Sometimes, the coaching carousel delivers more than just a new name at the helm. Sometimes, it offers a story of coming home.
On Tuesday, Niko Medved will be officially introduced as the next head coach of Minnesota men’s basketball — a return to his roots, his alma mater, and the city that shaped him.
For the 51-year-old Medved, this is more than just a job. It’s a homecoming decades in the making.
BREAKING: Minnesota is set to hire Colorado State's Niko Medved as its next head coach, @MattNorlander reports🚣https://t.co/nAMW77co1j pic.twitter.com/jmVc6lKIAY
— On3 (@On3sports) March 24, 2025
Medved Returns to His Roots
Born in Minneapolis, educated in Minnesota, and steeped in the state’s basketball traditions, Medved arrives in Dinkytown not only with a résumé built on steady success but also with the unmistakable connection of a coach whose journey has brought him full circle. Now, he’s charged with lifting a program that has long searched for consistency back into relevance.
Medved leaves behind a remarkable run at Colorado State, where his seven-season tenure in Fort Collins turned the Rams into a model of consistency and competitiveness. Under his leadership, Colorado State amassed five 20-win seasons — three of them surpassing 25 wins — and earned three NCAA tournament berths. His final record in green and gold? 143 wins, 85 losses. A legacy of sustained excellence in a conference that continues to rise.
Niko Medved will be the next head coach of Gophers men's basketball.
Where is your excitement level Gophers fans? 👇🤔👇 pic.twitter.com/VCNa2TEP8j
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) March 24, 2025
This year, the Rams went 26-10 and captured the Mountain West tournament title. They carried an 11-game win streak into March Madness, stunned No. 5 seed Memphis in the first round, and pushed No. 4 Maryland to the edge before falling on a heartbreaking buzzer-beater from Derik Queen. It was a cruel end, and as it turns out, the final chapter of Medved’s Colorado State story.
But another story was already waiting to begin.
A New Chapter of Gopher Basketball
At Minnesota, he replaces Ben Johnson, who was relieved of his duties after four seasons and a 56–71 overall record. Johnson’s tenure, though marked by improvement in Year 3, never fully turned the corner. And so, the Gophers turn to one of their own.
Medved brings more than just a winning percentage. His coaching tree includes four seasons at Furman, a season at Drake, and the success at CSU — a combined 222–173 record across three programs. He’s built winners. And now, he arrives at Minnesota not just to rebuild but to reimagine.
His reputation is grounded in culture — development, defense, and detail — and his teams have played with poise and purpose. The Gophers have talent. They have resources. Now, they’ll have a leader who understands what it means to wear the “M” across his chest, not just as a coach, but as someone who once wore it as a student and dreamer.
Colorado State Finds Their Man
In Fort Collins, the transition appears ready-made. Associate head coach Ali Farokhmanesh — who etched his name into March Madness lore with Northern Iowa’s upset of Kansas in 2010 — is expected to step into Medved’s shoes. He’s been at Medved’s side since the days at Drake and knows the program’s DNA. Continuity matters, and Colorado State seems poised to maintain its trajectory.
Colorado State associate head coach Ali Farokhmanesh will be a frontrunner to replace Niko Medved, source told @TheFieldOf68.
Faroukmanesh has been on Medved’s staff since they were at Drake in 2017.
It’s as big of a no-brainer move as it was for Minnesota to hire Medved.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 24, 2025
In Minnesota, the hope is that Medved can restore pride and consistency to a proud basketball school still chasing its next great chapter. And for Medved, that chapter will be written on the court he once watched from the student section — now with a whistle around his neck and a state behind him.
Because in college basketball, winning is everything. But sometimes, it’s also about coming home.
