FORT COLLINS — Niko Medved knows every word of the Colorado State fight song. And, he aimed to belt it out Friday morning when introduced as the Rams’ new men’s basketball coach. He asked: “Would it be crazy for us to do that here?”
Not at all.
Medved traded a blue Drake necktie for a shade of CSU green, sat beside athletic director Joe Parker, then clapped and sang with players and fans like a lifelong Ram following an introductory news conference inside Moby Arena. He was joined by his wife, Erica, who earned a CSU’s master’s degree, and their one-year-old daughter, Aly, who also dressed in bright green.
“Some of the best personal and professional memories I have are from my time here in Fort Collins,” Medved said. “I’ve seen it at its best. I’ve seen what it can be.”
Itap a stark contrast to the scene in Iowa where Drake athletic director Brian Hardin how the exit unfolded. Medved informed Hardin on Tuesday he withdrew from consideration at CSU, and two days later, Medved shocked his boss by accepting the job. He revived Drake’s program to its best finish since 2011-12 at 17-17 but in less than a year he was gone. Medved addressed those circumstances with reporters Friday.
“The timing is unfortunate, but this is a dream scenario for me, everybody who knows me knows that,” Medved said. “There was just no way I could turn down this opportunity. You don’t get to choose those things in life. You work as hard as you can for this opportunity, it comes, and the key is just to seize it.”
Former CSU Rams coach Tim Miles hired Medved from Minnesota in 2007 and the program reached new heights with NCAA Tournament berths in 2012 and 2013 — including its first victory in the tournament since 1988.
“In my home office, I still have several pictures of (CSU) games,” Medved said. “The one that stands out to me is Dorian Green hit a game-winning shot and Colton (Iverson) was rubbing his head, and I got that in a big shot. There are so many memories.”
Medved recruited several former CSU stars such as Green, Iverson, Andy Ogide, Pierce Hornung, Wes Eikmeier and Daniel Bejarano. Medved was even part of the early push to land current CSU guards Prentiss Nixon and Anthony Bonner before accepting the head coaching job at Furman. Rams players were introduced to Medved briefly Friday before his news conference.
“We had a good relationship (in high school),” Prentiss said. “Now itap just building that relationship back up and hearing what he has to say.”
Added Bonner: “I think everyone is feeling really positive. I know I am. I’m ready to get on the court.”
Medved will get a five-year contract with a first-year base salary of $700,000 and annual increases of $25,000. CSU’s assistant coaching salary pool will be between $550,000 to $650,000. The Rams will pay Medved’s Drake buyout of $425,000, Parker said. CSU is also on the hook financially for Eustachy’s resignation with $750,000 owed in three installments (July 1; Jan. 1, 2019; and March 1, 2019) after his paid administrative leave ends July. 1.
CSU fell victim to its own success when Miles bolted to Nebraska after a 2012 NCAA Tournament berth. Medved, 44, leapfrogged Furman and Drake on his path to CSU. If he delivers what is expected in Fort Collins, who can say if the Rams won’t be next?
“Those are difficult, right?” Parker said. “I think the short-list that would make sense for Niko if he wanted to transition to another place is very, very small. When you come to a place like Fort Collins, especially after having experience in the place, I think you’re making a very informed decision of where you want to put your roots in for a while.”
Medved checked into his Fort Collins hotel around midnight Thursday not long before his introduction as CSU’s head coach. The reality wouldn’t set in until the sun began to rise Friday morning for a new era of Rams basketball.
“I’m on the top floor of the Hilton, I open the shades and there’s the ‘A’ and the Horsetooth Canyon and the stadium and the sun,” Medved said. “It just hit me — this is amazing. It’s really surreal to me.”