Darian DeVries will return to the Creighton bench for a 13th straight season, including his 10th as an assistant coach. He was also a graduate manager from 1998-2001 at Creighton before accepting his current post.
DeVries has helped the Bluejays reach the postseason each of the last 12 years, including seven NCAA Tournament bids. Creighton has also won 20 or more games in 11 of those 12 campaigns.
In addition, the Bluejays have won six of the last 12 MVC Tournaments while going 21-6 in league tourney action in that time.
DeVries was named the nation’s No. 7 mid-major assistant by collegeinsider.com in the summer of 2009, further evidence of his coaching skills, background and ability.
DeVries, 35, has worked closely with the Creighton backcourt and done much of the scouting of the opposition. In addition, DeVries also has played a large role in the recruitment of future Bluejays.
DeVries is no stranger to Missouri Valley Conference basketball, having spent four seasons (1994-98) as a starter at guard for legendary head coach Eldon Miller at UNI. Miller also coached new Bluejay head coach Greg McDermott at UNI.
At UNI DeVries finished with 1,084 career points, which ranks 24th all-time at UNI, and was named Academic all-MVC two times. DeVries led the Panthers in free throw percentage all four years, making 302-of-367 (.823) career attempts, while also leading the team for three years in three-point field goal percentage and twice in assists. As a senior, the two-time team captain made 69-of-157 treys for 44.0 percent and had 84 assists for an average of 3.1 per game.
As a junior, DeVries helped lead the Panthers to a mark of 16-12 by dishing out a career-high 90 assists (3.2 apg) and making 101-of-124 free throws for 81.5 percent.
He graduated from UNI in 1998 with a B.A. in elementary education and a minor in physical education. He earned his master’s degree in college counseling from Creighton in 2000.
DeVries is the oldest of five kids, all of whom played at the college level. His oldest brother, Jared, was an All-American on the football team at the University of Iowa and is an 11-year veteran of the Detroit Lions, while younger brother, Dusty, also played football for the Hawkeyes. Another younger brother, Jay, played football at Wartburg College and his younger sister, Jodi, was a second-team all-conference selection in volleyball at Northern Iowa.
Darian and his wife Ashley have one son, Tucker (7) and one daughter, Tatum (1).
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