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The pull of home proved decisive for Niko Medved.
“The Barn” at the University of Minnesota was the site of so much of what shaped him as a basketball fan and then coach.
It’s where he will now work.
Medved was named the Minnesota men’s basketball coach on Monday, leaving Colorado State after seven seasons leading the Rams.
He grew up near the school, worked as a student manager as a student there and later as an assistant.
“I remember as a little kid, maybe I was 8 to 10 years old, going to games with my dad,” Medved told the Coloradoan on Monday. “You start to fall in love with the place and basketball. I spent so many of my formative years there coaching, being a manager, being around the program. It’s a really special place.”
Less than 24 hours after CSU’s March Madness run ended in heartbreak with a buzzer-beating loss to Maryland, Medved is off to Minnesota.
Medved said he doesn’t like the timing of the move but that it’s a “necessity now in the business.” The transfer portal opened Monday, leaving teams scrambling to retain and build rosters for next season.
Medved says his dad has been a season ticket holder at Minnesota for more than 40 years and now Medved’s two daughters will grow up with their grandparents nearby. It’s also the first time as a head coach for Medved and his wife, Erica, to live near his parents.
“Those things you can’t put a price on,” Medved said.
He leaves CSU with the second-most wins in program history and the best winning percentage. He led the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last four seasons. The 2025 Mountain West tournament title was the first conference championship for the program since 2003.
“These are really hard, gut-wrenching decisions. There’s so many things that pull you to both places. It’s not any secret how much CSU has meant to me and our family and how much we’ve invested in it and how great the people have been and how they’ve treated us. To watch the program grow to the point it is has just been phenomenal,” Medved said.
“At the end of the day, that was it. I’m feel really, really blessed to be a part of CSU. I feel really, really blessed grateful and I’m really, really proud of what we did and how we’ve done it. I know that the program is in great hands and in great footing and I believe it’s poised to even go to bigger places.”
Medved will be formally introduced as Minnesota’s coach at a press conference Tuesday.
CSU assistant Ali Farokhmanesh has been named interim head coach, athletic director John Weber announced Monday. Weber said a national search is underway for Medved’s replacement.
Farokhmanesh was an assistant for Medved all seven seasons (plus the one before while both were at Drake) and is expected to be a candidate for the top job.
More: Potential candidates to replace Niko Medved as Colorado State men’s basketball coach
He has Medved’s support.
“I believe Ali is ready,” Medved told the Coloradoan. “He’s been at the right hand here of everything that we’ve done since we’ve come to Fort Collins. He’s a tremendous coach and person and he has the respect from players and people. I’m really pulling for him and want to do anything I can to help him. I do believe he’s ready for this opportunity.”
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Niko Medved on leaving Colorado State for Minnesota basketball job
Continue reading...
“The Barn” at the University of Minnesota was the site of so much of what shaped him as a basketball fan and then coach.
It’s where he will now work.
Medved was named the Minnesota men’s basketball coach on Monday, leaving Colorado State after seven seasons leading the Rams.
He grew up near the school, worked as a student manager as a student there and later as an assistant.
“I remember as a little kid, maybe I was 8 to 10 years old, going to games with my dad,” Medved told the Coloradoan on Monday. “You start to fall in love with the place and basketball. I spent so many of my formative years there coaching, being a manager, being around the program. It’s a really special place.”
Less than 24 hours after CSU’s March Madness run ended in heartbreak with a buzzer-beating loss to Maryland, Medved is off to Minnesota.
Medved said he doesn’t like the timing of the move but that it’s a “necessity now in the business.” The transfer portal opened Monday, leaving teams scrambling to retain and build rosters for next season.
Medved says his dad has been a season ticket holder at Minnesota for more than 40 years and now Medved’s two daughters will grow up with their grandparents nearby. It’s also the first time as a head coach for Medved and his wife, Erica, to live near his parents.
“Those things you can’t put a price on,” Medved said.
He leaves CSU with the second-most wins in program history and the best winning percentage. He led the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last four seasons. The 2025 Mountain West tournament title was the first conference championship for the program since 2003.
“These are really hard, gut-wrenching decisions. There’s so many things that pull you to both places. It’s not any secret how much CSU has meant to me and our family and how much we’ve invested in it and how great the people have been and how they’ve treated us. To watch the program grow to the point it is has just been phenomenal,” Medved said.
“At the end of the day, that was it. I’m feel really, really blessed to be a part of CSU. I feel really, really blessed grateful and I’m really, really proud of what we did and how we’ve done it. I know that the program is in great hands and in great footing and I believe it’s poised to even go to bigger places.”
Medved will be formally introduced as Minnesota’s coach at a press conference Tuesday.
Niko Medved on his potential replacement at Colorado State
CSU assistant Ali Farokhmanesh has been named interim head coach, athletic director John Weber announced Monday. Weber said a national search is underway for Medved’s replacement.
Farokhmanesh was an assistant for Medved all seven seasons (plus the one before while both were at Drake) and is expected to be a candidate for the top job.
More: Potential candidates to replace Niko Medved as Colorado State men’s basketball coach
He has Medved’s support.
“I believe Ali is ready,” Medved told the Coloradoan. “He’s been at the right hand here of everything that we’ve done since we’ve come to Fort Collins. He’s a tremendous coach and person and he has the respect from players and people. I’m really pulling for him and want to do anything I can to help him. I do believe he’s ready for this opportunity.”
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Niko Medved on leaving Colorado State for Minnesota basketball job
Continue reading...
