DeVries said in WVU’s release. “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.”

A native of Aplington, Iowa, DeVries is a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He was also a longtime assistant at Creighton, where he was on staff for 17 years under Dana Altman and Greg McDermott.

His son Tucker just completed his junior season at Drake, averaging 21.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Tucker recently became just the ninth player ever, and first since Doug McDermott, to win the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year trophy in back-to-back seasons. He was also named an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection earlier this month.

Baker said earlier this month that he planned for the head coaching search to conclude by the Final Four. As it turns out, Baker found his man before the end of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

At West Virginia, DeVries replaces interim head coach Josh Eilert. The Mountaineers played to a 9-23 record during the 2023-24 campaign.