Rusty Osborne to retire

[Anchorage]

I’ve known this was coming but was sworn to secrecy. But the cat is out of the bag now. Wish Rusty well in his retirement, really interested to see who takes over next.

I’ve heard the name Cameron Turner, former long time assistant, and coach of Eastern Arizona JC, as a strong possibility. I’d suspect that Tobin Karlberg (UAF assistant) and Ashton Pomerehn (current UAA assistant) will be in the mix as well. I’m sure the job will attract a couple other strong candidates.

I feel the job is Cameron Turners to lose but a lot of weirder things have happened.

https://goseawolves.com/news/2026/2/...Yx78TymL9F3avA

[tsull]

Thanks for the news, Anchorage. A GNAC hoops coaching legend. I wish him well in retirement.

As a fan of a school that goes through different coaches every 4 or 5 years, I admire a long term guy like Osborne.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

I remember him and Coach Sparling having matches to see who can yell louder at the referees. He definitely coaches with a lot of passion and has had a great career, with consistently decent teams every year with the really good recruiting especially of overseas players.

[Goods]

While I don't know him, being a CWU student, graduate, fan (sine 1996), you get to "know" the opposing coaches. He was one of my favorites. Knows everyone in every GNAC city and he's been involved in some intense games at Central Washington. Good luck to him.

[tsull]

Wonderful comments by coach Osborne. He touched on everything from his family, to the people who hired him, to the people he coached under, to his assistant coaches, players, people in the community and the kind of professions UAA graduates are getting into. One of the better retirement talks I've read. Really good stuff.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

I agree, that the article was well written, and Rusty really covered the gamut! I fiercely disliked Rusty for many years, likely due to the fierce Fairbanks / Anchorage rivalry, but in recent years Rusty has mellowed and moderated his temperment in Fairbanks (or maybe it's me???!!!). He stuck with that program a long time. I hope he has a happy and healthy retirement. Will be interested to see who gets his job, but I hope it's not Tobin!

[GNACFAN92]

I’ve known this was coming but was sworn to secrecy. But the cat is out of the bag now. Wish Rusty well in his retirement, really interested to see who takes over next.

I’ve heard the name Cameron Turner, former long time assistant, and coach of Eastern Arizona JC, as a strong possibility. I’d suspect that Tobin Karlberg (UAF assistant) and Ashton Pomerehn (current UAA assistant) will be in the mix as well. I’m sure the job will attract a couple other strong candidates.

I feel the job is Cameron Turners to lose but a lot of weirder things have happened.

https://goseawolves.com/news/2026/2/...Yx78TymL9F3avA

From some people I know, they say Ryan Orton is heading back to Anchorage after a year in Monmouth

[tsull]

From some people I know, they say Ryan Orton is heading back to Anchorage after a year in Monmouth

Nothing surprises me in the world of Athletics anymore. Western Oregon can't seem to keep a coach more than four years. Maybe it's not a very good job even though we had some winning for a little while. We had two outstanding coaches back to back in Brady Bergeson and Jim Shaw and they each left after 4 years. So if Ryan did leave, I think that says more about the job then Mr Orton himself.

I'm trying to not get too emotionally involved in all this as well as Washington State University sports, my favorite division one team which has been castrated from the high D1 levels. There's a lot of great hiking trails and outdoor things in Oregon, which I've taken up more these past couple years as college athletics just seems to be a downer, see the latest predicament of Western Oregon and Central Washington on the football board. Maybe I'll take up home brewing, or woodworking or whatever.

[Anchorage]

From some people I know, they say Ryan Orton is heading back to Anchorage after a year in Monmouth

I’ll just say I would be very surprised if it’s not Cameron Turner. Sure it’s possible he could decide the job and Alaska isn’t right for him as nothing in life is for certain.

[GNACFAN92]

Nothing surprises me in the world of Athletics anymore. Western Oregon can't seem to keep a coach more than four years. Maybe it's not a very good job even though we had some winning for a little while. We had two outstanding coaches back to back in Brady Bergeson and Jim Shaw and they each left after 4 years. So if Ryan did leave, I think that says more about the job then Mr Orton himself.

I'm trying to not get too emotionally involved in all this as well as Washington State University sports, my favorite division one team which has been castrated from the high D1 levels. There's a lot of great hiking trails and outdoor things in Oregon, which I've taken up more these past couple years as college athletics just seems to be a downer, see the latest predicament of Western Oregon and Central Washington on the football board. Maybe I'll take up home brewing, or woodworking or whatever.

It would be leaving a bottom 3 job in the conference to a top 3 job. Unfortunately to my understanding after Shaw left a lot of funding was taken from the program and restrictions on how money could be used were put in place. It’s too bad for a place that had so much success at one point. But that’s the climate of small schools. Wouldn’t be surprised to see WOU go NAIA sooner rather than later

[tsull]

It would be leaving a bottom 3 job in the conference to a top 3 job. Unfortunately to my understanding after Shaw left a lot of funding was taken from the program and restrictions on how money could be used were put in place. It’s too bad for a place that had so much success at one point. But that’s the climate of small schools. Wouldn’t be surprised to see WOU go NAIA sooner rather than later

Some of this is false, particularly on the funding, and the NAIA movement. I donate to a basketball fund, that fund does very well.