|
|
|
Wayne Tinkle had a solid first season as the head mentor at his alma mater, going 17-15 overall and 10-6 in the Big Sky Conference. His third-seeded Grizzlies hosted Idaho State in a first-round post-season conference tournament game, winning 70-63 in overtime, but then lost 78-71 to Northern Arizona in a Big Sky tourney semi-final game in Ogden, Utah.
Tinkle, 41, was named the 26th head coach at Montana by UM Athletic Director Jim O'Day in the summer of 2006. He replaced Larry Krystkowiak, who is the only coach in school history to guide the Grizzlies to two straight NCAA tournament appearances. \Krystkowiak left UM to take an assistant coaching position with the Milwaukee Bucks, and was elevated to the head job in March of 2007.
An assistant coach at his alma mater for the previous five seasons, Tinkle worked as an assistant coach during Krystkowiak's two seasons, had two years with former mentor Pat Kennedy (2002-04), and one with Don Holst (2001-02).
Two seasons ago Montana went 24-7 overall and 10-4 in the Big Sky. Montana went on to beat Eastern Washington (73-71 in overtime) in the semis and then defeated league tourney host Northern Arizona 73-60 to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.
In 2005-06 the 12th-seeded Grizzlies went on to defeat fifth-seed Nevada 87-79 in a first- round game, the second time in school history UM had won an NCAA contest, the other victory (69-63 over Utah State) coming in the 1974-75 season. Montana eventually lost in the second round to fourth-seeded Boston College, 69-56.
Three seasons ago, in 2004-05, Montana was 18-13 overall and 9-5 in the conference. The Big Sky's post-season tournament was in Portland, Oregon, that year, and Montana beat Montana State (58-48) in the semis and Weber State (63-61) in the championship game to earn an NCAA berth, as UM lost a first-round game to top-seeded Washington, 88-77.
In his first season as an assistant at Montana in 2001-02, Montana had to win three league tournament games, beating NAU 82-64, host MSU 70-68, and Eastern Washington 70-66 in the title game. The Griz then lost a first-round NCAA game to Oregon by an 81-62 margin.
Tinkle was a standout forward for the Grizzlies from 1985-89, when he was a three-time All-Big Sky selection his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
Tinkle is ranked among Montana's all-time scorers and rebounders. He is fourth in career rebounds with 836 and fifth in career points with 1,500, and is ranked among the Big Sky's career leaders in both of those two categories.
He was Montana's Carl Dragstedt Award (MVP) winner in 1988 and 1989. His senior year he averaged 17.1 points a game, which is the eighth highest single-season average ever at UM.
He led the team in rebounding in 1987 (8.9 average), 1988 (8.4 average), and 1989 (8.7 average), and in scoring in 1988 (16.2 ppg) and 1989 (17.1 ppg).
After Wayne's college career he played in the professional ranks 12 seasons, until 2000.
He played in the Continental Basketball League in Topeka, Kansas, and finished the year playing in Venezuela. In his professional career he played in the CBA, and in Sweden, Spain, Italy, and Greece.
Prior to returning to UM as an assistant coach, Tinkle played his final four seasons in Spain from 1995-99, where he ranked among the league's top scorers and rebounders.
He sat out the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons due to injuries, and retired after playing briefly in the IBL in Las Vegas.
Wayne was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is the youngest of 11 children (seven girls and four boys). He is a 1984 graduate of Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington.
He received his degree in Health and Human Performance from UM in 2005.
He married former Lady Griz basketball star Lisa McLeod. Wayne and Lisa have three children: daughters Joslyn and Elleson, and son Tres.
|
|
|
|
