Jeff Drinkwine has been appointed as the new men’s basketball coach at Northwest University in Kirkland.
Drinkwine has served as an assistant coach on the Eagle men’s staff for the past three seasons and brings more than 26 years of coaching experience.
“Jeff has a deep understanding for the game of basketball and has had extensive coaching experience that will help him as he takes over the program,” Gary McIntosh, NU athletics director, said in a press release. “He definitely has a love for the game, but I think most importantly, he cares about the players and helping them find success on and off the court. I’m excited to see Jeff takes the basketball program forward.”
Drinkwine has experience as both an assistant and head coach at the collegiate level, according to the release. He is familiar with the Cascade Collegiate Conference, having also served as head men’s basketball coach at the Evergreen State College in Olympia from 2007-10, guiding the Geoducks to two trips to the NAIA Division II National championships, with his teams ranked in the NAIA Top 25 poll three consecutive seasons.
Drinkwine’s coaching career began at the high school level at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma, the release states, where he was the head boy’s coach from 1993 to 2001, making five trips to the district tournament and two trips to the WIAA state tournament. His collegiate experience includes serving as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Boise State, Division III Pacific Lutheran, Division II St. Martin’s, Pierce College and Division II Simon Fraser in British Columbia, Canada.
Jeff Drinkwine. Courtesy of Northwest University
“I would just like to thank God, Northwest University, the athletic department, and the current men’s basketball team, for supporting me and giving me this incredible opportunity,” Drinkwine said in the release. “It is going to be a fun journey. Northwest University is an outstanding school to be part of and I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to join the Eagle family in this capacity.”
He added, “The program standards were set and carried out by Coach Van Dyke year in and year out. He laid the ground work and pathway for success. It is our hope moving forward we can carry out many of the same values. If we do men’s basketball will continue to grow and have success, in the conference and at the national level.”
