Drinkwine out, Skeen in at NAIA Northwest U

Future WIBCA Hall of Fame Coach Rick Skeen takes the helm of the Northwest University men’s basketball team, the university announced Monday.

Skeen replaces Jeff Drinkwine who had been the Eagles head coach for the past five seasons. Drinkwine wraps up his tenure with a 60-67 record, including a 10-17 (7-17 CCC) mark this past season.
 
Skeen’s King’s High School teams won state crowns in 2015, 2016, and 2020 and reached the championship game in 2013, 2014, and 2022. He also had three state runner-up finishes at Burlington-Edison High School in three of his last four seasons there.
 
“I am excited to welcome Coach Rick Skeen to the Northwest Eagle family,” said NU Director of Athletics Gary McIntosh. “Rick is an accomplished high school coach and has great success winning several state championships. When we began our search for a new basketball coach, we were looking for a coach who shared our vision and our values, a leader of men, and one who could lead our team to a championship. Coach Skeen is that leader we were looking for. I look forward to working with him.”
 
Headed to the WIBCA Hall of Fame in July, Skeen has been in nine State Championship games with 13 semifinal appearances in the last 16 seasons. Those teams have accounted for 10 conference championships, six district titles, and three bi-district crowns in addition to the three State wins.
 
Among numerous Coach of the Year honors for Skeen are nearly 10 such awards at the state level.
 
“I want to thank Dr. Castleberry, Dr. Engstrom, and Mr. McIntosh for this incredible opportunity,” Skeen said. “It has always been a dream of mine to coach at a Christian university, and I am beyond thankful for the Lord’s provision and blessing. I am excited to get started and build a culture of service and sacrifice within the men’s basketball program.”
 
Skeen graduated from Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho, in 1995 and received his master’s of education degree from City University in Renton in 2005.
 
His coaching career began in 1993 as the freshman boys coach at Homedale (Idaho) High School. His first varsity coaching job was at Burlington-Edison from 2000-2011. He has been at King’s since then.

https://nueagles.com/news/2022/3/21/skeen-takes-helm-of-mens-basketball.aspx

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