Colorado State University Athletics
Men's Basketball
Farokhmanesh, Ali

Ali Farokhmanesh
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Ali Farokhmanesh was named the 21st head men’s basketball coach in program history on March 26, 2025.
He spent seven seasons in Fort Collins as an assistant coach and associate head coach before taking over as the lead man of the Rams.
During his seven years as an assistant, he helped the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances (2022, 2024, 2025) and advanced to the semifinals of the NIT in 2021. Along with bringing home CSU's first Mountain West Tournament title in 22 years.
Over his final four seasons as an assistant coach, Farokhmanesh has played a key role in developing NBA talents David Roddy, Isaiah Stevens and Nique Clifford. That trio, along with Nico Carvacho, has led Colorado State to have the longest active streak of first team All-Mountain West selections, standing at seven years.
Colorado State has won 25-plus games in three of the past four seasons and 20-plus five times since Farokhmanesh arrived on the campus.
Farokhmanesh came to Fort Collins from Drake, where he was also an assistant coach 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.
His parents Mashallah Farokhmanesh and Cindy Fredrick were long-time college volleyball coaches at Iowa, Washington State and UNLV.
He spent seven seasons in Fort Collins as an assistant coach and associate head coach before taking over as the lead man of the Rams.
During his seven years as an assistant, he helped the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances (2022, 2024, 2025) and advanced to the semifinals of the NIT in 2021. Along with bringing home CSU's first Mountain West Tournament title in 22 years.
Over his final four seasons as an assistant coach, Farokhmanesh has played a key role in developing NBA talents David Roddy, Isaiah Stevens and Nique Clifford. That trio, along with Nico Carvacho, has led Colorado State to have the longest active streak of first team All-Mountain West selections, standing at seven years.
Colorado State has won 25-plus games in three of the past four seasons and 20-plus five times since Farokhmanesh arrived on the campus.
Farokhmanesh came to Fort Collins from Drake, where he was also an assistant coach 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.
His parents Mashallah Farokhmanesh and Cindy Fredrick were long-time college volleyball coaches at Iowa, Washington State and UNLV.