Coaching Changes at Drake and Illinois Chicago

Coaches Coming and Going

(St. Louis, MO) – There are more changes coming to the Missouri Valley Conference coaching ranks. Changes at Drake and Illinois Chicago are making national news. Darian DeVries is leaving Drake to become the head coach at West Virginia and UIC is on the verge of hiring Stanford assistant Rob Eshan.

While DeVries’ name was linked to several programs looking for a new coach, his West Virginia hiring caught Valley Hoops Insider by surprise. His record at Drake (150-55) is impeccable and he took three of his six teams to the NCAA Tournament.

DeVries led the Bulldogs to six, twenty-win seasons.

West Virginia (9-23) suffered through a disappointing season after legendary coach Bob Huggins resigned following his summer arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. Josh Eilert coached the Mountaineers this season.

Most believe his son, two-time, Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Tucker DeVriese will follow his father to Morgantown.

Drake has announced that DeVries’ top assistant and long-term friend Marty Richter is currently the ‘interim head coach’.

UIC Hiring Eshan

Multiple reports say former Stanford assistant Rob Ehsan will be named UIC’s next head coach. Ehsan spent the past three seasons with the Cardinal after four seasons as a head coach at Alabama Birmingham. He replaced Jerod Haase at UAB after being Haase’s top assistant. His record with the Bulls (76-57) included two 20-win seasons.

Prior to his time in Conference USA, Ehsan worked at Maryland with Gary Williams and at Virginia Tech with Seth Greenberg.

The Ehsan hiring will be announced soon.

UIC Deputy AD Frank Cuervo is rumored to be leaving to become the new Director of Athletics at Arkansas Little Rock.

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