Central Washington University Athletics

This past season, 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.