Gophers Lose Assistant Coach to ACC

Niko Medved must fill opening on Minnesota's coaching staff after Chad Warner departs for Clemson.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:05pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes in maroon, gold, and navy blue, conceptually representing the strategic challenges facing a college basketball program after the loss of a key assistant coach.The departure of an experienced assistant coach creates a strategic challenge for the Minnesota Gophers as they look to build on their previous season's success.Minneapolis Today

One of Minnesota head coach Niko Medved's assistant coaches, Chad Warner, has officially left the Gophers to take an assistant coaching job at Clemson in the ACC. Warner was a well-respected voice on Medved's first staff in Minneapolis, and his departure creates an opening that Medved will need to fill as he heads into his second season leading the Gophers.

Why it matters

Assistants play a crucial role in college basketball, handling player development, recruiting, scouting, and more. Medved will need to carefully evaluate his options to find the right replacement for Warner, who had significant head coaching experience that brought valuable perspective to the Gophers' program.

The details

Warner joined Medved's staff at Minnesota last offseason after spending three seasons at Furman, including one as the associate head coach. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Division II Flagler College for five seasons and NAIA Shorter University for eight seasons, compiling an impressive 228-154 overall record as a head coach. His departure leaves an opening on Medved's bench, and the Minnesota head coach will need to decide if he wants to bring in a fifth assistant or restructure his coaching staff for his second year with the Gophers.

  • On March 30, 2026, Clemson officially announced the hiring of Chad Warner as an assistant coach.
  • Warner spent one season on Niko Medved's staff at Minnesota.

The players

Niko Medved

The head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team, entering his second season in that role.

Chad Warner

A former assistant coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers who has accepted an assistant coaching position at Clemson University in the ACC.

Armon Gates

An assistant coach on Niko Medved's staff at Minnesota.

Brian Cooley

An assistant coach on Niko Medved's staff at Minnesota who had previous experience working directly with Medved.

Dave Thorson

An assistant coach on Niko Medved's staff at Minnesota who had previous experience working directly with Medved.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Medved will need to decide if he wants to bring in a fifth assistant coach to replace Warner or restructure his existing coaching staff for his second season leading the Gophers.

The takeaway

The departure of assistant coach Chad Warner creates a significant opening on Niko Medved's staff at Minnesota. Medved will need to carefully evaluate his options to find the right replacement, as assistants play a crucial role in college basketball programs.