Zach Ruebesam is getting the opportunity he has been working toward since he was a Colorado student a decade ago.

The director of player development the past four seasons for the Colorado men’s basketball team, Ruebesam on Monday was named the new head coach at CSU Pueblo. It is the first head coach job for Ruebesam, a native of Berthoud who has had his sights set on a coaching career since his days as a student manager at CU during the early years of head coach Tad Boyle’s tenure, from 2012-16.

According to a release from CSU Pueblo, Ruebesam was one of 110 applicants and three finalists for the job.

“It’s extremely thrilling,” Ruebesam told BuffZone. “When I was 17, I made a goal that I wanted to be a student manager to launch my coaching career, with the ultimate goal being a head coach. Part of that dream was to come back and work at CU. So when Tad hired me back four years ago as director of player development, then promoted me to assistant coach, that kind of checked the box of one of those dreams.

“I’m so fortunate for everything he’s done for me to now achieve the second ultimate part of that dream, being a head coach at CSU Pueblo. It’s such a blessing to be two hours down the road from my family and being at a place I’m somewhat familiar with.”

Following his graduation from CU, Ruebesam followed former Buffs assistant Rodney Billups to the University of Denver, serving as director of player development before moving to director of operations. While at DU, Ruebesam earned a master’s degree in sports coaching. Ruebesam then worked as an assistant for two seasons at Division II Belmont Abbey in North Carolina, with the Crusaders earning a No. 1 seed in the 2021 Division II NCAA Tournament.Ruebesam’s former boss at Belmont Abbey, Dan Ficke, is now a league rival as the head coach at Metro State. Ruebesam said the time at Belmont Abbey helped spur his interest in a Division II job closer to home.

“I really love the small college level of Division II,” Ruebesam said. “For lack of a better term, and maybe there’s a better way to say this, but it’s different than at CU and the Big 12 right now. I liken it to almost old-school college basketball, get good kids and really build a program. I just was extremely attracted because of everything at CSU Pueblo. CSU has a rich tradition of basketball, and it’s a sleeping giant. I’m excited to build a culture and grow with it. You never know what will happen in the future, but I’m really, really excited to be here.”

Among Ruebesam’s duties at CU was taking the point in assembling the Buffs’ nonconference schedule. Last summer, he took over CU’s alumni squad, Team Colorado, and led the group to the Sweet 16 of the annual $1 million The Basketball Tournament.

Ruebesam joked that his first team meeting at CSU Pueblo on Monday was full of themes regarding defense and rebounding, long the pillars of CU’s program under Boyle. Ruebesam said that CU influence will extend beyond the court as well.

“That is ingrained into my core. We’re going to be a defense and rebounding program,” Ruebesam said. “And the way coach (Boyle) handles player dynamics. Coach is unbelievably honest and direct, and he allows you to be honest and direct. Those two things are going to be the first two things we integrate in building trust with these guys.

“We’re going to play some similar things as CU, but we’re probably going to play a little different at times, too. I’m excited about the basketball aspect to use different ways we played at CU and tweak it to this level and really play to our players’ strengths.”

Schedule update

A former Colorado assistant, plus a one-time fan favorite as a player, will be returning to the CU Events Center.

And in November, the Buffaloes will take a nonconference trip to the desert.

Two more pieces of the 2025-26 nonconference schedule for the Colorado men’s basketball team were revealed Monday, as it will play a home-and-home series against Providence. Colorado also announced its multi-team event for next season, which will be a two-game trip to Palm Desert, Calif., to play in the Acrisure Series.

The Providence matchup was first reported by national college basketball reporter Jon Rothstein and confirmed by BuffZone. Although the date is not yet finalized, the Friars are tentatively set to visit Boulder on Friday, Nov. 14, with CU scheduled for a return trip to Providence during the 2026-27 season.

Former CU assistant Kim English just finished his second season as the head coach at Providence. His staff includes assistant Nate Tomlinson, a former CU point guard and assistant coach. It will be the first matchups between the Buffs and Providence.

Providence will be the first Big East team to visit Boulder for a regular-season game since CU hosted Xavier during nonconference play in the 2016-17 season, although Seton Hall played at the Events Center in the 2023 NIT.

The Acrisure Series will be played Nov. 25-28 at Acrisure Arena. The specific dates and the other teams set to compete will be announced at a later date. The Acrisure Series also includes a home date against an opponent yet to be determined.

Combined with the announcement last week the Buffs will face Stanford in Phoenix in December, the two games at the Acrisure Series and the previously set matchup at Colorado State likely will complete the away-from-home portion of CU’s nonconference schedule. The Buffs played 11 nonconference games this past season but will play 13 next season as the Big 12 reverts back to an 18-game conference schedule.