The 2023-24 college basketball season for the West Virginia basketball got off to a rocky start. Head-coaching staple for the Mountaineers, Bob Huggins, announced his resignation after a tumultuous offseason that included Huggins using a homophobic slur and getting arrested for DUI. The Mountaineers eventually named Josh Eilert their interim head coach, but after a 9-23 season, West Virginia opted not to retain him and is looking for a new full-time coach. There will be plenty of targets for them to choose from, but Drake's Darian DeVries and College of Charleston's Pat Kelsey stand out as intriguing options for the Mountaineers to go after.
Darian DeVries, Drake University
There aren't many coaches who have been able to sustain success at the mid-major level quite like Darian DeVries at Drake. DeVries began his coaching career as a manager at Creighton University and gradually worked his way up the ranks as an assistant. He became the head coach at Drake University in 2018 after Niko Medved left the program after one 17-17 season. Since then, the Bulldogs have not looked back.
All Drake has done is win under DeVries. The fewest amount of wins the program has had in a season with DeVries at the helm is 20. The Bulldogs won at least 24 games in each of the last four seasons and have NCAA Tournament appearances in three of those four campaigns.
That includes this season, after Drake knocked off the number one seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game, the Indiana State Sycamores. It was a game they needed to win. Drake was in Joe Lunardi's ‘Next Four Out‘ for much of the season and was there before that title bout against Indiana State. The Sycamores are currently in Lunardi's ‘Last Four In,' but the Bulldogs eliminated any doubt. They are going dancing, and they have Darian DeVries to thank for it.
It's unknown if DeVries would want to leave Drake for Morgantown. DeVries is an Aplington, Iowa native, which is only an hour-and-a-halfd drive away from Des Moines, Iowa, where Drake University is located. He's practically lived in Iowa all his life and been involved with basketball in Iowa in some capacity that entire time. West Virginia is very different from Iowa. It might take some convincing on the part of the Mountaineer brass, but DeVries' coaching credentials speak for themselves. He'd be a great get.
Pat Kelsey, College of Charleston
Another coach who has made headway at the mid-major level is Pat Kelsey. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Wake Forest University and Xavier University. He eventually got his shot as a head coach at Winthrop University, where all he did was, well, win. Kelsey's only season with a losing record at Winthrop was his first at the helm. Each of his other eight seasons there saw the Eagles win at least 18 games. Winthrop won at least 20 games in five of those campaigns and made the NCAA Tournament three times.
Kelsey left Winthrop for the College of Charleston in 2021. The Cougars struggled in his first season, but sure enough, winning soon followed. Charleston won 31 games in the 2022-23 season and made the NCAA Tournament. Kelsey's Cougars came up short at the hands of San Diego State in the first round, but gave the Aztecs all they could handle. This season, Charleston finished 27-7, once again qualifying for the Tournament.
The only stain on Kelsey and DeVries' resumes is that neither has won an NCAA Tournament game. But they know good and well how to get there. That alone shows their credentials and that they'd be terrific hires for any major program. West Virginia would do well hiring either of them.
Follow Us
Subscribe