The Gophers named Colorado State’s Niko Medved as their new men’s basketball coach on Monday after his season ended Sunday night with a loss against Maryland in the NCAA tournament.
Medved, a U graduate and former Gophers assistant, signed a six-year deal that is pending Board of Regents approval and a background check.
Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle had his eyes on Medved early to replace Ben Johnson, who was fired after finishing 15-17 in his fourth season.
“This is an exciting day for our program, our University and our state,” Coyle said in the news release. “... \[Medved\] 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.”
Medved went 143-85 in seven seasons at Colorado State, which included at least 25 wins and NCAA tournament bids in three of his last four seasons. He had back-to-back seasons with NCAA tourney wins for the first time in program history.
The 51-year-old Roseville High School graduate got his start as a Gophers student manager under Clem Haskins and then as associate head coach at Macalester from 1997-99.
“I want to thank President Rebecca Cunningham, Mark Coyle and everyone involved in the search, as this really is a dream job for me,” said Medved. “I loved my time at Colorado State, and I worked with tremendous people who made a lasting impact on my life. Those are memories that I will cherish forever.
“This job was too special to pass up and when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take it,” Medved said in the news release. 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.”