Central Washington University Athletics

Rinta will prepare to begin his 9th season as the Head Coach of the Wildcats.

The 2025-26 season got off to a strong start winning critical preseason games against Cal State San Berardino and Central Oklahoma at the CCA DII Canadian Tip-Off Classic in Langley, BC. However, before their next set of games, the Crimson and Black lost two starters to season-ending injuries. These injuries created challenges for the ‘Cats for the rest of the preseason and early in GNAC play. The Wildcats continued to battle and eventually found their stride. Central began to play their best basketball at the right time, winning four of their last six games heading into the GNAC Tournament. The Wildcats strong finish earned them a top four finish in the regular season standings. The ‘Cats defeated fifth-seeded Seattle Pacific 58-53 in the first round before falling to the eventual tournament champion, Saint Martins in the GNAC Semifinals. This marked the fifth-straight season that the Wildcats qualified for the GNAC Semifinals. The Crimson and Black were led by GNAC First Team selection Jordan Clark and GNAC Honorable Mention selection Bradley Swillie. It was a dominant year for Clark who eclipsed the 1,000pt mark against Seattle Pacific on Feb 14^th inside Nicholson Pavilion. Wildcat Senior post Calvin Sisk led the GNAC in field goal percentage and blocked shots in both the regular season and GNAC play. Sisk shot 71% from the field in GNAC play and blocked 2.1 shots per game. As a team, the Wildcats were potent offensively. They finished third in scoring offense (79.3ppg), second in field goal percentage offense (.473), and led the GNAC in assists (18 apg).

In the 2024-25 season, the Wildcats rode high off the previous season’s success and found strong play from a young squad with most of the returners being sophomores. Despite a slow start to the season, the Crimson and Black continued their winning ways, going 14-4 to capture the GNAC Regular Season Championship. This was the first GNAC Regular Season Championship since 2011 and only the second regular season championship since joining NCAA DII. In the postseason, the ‘Cats defeated Montana State-Billings in double overtime in the GNAC Tournament Semi-Finals before being upset by Seattle Pacific in the GNAC Tournament Championship. Despite the loss, the Wildcat’s resume earned them an at-large bid to the NCAA West Regional. In the NCAA West Regional, CWU made their second consecutive Round of 32 appearance after defeating Chico State 82-79 in OT, before falling to the eventual national runner-up Cal State Dominguez Hills, 77-65. The Wildcats concluded their season as one of the best shooting teams in NCAA DII. The ‘Cats finished the season in the Top 25 nationally in field goal percentage, effective field percentage, free throw percentage, and 3pt percentage. The ‘Cats shot a blistering 39.5% from three on the season with Cavin Holden ranked #15 in the country individually at 43.8%. During the GNAC play, the Wildcats shot a GNAC best 43.9% from three. Wildcats Cavin Holden, Garrett Anderson, and Jordan Clark finished GNAC play as the Top 3 most efficient 3pt shooters in the conference. Wildcat Sophomore Cavin Holden was named GNAC Regular Season MVP and was named to the All-West Region team. Garrett Anderson and Cavin Holden were unanimous GNAC First Team selections. Jordan Clark and Maverick Sanders earned GNAC Honorable Mention honors. Coach Rinta was voted GNAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his tenure.
 
The 2023-24 season was a breakthrough year for the Crimson and Black. The Wildcats made a splash in the postseason by winning their first GNAC Tournament Championship since 2011. In three consecutive days, CWU defeated Seattle Pacific, Montana State-Billings, and Alaska Anchorage to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The semi-final game against Montana State-Billings was an instant classic. The ‘Cats defeated top-seeded Billings thanks to a 49 point second half explosion that was capped off by a go-ahead three-pointer from Samaad Hector with three seconds left to upset the Yellowjackets, 81-80. The postseason run continued in the NCAA West Regional as the Wildcats defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills for their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2001. In a high scoring affair, the Wildcats scored 110 points and went 17-27 from the three-point line in a 110-90 victory over the Toros. CWU’s postseason run ended in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 against Azusa Pacific.  Despite losing GNAC Tournament MVP Samaad Hector in the opening minutes to a shoulder injury, the Wildcats were within one-point at the six-minute mark before falling 82-74 to the Cougars. CWU ended the season as one of the youngest and most successful teams in NCAA DII. The Wildcats started three freshmen for most of the season and relied heavily on their youth throughout their postseason run. CWU concluded the season ranked among the GNAC best in scoring margin, field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense, 3pt percentage defense, rebounding offense, rebounding margin, defensive rebounds, defensive rebounding percentage, and assists. Wildcat Seniors Samaad Hector and Anjaylo Lloyd earned GNAC All-Conference honors for their stellar play. Samaad Hector was named GNAC Tournament MVP while averaging 20ppg and 10rpg during their championship run.

In 2022-2023, the Wildcats reached the GNAC Tournament Semi-Finals for the second consecutive season. The team finished fourth in the regular season standings and were the only GNAC team to defeat GNAC Regular Season Champion Saint Martins on their home floor. The Wildcats defeated two nationally ranked opponents during the regular season and produced four All-GNAC selections (Cam McNeil, Brock Gilbert, Matt Poquette, Samaad Hector). Additionally, the Wildcats swept rival Western Washington for the first time since 2008. Senior guard Brock Gilbert set the program record for assists per game (7.0) and finished number #2 in NCAA DII in assists per game. Brock also finished Top 5 in NCAA DII in total assists (190). Senior forward Matt Poquette finished his CWU career with 1,239 points & 604 rebounds as a Wildcat. In the classroom, the Wildcats won their fourth straight GNAC Academic Conference Championship for highest team GPA. Additionally, five CWU MBB student-athletes earned Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic honors. Matt Poquette was awarded Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic for the fourth time in a row and is the only GNAC athlete to accomplish this.

During the 2021 season, the Wildcats were the highest scoring (82.7ppg) & most efficient (50%) team in the GNAC. They finished tied with the third most win’s in the GNAC standings. The Wildcats reached the GNAC Championship game for the first time since 2011 and were ranked as high as #4 in the West Region during the regular season. Xavier Smith was voted the GNAC Player of the Year as well as NABC All-West Region and D2CCA First Team All-Region honors. Senior guard David Thompson was also awarded GNAC All-Conference. In the classroom, the Wildcats won their third straight GNAC Academic Conference Championship for highest team GPA.

In the COVID shortened 2020 season, the Wildcats were one of four GNAC members to play regular season games. They defeated NCAA Tournament participant Northwest Nazarene University 94-84 in Nicholson Pavilion on March 5, 2021. The Wildcats had four players average double figures and averaged 77ppg as a team across their six games. In the classroom, the Wildcats won their second straight GNAC Academic Conference Championship for highest team GPA.

In 2019, the Wildcats were one of the best defensive teams in the GNAC. CWU held their opponents under 70 points per game for the first time since 2010. The Wildcats finished their season tied for the final GNAC playoff spot but lost the tiebreaker despite finishing with ten GNAC wins. CWU was among the GNAC’s best in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, 3pt field goal percentage defense, and defensive rebounding. Senior guard Jeryn Lucas was an All-GNAC selection for the Wildcats. Jeryn finished the season as one the top shooters in the GNAC making 75 threes at 40%. Lucas concluded his CWU career with 132 made three-point field goals, which puts him in the top ten in the CWU record books.  In the classroom, the Wildcats won their first GNAC Academic Conference Championship for the first time in program history.

During Rinta’s first season, the Wildcats were one of the top scoring teams in the GNAC, averaging over 80ppg. The Wildcats were top three in team field goal percentage (47%) as well as assists per game (15.5). Junior guard Gamaun Boykin was an All-GNAC selection for the Wildcats. Boykin averaged 12ppg and was the team’s leading rebounder from the point guard position.

Former Wildcat Brandon Rinta was named Central Washington men’s basketball head coach on April 19, 2018, becoming the 14th head coach in the program's 117-year history. He is the Wildcats fifth head coach in the past 88 years.

Rinta, who played for the Wildcats from 1999-2001, spent the previous seven seasons as the head coach at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, where he compiled a 164-62 record (.726) and left with the highest winning percentage by a LC coach in the past 50 years. 

Rinta led the Warriors to three Frontier Conference regular season championships and a pair of conference tournament titles.  The Warriors earned five NAIA National Tournament berths and enjoyed the second-most wins in school history in 2016, going 29-5. The Warriors earned a No. 3 national ranking, which was the highest in school history as Rinta was named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year.
 
In 2013, the Warriors started the season 18-0 as Rinta was named the Don Meyer NAIA National Coach of the Year.
 
Prior to Lewis-Clark State, Rinta spent five seasons at Great Northwest Athletic Conference member Northwest Nazarene as Associate Head Coach under Tim Hills.  While at NNU, the Nighthawks enjoyed the most wins since joining the NCAA and earned their first-ever ranking in the NCAA Division II West Regional Poll.
 
From 2001-06, Rinta was an assistant coach at Eastern Washington in Cheney, Wash., where he worked under former Wildcat Mike Burns in Cheney, Wash.  During his stay with the Eagles, Rinta coached future NBA first-round draft pick Rodney Stuckey. The Eagles played in three-straight Big Sky Championship games with a 2003 appearance in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), followed by a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2004.
 
The Chehalis, Wash., native prepped at W.F. West High School and began his college career at Yakima Valley Community College where he played for legendary CWU coach Dean Nicholson, earning All-NWAACC honors averaging 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. 
 
Rinta competed at Central Washington from 1999-01 where he averaged 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds to help guide the Wildcats to a 39-17 record with a PacWest Conference Title and a NCAA Division II West Regional berth.
 
In 2001, he earned a bachelor’s degree in health fitness education at CWU. Rinta earned his Master’s in Athletic Administration from Eastern Washington in 2003. Rinta currently resides in Ellensburg with his wife Deanna. The Rinta’s have a daughter, Kendall, and a son, Shea.