Colorado State and men’s head basketball coach Niko Medved have agreed to a long-term extension that will keep him in Fort Collins at least through the 2028-29 season, the school announced Monday.
The contract has options for additional years in 2029-30 and 2030-31 and includes a salary of $1.7 million in 2024-25 rising to $2 million for the 2030-31 option.
“The culture of success Niko has built around our men’s basketball program is undeniable,” Interim Director of Athletics John Weber said in a news release. “Not only has Niko built a winning team, but the high-character student-athletes and staff he recruits and develops here in Fort Collins are significant. As we have seen time and time again under Niko’s leadership, our fans and Fort Collins have elevated Moby Madness to another level, and the long-term commitment we have made to Niko and he has made in return to CSU is a direct result of that increased level of interest, community support, and program-generated revenues.”
Medved just completed his sixth season leading the Rams, taking the team back to the NCAA tournament, where they won their first tournament game since 2013 by defeating Virginia in the “First Four.” Additionally, the 25 games the Rams won were the third-most in school history, tying Medved’s 2021-22 team with that number.
During his time at CSU, Medved has compiled a 117-75 record. His win total is the fourth-highest in program history while his winning percentage is third. He has led the Rams to at least 20 wins in four of his first six seasons at CSU, the first Rams’ coach to do so.
At the conclusion of the season, Medved was named the Skip Prosser Man of the Year, which is awarded to the Division I coach who wins with integrity on and off the court each year. In the polls, Medved’s Rams rose to as high as No. 12/13 in the coach’s poll and Associated Press poll, respectively, the highest rankings in program history.
He has also led the Rams to the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament four seasons in a row.
“My family and I are so thankful to be a part of the Colorado State men’s basketball program and Fort Collins community,” Medved said in the release. “I want to thank University President Amy Parsons and interim Director of Athletics John Weber for believing in me, our program, and what we have built in the past six years on and off the court. Their commitment to the men’s basketball program continues to help us push forward in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. I look forward to many more nights of Moby Madness and the support of the Colorado State community in the future!”
Medved took over the program in 2018 after four seasons at Furman and then one at Drake. His success since then has rebuilt the Rams’ fanbase. CSU had six sellouts last season and an average attendance of 6,755, the most since the 1995-96 season. The Rams were 15-2 at Moby Arena last season.
The contract locks Medved in for several years after his name was brought up numerous times for vacant coaching positions in the last few weeks.
