“I am excited that Ali will continue to lead our men’s basketball program in his new role as head coach,” stated Athletic Director John Weber. “Ali’s relentless work ethic stood out to us during our search for the right leader for our program. There was substantial interest in the head coaching position, and after a thorough national search, I am thrilled that Ali will continue to guide this program. His ability to connect with others has contributed to his success, and I am eager to see him, his wife Mallory, and their four children remain active in the CSU community and build upon the championship legacy he has helped establish over the past seven seasons.”
Farokhmanesh has been with the Fort Collins program for the last seven years, serving as an assistant and, more recently, the associate head coach under Niko Medved. His contributions have been pivotal to Colorado State’s recent achievements, including three NCAA Tournament appearances (2022, 2024, 2025), a semifinal finish in the NIT in 2021, and securing CSU’s first Mountain West Tournament title in 22 years.
“I am thankful to President Amy Parsons, John Weber, Scott Sidwell, and Christina Diaz for trusting me with the role of head coach at Colorado State,” said Farokhmanesh. “It has been an honor to work under Coach Medved, and I am eternally grateful to him for bringing me to Fort Collins. This university and state are filled with exceptional people. I appreciate the warm welcome and support provided to my family and me and look forward to strengthening those connections in our community. I am eager to build upon the championship foundation laid by our players and elevate it even further.”
Over the last four seasons, Farokhmanesh has been instrumental in developing players like NBA talents David Roddy, Isaiah Stevens, and Nique Clifford. This trio, alongside Nico Carvacho, has helped Colorado State achieve the longest active streak of first-team All-Mountain West selections at seven years.
“There is a special energy on the court at Moby Arena, and Ali has been a vital part of transforming the CSU men’s basketball program into the national powerhouse it is today,” remarked President Amy Parsons. “This momentum will only continue to grow as he takes on the head coaching role. I am confident in Ali’s commitment to CSU, our student-athletes, our fans, and the entire Ram Community in the pursuit of excellence on and off the court.”
Since Farokhmanesh joined the program, Colorado State has achieved 25 or more wins in three of the last four seasons and has recorded 20 or more wins five times. Farokhmanesh arrived in Fort Collins from Drake, where he served as an assistant coach under Medved for a season.
Prior to his time at Drake, he held roles at Nebraska as a graduate assistant and later as Director of Player Relations and Development, where he oversaw the off-court responsibilities of student-athletes, initiated mentoring programs, and managed recruiting operations.
Farokhmanesh enjoyed a notable playing career at Northern Iowa, contributing to the team’s NCAA Tournament appearances and famously scoring a pivotal three-pointer against Kansas that led his team to its first Sweet 16. He later played professional basketball in Europe for four years in the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland. He holds a finance degree from UNI (2010) and a master’s in educational administration from Nebraska (2016). He and his wife Mallory have three sons: Tai, Liam, and Luka, and a daughter, Mila. His parents, Mashallah Farokhmanesh and Cindy Fredrick, were longstanding college volleyball coaches.
An introductory press conference is scheduled for Friday, March 28, at 11 a.m. at Moby Arena, open to the public.
