Darian DeVries

BOSTON — Former Drake men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries is one of 20 finalists for the 2023-24 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award. The award is presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball.

The Hugh Durham award is named in honor of the former Florida State, Georgia and Jacksonville head coach. In eight seasons, at Jacksonville University, Durham became the Dolphins’ all-time winningest Division I coach (106 wins), making him the only coach in NCAA history to be the winningest coach at three different Division I schools.

Durham coached Florida State and Georgia to a combined eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and two Final Fours. He is one of 17 coaches to take multiple teams to the Final Four.

Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.

Before departing for West Virginia, DeVries led the Bulldogs to 28 wins, matching the program record for wins in a single season. Drake compiled four consecutive 25-plus win seasons and six straight 20-plus win campaigns under DeVries.