FORT COLLINS, CO. — Consistency is key.
Colorado State men’s basketball has seen steady improvement in each of Niko Medved’s three seasons as head coach. After a .375 winning percentage (12-20) in Year 1 the Rams took massive strides in the right direction in Year 2 with a 20-12 finish (.625). Now, following a 20-8 year (.714) and an appearance in the NIT semifinals, CSU is banking on the positive momentum continuing with the announcement of Medved’s contract extension on Tuesday afternoon.
“My family and I are very thankful for the opportunity we have here at Colorado State,” Medved said via press release. “It’s a blessing to work at such a great place with so many great people. Thank you to President McConnell, Joe Parker and everyone at Colorado State for your support.”
Medved previously signed an extension in November, 2020, to keep him with the team through 2025-26. With the latest deal Medved is now locked up through the 2026-27 season. He’ll receive a bonus for his team’s performance this past season and an increased salary pool for his assistants as well.
“Niko Medved has proven to be an ideal leader for our men’s basketball program,” Joe Parker said in a release. “We are excited about what is ahead as Niko, his staff and the team continue to develop the program. Their focus has been on building a championship culture and we are committed to supporting their efforts.”
Expectations for the Rams entering the 2021-22 season are as high nationally as they have been in years. CSU is frequently being forecasted as a top 25 team in preseason rankings from national college basketball writers, and rightfully so, as the Rams return everyone on the roster from last season aside from P.J. Byrd, who transferred out this spring. With all five starters still in the mix, though, and the addition of Chandler Jacobs, one of the most highly-coveted Division II transfers in the country, CSU appears poised to make a run at the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
The mission will not be easily accomplished — CSU will be playing a non-conference slate featuring games against Alabama, Mississippi State and Saint Mary’s — all of which will be tough tests for a Rams squad on the rise. The Mountain West won’t be a walk in the park either with Nevada and San Diego State both expected to be in contention for the NCAA Tournament. And that’s not even getting into the teams like Boise State and Wyoming, both of which will be tricky for anyone that squares off against them. But considering the growth we’ve seen from Medved’s teams in the last couple of seasons, and a roster that is built to contend right now, there’s no reason to believe the Green & Gold are not capable of accomplishing something truly special this time around.
What’s particularly encouraging about the timing of Medved’s extension is due to the extra year of eligibility given out to players that participated in the pandemic-impacted 2020-21 season, the window for the Rams to be competitive should extend well beyond the upcoming campaign.
It’s no secret that success for mid-majors typically ends with their coaches and/or players being poached by larger schools with blank checkbooks. We already saw power five teams steal away J.R. Blount (Iowa State) and Dave Thorson (Minnesota) this spring. So the fact that CSU was able to ensure its stability just a little bit more with another year added to Medved’s contract and an increase in pay for the assistants on staff, should allow the Ram Faithful to sleep just a little bit easier this summer.
There are obviously no guarantees in this business, but at the end of the day, CSU is wise to show commitment to a staff that clearly has the Rams rolling in the right direction.
