The Untold Reason IU Freshman Trent Sisley Refused to Leave Indiana Basketball Behind
“He knew I wanted to be here,” Sisley said. “I’m from here, only two hours away, this was somewhere I wanted to be, and he said there would be a lot of positives coming. I trusted him.”
- Trent Sisley was ranked 80th in the 2025 recruiting class
- AD Scott Dolson touched base with Sisley after Woodson’s departure
- Trent Sisley was aware of Darian DeVries success because Sisley’s brother, Blake, faced DeVries’ Drake team
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball freshman Trent Sisley gave coach Darian DeVries an immediate win on the recruiting trail. The Santa Claus native credited a series of conversations he had with IU athletic director Scott Dolson and a timely chat with DeVries for making that decision to stick with the Hoosiers an easy one. The phone call laid the building blocks for the strong relationship that’s developed between the two since Sisley arrived on campus at the start of the summer. Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson stepped in to fill the void with the basketball team’s coaching staff in limbo. Woodson announced he was stepping down at the end of the 2024-25 season in early February.
Dolson kept in contact with Sisley and his parents, while Woodson closed out the year and the program’s coaching search ramped up once IU was eliminated from the Big Ten tournament.
Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson keeps connection alive with Trent Sisley
Sisley knew about DeVries’ success at Drake — his older brother Blake played in the Missouri Valley Conference at Evansville in 2021-22 while DeVries was coaching the Bulldogs — and the turnaround he orchestrated at West Virginia’s last season.
It wasn’t the first time Dolson dished out an assist behind the scenes. He had similar conversations with former Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis in 2021 after Archie Miller was fired. “On my recruiting (visits) coming up through high school, (Dolson) always came up to us and introduced himself,” Sisley said. “I had a pretty good relationship with him before, so it was really good to hear from him that whole time with all the uncertainty.”
DeVries also ran through his résumé on the call, but it wasn’t necessary.”He reached out super quick, 30 or 40 minutes (after) it came out online,” Sisley said. “It was very cool to have that so quick, it was great.”“He said he wanted me on board,” Sisley said. “ I said I wanted to be on board that same phone call.”
Indiana basketball coach Darian DeVries put Trent Sisley on speed dial
“I think it’s the best decision I could have made,” Sisley told The Herald-Times after a recent practice.The All-American never hit the portal either. Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here. Get IndyStar’s IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter.In the whirlwind that is college basketball, few stories grip me quite like that of Trent Sisley — a freshman whose commitment has stirred up the Indiana Hoosiers scene in a remarkably bold way. Ranked 80th nationally in the 2025 recruiting class, Sisley’s decision to remain loyal to Indiana, even amid a seismic coaching shift, speaks volumes about his character and foresight. When Mike Woodson made his exit, many would’ve expected a domino effect, but Sisley stood tall, swayed neither by uncertainty nor hesitation. What really struck me was how Indiana’s athletic director Scott Dolson didn’t just sit back; he maintained a lifeline to Sisley, reinforcing a foundation of trust in turbulent times. And then there’s Darian DeVries, whose swift and sincere outreach wasn’t just a formality — it was a clear message that Sisley’s unique skill set was more than just wanted; it was essential. The ties run deeper too, with Sisley knowing DeVries’ coaching craft through his brother’s firsthand encounters, adding another layer of personal resonance to the unfolding story. This isn’t merely a tale of recruitment — it’s about resilience, trust, and a player finding his place in the mosaic of a transitioning powerhouse. Curious to dive into the full scoop? LEARN MORE.Indiana’s coaching change would have allowed the 4-star forward to freely explore his options in the transfer portal — he signed a letter of intent in November — but ended up as the lone holdover from the Mike Woodson-era.
Sisley, the 80th ranked overall recruit in the 2025 signing class, posted on social media he was sticking with his pledge to the Hoosiers in March less than an hour after the school announced DeVries as the basketball team’s new coach. “I follow college basketball pretty deeply,” Sisley said, with a smile.DeVries’ actions spoke as loud as his words.He centered their initial conversation on how Sisley’s skill set — the freshman is a versatile two-way forward capable of spacing the floor — was a perfect fit for his system. The timing of the call gave it added weight.
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