Niko Medved, the former head coach at Colorado State for seven seasons, is set to take over as the new men’s basketball coach at Minnesota. The Golden Gophers made the official announcement on Monday, confirming a six-year deal with Medved. He is scheduled to be introduced formally on Tuesday at the university.
Medved, 51, has found success during his time in Fort Collins, making it only a matter of time before he moved on to a coaching position in a Power Five conference. The opportunity at Minnesota holds special significance for Medved, who hails from Minneapolis, graduated from the university, and previously worked as a student manager for the men’s basketball program.
In a statement released by Minnesota, Medved expressed his excitement for the new role, stating, “This job was too special to pass up. I grew up around 15 minutes away from The Barn, attended school here, worked as a student manager, and coached here. This is a special place, it’s home, and I cannot wait to get started.”
During his tenure at Colorado State, Medved achieved five 20-win seasons and secured three NCAA tournament appearances. The Rams amassed a 143-85 overall record under his leadership. This past season, Colorado State boasted a 26-10 record and clinched the Mountain West conference tournament title. Despite a valiant effort in the NCAA tournament, the Rams fell to Maryland in a close game after upsetting Memphis in the first round.
As Medved begins his new chapter in Minnesota, his former program, Colorado State, must now face the challenge of finding his replacement. Ali Farokhmanesh, the current associate head coach, is reportedly in line to take over the reins in Fort Collins. Farokhmanesh has been an assistant under Medved since their time together at Drake in 2017.
In Minneapolis, Medved steps into the position vacated by Ben Johnson, who was let go following a disappointing season for the Golden Gophers. Johnson’s tenure saw just one winning season in four years, culminating in an overall record of 56-71. Medved brings a solid coaching resume to Minnesota, with a career record of 222-173 (.573 winning percentage) spanning stints at Furman, Drake, and Colorado State.
