Niko Medved is officially Gophers next men’s basketball coach
Niko Medved arrives in Minnesota as new Gophers basketball coach
Niko Medved arrived in Minnesota Monday night after being named the new head coach of the Gophers' men's basketball team. Medved led Colorado State to three NCAA Tournament appearances in 7 sevens, and was named Minnesota's new head coach after the Rams lost to Maryland in the NCAA Tournament Sunday night.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It did not take University of Minnesota Athletic Director Mark Coyle long to find his replacement for Ben Johnson. A little more than a week, to be exact.
The Gophers are hiring Colorado State's Niko Medved as the school’s next basketball coach after the Rams' season ended in heartbreak Sunday night in the NCAA Tournament's round of 32. Minnesota Athletic Director Mark Coyle announced the move Monday afternoon. He's agreed to a six-year contract.
Medved arrived in Minnesota Monday night via private jet, and will be introduced at a Tuesday news conference.
Parker Fox: Niko Medved 'embodies Minnesota culture'
Gophers senior basketball forward Parker Fox gave his reaction to Niko Medved being hired on Monday as the next head coach and takes us inside the process of learning Ben Johnson had been dismissed. Fox appeared on FOX 9's All Day Afternoon Shift.
"This is an exciting day for our program, our University and our state," Coyle said in a statement. "I am thrilled to welcome Niko, his wife Erica and their daughters, Aly and Taylor to Minnesota. Niko is a Minnesota alum with a proven head coaching track record. He is extremely passionate about coaching and developing young men and takes great pride in being from Minnesota. He has had success everywhere he has been, and we look forward to him leading our men's basketball program at his alma mater."
The name should sound familiar.
U of M basketball has a new coach: Niko Medved
Former men’s Gophers basketball players are reacting to the news that the University of Minnesota has signed its next coach in Niko Medved. Also, FOX 9's Jim Rich spoke with Medved when he landed in Minnesota from Colorado.
Who is Niko Medved?
What we know:
Medved is a Minnesota native, from Roseville and is 51 years old. He spent seven seasons as the head at Colorado State, leading the Rams to three NCAA Tournaments over the last four years. They beat Boise State in the Mountain West Conference title game to earn the league’s automatic bid this year to the NCAA Tournament. He was 143-85 in seven seasons with the Rams, including 26-10 this year and a 16-4 mark in the Mountain West in regular season play.
The Rams beat Memphis 78-70 in the opening round to advance to the round of 32 for the first time since 2013, then lost to Maryland Sunday night on a buzzer-beater from Derik Queen.
Medved was a Gophers’ student manager under Clem Haskins, and an assistant coach during the 2006-07 season with Dan Monson. His first head coaching job was at Furman, before he spent one season at Drake and then Colorado State. He has 222 wins as a head coach.
‘This job was too special to pass up’
What they're saying:
Medved released a statement about taking the Gophers' job Monday afternoon.
"This job was too special to pass up and when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take it. I grew up a Gopher about 15 minutes away from The Barn. I went to school here, was a student manager here and coached here. This is a special place, it's home, and I cannot wait to get started," Medved said.
State of the Gophers’ program
By the numbers:
Coyle fired Johnson on March 13, after the Gophers lost to Northwestern in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament. Johnson went 22-57 in Big Ten play over four seasons. He had 16 years of experience as an assistant coach, but had never been a Division I head coach. The Gophers went 15-17 this season, and 7-13 in league play after losing four starters from last season.
Johnson never finished above .500 in Big Ten play, and the Gophers didn’t make an NCAA Tournament in his four seasons. They made the NIT last year, winning their first round game. The Gophers haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2019, and have seven appearances since the 1997 team that went to the Final 4.
What’s next
Timeline:
Medved will have to talk to the current players on the roster with eligibility to see who might return next season, namely Isaac Asuma, Since the Gophers' season ended, Frank Mitchell, Tyler Cochran and Kadyn Betts have left the program. The NCAA transfer portal officially opens on Monday.