Head Coach Brandon Rinta

Brandon became only the fourth head coach in the Lewis-Clark State College men’s basketball program in the last 38 years when he was hired on April 26, 2011.

 

He is the 13th coach in the program’s history since 1938 and is excited to get the ball rolling in his first head college coaching job.

 

Rinta has strong ties in the Pacific Northwest and is highly respected in the coaching profession. He spent five years as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington, first for Ray Giacoletti, who is now an assistant coach at Gonzaga, and then for Mike Burns, who is now an assistant at the University of San Diego. During his five years there he helped form the most successful teams in the program’s history. Those teams competed in the postseason every year, made it to the Big Sky Championship game three times, won the Big Sky Conference title once, won EWU’s first ever Big Sky Tournament Championship, and participated in the NIT and NCAA Tournaments for the first time in school history.

 

Rinta then spent the next five years as the top assistant and associate head coach at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, a position he held when he was hired by LCSC. In his time at NNU, he helped guide the Crusaders to their most successful seasons since the program moved to NCAA Division II. During his five years there, NNU tied the record for most wins in a season, claimed its first postseason win, and earned its first national and regional ranking. The team also posted the highest team GPA in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference three out of those five years.

 

“We feel very fortunate to have found a coach of his background and experience, and his desire to be a head coach at a quality NAIA program,” LCSC athletic director Gary Picone said. “He is very familiar with our program.  We’re excited because we feel he is a great fit for us. He brings all the qualities to the job that we want.”

 

“I’m really excited,” Rinta said. “I have followed Lewis-Clark State basketball and know the success they have had. I’m excited about being a part of that success now. I know how good the Frontier Conference is and it definitely is going to be challenging.”

 

Rinta grew up in Chehalis, Wash., and graduated from W.F. West High where he earned four letters in basketball and two in football. He was an all-state selection in basketball his senior season when he was named the Black Hills Player of the Year. He also was his team’s MVP his senior year in football when he earned second-team honors as a running back and wide receiver.

 

Rinta played two seasons at Yakima Valley Community College. During his second year, the team was co-coached by former Central Washington legendary coach Dean Nicholson and current Boise State head coach and former Gonzaga assistant Leon Rice. He earned first-team all-NWAACC honors when he averaged 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He was the team MVP, captain and Most Inspirational his final season there.

 

Rinta then transferred to CWU for his final two seasons. He started 53 games at CWU at guard and helped the team to a 39-17 mark during those seasons. In both years, he served as co-captain and won the team’s Hustle Award. He also won the Most Inspirational Award his senior year.

 

He averaged 8.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals at CWU. He helped the team to the NCAA Division II West Regional both seasons and the Pacific West Conference regular-season title as a junior.

 

Rinta earned a Bachelor’s degree in Health Fitness Education from CWU and a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Eastern Washington.

 

Rinta, his wife Deanna, and their daughter Kendall reside in Lewiston.

 

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Assistant Coach Austin Johnson

Austin is in his second year as an assistant coach in the Warrior program and is a big part of the Warrior recruiting efforts.

Before coming to LCSC, Austin spent the last two years as a graduate assistant coach at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill.  While with the Leathernecks, Austin’s duties included film exchange, video editing, scouting, recruiting, and on-floor instruction. In his last season there, WIU posted its most wins in 12 seasons and ranked 10th in the NCAA in fewest points allowed per game.

Austin was hired by WIU after a brief stay as a volunteer assistant coach at Odessa Junior College in Texas.

Austin earned his Master’s in Sports Management at WIU after graduating from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 2008 with a degree in Business Marketing.

He is the fourth of five children to David and Gayle Johnson and grew up in Wichita, Kan. After high school he enrolled at Butler Community College and redshirted his freshman year on the basketball team. He then transferred to Oklahoma Wesleyan where he was a starter his final two seasons. He wound up with 1,207 career points and made more than 250 3-pointers.  He was captain of the team his senior season and helped the squad to a 26-8 record, its best ever, and its first appearance in the NAIA National Tournament where the team advanced to the Sweet 16 round.

Austin was a two-time all-Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference selection and was chosen Oklahoma Wesleyan’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2008.  He also earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors and made the Dean’s List at OWU.

Austin is active in volunteer/ministry work with both the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action. He has worked at a number of basketball camps, including ones at Texas, Bradley, South Florida, Drake, and Wyoming, as well as smaller camps throughout the Midwest.  

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