ANCHORAGE (Aug. 25) – Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball coach Rusty Osborne announced Tuesday that Ryan Orton has been hired as the Seawolves’ new assistant coach.
A native of Creswell, Ore., Orton brings extensive experience at both the Division I and Division II levels, including two seasons at Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Northwest Nazarene.
“I am excited to welcome Ryan to the Seawolf family and looking forward to working with him,” said Osborne, who enters his sixth season as head coach this fall. “I am confident Ryan’s abilities will help keep us as one of the elite programs in the West Region. He is an outstanding recruiter as he has shown at every level, and he possesses tremendous basketball knowledge on both ends of the floor.”
Most recently Orton coached at D-I program Montana State from 2006-08, where he was responsible for both recruiting and team academic development, while serving as position coach for post players. In his time with the program, the Bobcats had a 100 percent graduation rate, produced five Academic All-Big Sky honorees and earned the athletic department’s 2006-07 Allison Award, given to the MSU team whose overall GPA improves most from one year to the next.
At NNU from 2004-06, Orton was involved in every facet of the program from on-court instruction and scouting to scheduling and fund-raising. He also proved one of the GNAC’s top young recruiters, signing the league’s 2007 Newcomer of the Year and the 2006 Idaho High School State Player of the Year.
Orton also brings head-coaching experience to UAA, having directed the program at Lane (Ore.) Community College in 2003-04. At LCC, his team led the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges South Region in points per game and ranked third overall among 36 NWAACC schools.
“Having been a head coach, Ryan knows what it takes to be successful, and I know that our players will benefit from this,” Osborne added. “In addition, he is very familiar with Alaska high school basketball as well as many of the other areas we recruit, so the transition should be quick for him.”
Orton got his start in college coaching at D-I Eastern Washington from 1998-2003, serving on the staff that produced the Big Sky Conference’s best overall record over four seasons (2000-03).
“First and foremost I would like to thank (UAA Athletic Director) Dr. Steve Cobb and Coach Osborne for allowing me the opportunity here at the University of Alaska Anchorage,” said Orton, who played his college ball at NAIA Eastern Oregon University. “I am thrilled and honored to be a part of the outstanding athletic department at UAA and look forward to helping continue the success men's basketball has had under Coach Osborne's tenure.”
Orton earned a bachelors of science degree in health and physical education from Eastern Oregon in 1996 and is currently pursuing a master’s in physical education from Eastern Washington.
As a player at EOU he was the 1996 team MVP and captain, earning honorable mention All-Cascade Conference honors. He also played collegiately at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Ore., from 1991-93.
--GoSeawolves.com--
Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
GoSeawolves.com
