Iowa basketball's link to West Virginia head coach gets doused in cold water
03/18/2025 04:03 PM
The Iowa basketball coaching search took a dramatic turn on Tuesday. West Virginia head coach Darien DeVries is no longer a candidate, per ESPN. DeVries was linked to the opening as he is an Iowa native.
"I think Iowa has been interested in Darian DeVries..
If Darian DeVries does go to Indiana I believe that Ben McCollum would be at the forefront of the Iowa coaching search" ~ @PeteThamel#PMSLivehttps://t.co/FEO9QVwioWpic.twitter.com/C2rwUNVrDX
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 18, 2025
“I think Iowa has been interested in Darien DeVries,” ESPN reporter Pete Thamel said on the Pat McAfee show. “I don’t think it’s from Iowa’s side.”
Iowa is looking for a head coach after the school parted ways with Fran McCaffery. DeVries was seen as a top candidate, after leading West Virginia to a 19 win season. DeVries does remain in the mix for the Indiana basketball job. The Hoosiers are looking for a guy to replace Mike Woodson.
With DeVries out of the picture, Drake head coach Ben McCollum is seen as the primary target for Iowa basketball. McCollum is leading Drake to the NCAA tournament in his first season there.
Iowa and West Virginia are not in the NCAA tournament this season. West Virginia basketball is the first team out of March Madness.
Darian DeVries is one hot coaching candidate right now
DeVries nearly took West Virginia to March Madness this year. He previously coached at Drake, another school in Iowa. DeVries led Drake to the NCAA Tournament last season. Ironically, Drake’s head coach is now McCollum.
West Virginia basketball fans are monitoring the entire situation closely. After getting snubbed from March Madness, West Virginia would have a hard time with getting hit with more bad news if the coach left. It seems that Coach DeVries is either staying in Morgantown or going to Indiana.
Iowa, meanwhile, is pushing their chips toward McCollum. The Drake head coach is also from Iowa, like DeVries. McCollum has more than 400 wins as a head coach. He has had stops at Northwest Missouri State, and worked at Emporia State as an assistant coach.
The Hawkeyes parted ways with McCaffery in recent days, following a 17 win season. McCaffery spent 15 years at the school. Iowa basketball struggled to win games in March Madness under McCaffery. He never made it to the tournament’s second weekend in his tenure there.
Iowa is definitely a tough job in the revamped Big Ten conference. The Hawkeyes last made the NCAA tournament in the 2022-23 season. Iowa basketball hasn’t gone to the Sweet Sixteen since 1999. The school’s last Final Four appearance was in 1980.
Iowa basketball fans are hoping the new coach is named soon.
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