MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — After an unexpected, incredible start to the season for the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team, head coach Darian DeVries has picked up a mid-season award for his early accomplishments.
According to collegeinsider.com, DeVries has won the mid-season Jim Phelan Award ‘Mid- Season’ honors, which is presented annually to the top head coach in division I
college basketball. DeVries has led the Mountaineers to a 12-4 overall record and a 3-2 record in the Big 12 Conference. In addition, West Virginia has beaten then #3 Gonzaga, then #7 Kansas on the road and then #25 Arizona. Although the Mountaineers have lost a couple of games recently, they are still greatly exceeding expectations and are on pace to make the NCAA Tournament in DeVries’s first season as the head coach of the team.
“Coach DeVries has transformed West Virginia’s program with a remarkable first-half performance, already surpassing last season’s win total,” said James Wilhelmi senior analyst for CollegeInsider.com and longtime NCAA coach. “His ability to instill confidence and execute a clear vision has energized the team. DeVries’ leadership has been nothing short of impressive, setting a strong foundation for possible run in March.”
The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship. The Mountaineers are back in action this Saturday, January 18 at 5:00PM against the #2 ranked Iowa State Cyclones. Iowa State is currently 15-1, 3-0 in the Big 12 and sits atop the conference rankings.
