HEAD COACH

ALI FAROKHMANESH

Ali Farokhmanesh has been on staff as an assistant coach for Colorado State since Niko Medved’s initial staff in 2018. Farokhmanesh was promoted to Associate Head Coach in May of 2024.

He has helped Colorado State to a pair of NCAA Tournament Appearnaces (2022, 2024) and an NIT semifinal appearance (2021). The Rams have won 20-plus games in four of the six season's Farokhmanesh has been on staff.

Farokhmanesh has been a pivotal part of the growth of CSU’s men’s basketball program working with the team’s guards. He has seen the development of the only five-time All-Mountain West selection Isaiah Stevens.

Stevens, not only has been an All-Mountain West selection under Farokhmanesh’s guidance but also a Bob Cousy Award finalist in 2022 and semifinalist in 2024, awarded to the nations best point guard.

Under Farokhmanesh's guidance, Stevens ended his decorated CSU career as the program's all-time scoring (2.350) and assists (863) among many other records.

Farokhmanesh came to Fort Collins from Drake where he was also an assistant coach under Medved for a season.

Before Drake, he worked as a graduate assistant and then Director of Player Relations and Development at Nebraska. He managed and oversaw the off-the-court responsibilities of the student-athletes, including implementing mentoring programs and community outreach. On campus, he directed recruiting operations, including on-campus hosting duties.

Farokhmanesh’s coaching career follows a storied playing career at Northern Iowa. He helped UNI to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first-ever Sweet 16. He hit one of the most memorable shots in March Madness history to send the Panthers to the Sweet 16 with his fastbreak 3-pointer with 34 seconds left to knock off top-seed Kansas.

He went on to play four years of professional basketball in Europe competing for teams in the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland.

Farokhmanesh received his degree in finance from UNI in 2010 and earned his master’s degree in educational administration from Nebraska in 2016. Ali and his wife Mallory have sons Tai, Liam and Luka and daughter Mila.