New Asst Coach

[twentythreeOh4]

Tinkle has added Freddie Owens to the staff.

http://www.montanagrizzlies.com/pages/news_item.aspx?n=8072&m=17

Owens named assistant basketball coach
by: Dave Guffey of UNC Sports Information
Wednesday, 5/6/2009 Updated: 5/6/2009 4:33 PM


Former Wisconsin standout Freddie Owens has been named an assistant coach at The University of Montana fourth-year men’s basketball coach Wayne Tinkle announced Wednesday.

Owens, 27, spent last season as a graduate assistant coach for the Iowa State Cyclones, handling film exchange, various administrative duties and assisting in scouting.

Prior to his stint at ISU, Owens was an assistant coach at Adams State in Alamosa, Colo., where he assisted in gameday preparation, scouting and film editing.

He played professionally in Latvia in 2005-06 and was an AAU coach for a season before joining the Adams State coaching staff in 2007. The Grizzlies went 18-10 in 2007-08, recording their most wins since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 1992-93.

"Freddie will bring a youthful exuberance to our staff," Tinkle said. "He is a confident, vocal coach, which will prove to be beneficial to us in our meetings, huddles and practices. When you combine the level that he competed at along with his character, both of those qualities will aid in his developing rapport with our staff, along with our current and in-coming players. He will also be invaluable to us by opening up new recruiting areas.”

A native of Milwaukee, Wis., Owens was a starter for coach Bo Ryan and the Badgers in 2003 and ’04 and the sixth man as a sophomore. He scored 796 points in his four-year career (2001-04). The 6-2 guard was on two Big Ten regular-season championship teams (2002, ’03) and one Big Ten tournament championship squad (2004).

Wisconsin qualified for NCAA tournament play in all four of his seasons in Madison, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance as a junior in 2003 when Owens nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to defeat Tulsa.

"This is a great opportunity for Freddie Owens and a nice addition to the Montana staff," Coach Ryan said. "He understands that coaching is a profession where you pay your dues, learn from other coaches and work your way up. He's made a couple stops and now he's ready for a full-time assistant job.

“Freddie is willing to the do the little things to succeed because he has a goal of becoming a head coach someday. He'll be a valuable asset for the program."

Owens was recruited to Wisconsin by then-assistant coach Tony Bennett, who went on to become the head coach at Washington State, and was recently named the head coach at Virginia.

It was through Tony Bennett that Owens and Tinkle first met.

"I got to know Coach Tinkle through Tony Bennett," Owens said via a telephone interview. "Tony Bennett recruited me to play for his dad (head coach Dick Bennett) when he was an assistant at Wisconsin and we stayed in touch. Tony knew Coach Tinkle, and last year I talked to him about the open position at Montana (that was filled by current assistant coach Bill Evans). We continued to talk over the past year, and then this opportunity came up. It is a great chance for me to coach and recruit at a solid Division I program."

Owens prepped at Washington High School in Milwaukee where he was a two-year starter. His high school basketball teams were the state runners-up his freshman and senior seasons. His senior basketball squad was 24-2, and he was ranked the third best guard in the state that year.

He earned a degree in life sciences and communications from Wisconsin in 2005. Freddie recently became engaged to Carmen Guft.

Coach Tinkle said that Owens will begin his job sometime next week.

 

[evergriz]

http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46662&SPID=4252&DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=1582590&Q_SEASON=2009

 

[mtgrizrule]

I like it. We need some young blood, and he has some great pedigree in coming from the Wisconsin program. He should help get some midwest recruits too. Great hire GRIZ!

 

['68griz]

I think it's terrific that someone from outside the system was hired. New blood and new ideas are always good.

 

[montanatarheel]

I have a feeling that this will turn out to be a GREAT Hire. Looks te be a perfect fit with good connections in some different regions.

 

[citygriz]

yup, this looks like a great hire to me, too. not only could we use some fresh new blood, i was rooting for a "blood," period (although this "blood" is sorta old and tired, i confess.) my very first thought was, owens will be a great mentor for will cherry and our other guards, a nice counterpoint to the "big man" expertise of tinkle. then: he'll bring some energy to a team that went dead flat in critical games last year. and: he'll expand our recruiting horzions...in several directions.

welcome aboard, freddie.

finally: with rumors swirling for weeks about recruits, player defections and coaching changes, it was great to get some news, ANY news, out of the basketball programs!

 

[mtgrizrule]

yup, this looks like a great hire to me, too. not only could we use some fresh new blood, i was rooting for a "blood," period (although this "blood" is sorta old and tired, i confess.) my very first thought was, owens will be a great mentor for will cherry and our other guards, a nice counterpoint to the "big man" expertise of tinkle. then: he'll bring some energy to a team that went dead flat in critical games last year. and: he'll expand our recruiting horzions...in several directions.

welcome aboard, freddie.

finally: with rumors swirling for weeks about recruits, player defections and coaching changes, it was great to get some news, ANY news, out of the basketball programs!

I doubt we will have anymore player defections, including Stockton.

 

[beastie]

Nice fit, young and hungry. Could be a key get for UM.