Niko Medved Explained

Niko Medved
Current Title:Head coach
Current Team:Colorado State
Current Conference:MW
Birth Date:10 August 1973
Birth Place:Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma Mater:Minnesota
Coach Years1:1997–1999
Coach Team1:Macalester (associate HC)
Coach Years2:1999–2006
Coach Team2:Furman (assistant)
Coach Years3:2006–2007
Coach Team3:Minnesota (assistant)
Coach Years4:2007–2013
Coach Team4:Colorado State (assistant)
Coach Years5:2013–2017
Coach Team5:Furman
Coach Years6:2017–2018
Coach Team6:Drake
Coach Years7:2018–present
Coach Team7:Colorado State
Tournament Record:1–2 (NCAA Division I)
2–2 (NIT)
4–2 (CIT)
Championships:SoCon regular season (2017)
Awards:Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award (2024)
SoCon Coach of the Year (2017)

Niko Medved (born August 10, 1973) is an American college basketball coach, currently the head men's basketball coach at Colorado State University.[1] Prior to becoming head coach at Colorado State, he was head coach at Drake University and Furman.

Early life and education

Born in Minneapolis, Medved graduated from Roseville Area High School in nearby Roseville, Minnesota in 1992.[2] In high school, Medved was a letterwinner in basketball and golf.[3]

Assistant coach

Medved was an assistant coach at Furman from 1999 to 2006. He spent a year as assistant at his alma mater, Minnesota, under Dan Monson (who resigned mid-season) and Jim Molinari.[3]

Medved then enjoyed success as an assistant coach at Colorado State under Tim Miles. He helped guide the Rams to four straight postseason appearances, including back-to-back trips to the 2012 and 2013 NCAA tournament. He helped Colorado State achieve records of 19–13 and 20–12.

Furman

On April 12, 2013 that Medved was announced as the head coach for Furman University for the 2013–14 season.[4] [5] Medved took over a struggling Furman program, taking over a seven-win team in 2013 and progressing to nine, 11, 19, and 23 wins in successive seasons. Medved has also coached back-to-back Southern Conference Players of the Year in Stephen Croone and Devin Sibley, Jr. In his third season at Furman in 2015–16, the Paladins finished with a 19–16 overall record, a third-place finish in the Southern Conference, and the school's first postseason victory in 40 years. He led the Paladins to the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT).[6]

In January 2017, Medved signed a contract extension with Furman through 2022.[7]

In 2017, Medved was named SoCon Coach of the Year as he led the Paladins to the SoCon regular-season championship with a 13–3 conference record. Losing in the SoCon tournament led to another appearance in the CIT.

Drake

On March 26, 2017, Medved was hired as head coach at Drake.[8] After a 17-17 season, Medved left Drake to become the head coach at Colorado State University.

Return to Colorado State

After one season at Drake, Medved was named head coach of Colorado State on March 22, 2018. [1] He named Dave Thorson, JR Blount and Ali Farokhmanesh as his assistants.

In 2022, Medved led the Rams to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013.

Notes and References

  1. News: Source: Colorado State selects Niko Medved as new men's basketball coach . Kyle . Fredrickson . . March 22, 2018 . March 22, 2018.
  2. Web site: Walters. Charley. https://web.archive.org/web/20130427060749/http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_23079049/shooter-now-ex-gophers-assistant-niko-medved-savors. April 27, 2013. Shooter Now: Ex-Gophers assistant Niko Medved savors Furman opportunity. Pioneer Press. April 21, 2013. June 26, 2019. live.
  3. Web site: Niko Medved, Assistant Coach. Furman University. FurmanPaladins.com. 2005. June 24, 2019.
  4. Web site: Furman Names Niko Medved As Head Men's Basketball Coach. Furman University. 2013-06-06.
  5. Web site: Furman hires Niko Medved. ESPN. 11 April 2013 . 2013-06-06.
  6. Web site: Niko Medved Named Head Men's Basketball Coach. Drake University. en. 2017-05-10.
  7. News: Furman Inks Men's Basketball Coach Niko Medved To New Contract. 2017-01-26. Furman. 2017-02-16. en.
  8. News: Jeff Rutter feels he was treated 'fairly and seriously' during Drake search. Des Moines Register. 2017-05-10. en.