Big Bend looks within for next basketball coach

MOSES LAKE — Preston Wilks jokes that his loyalty to Big Bend Community College is so deep that he has blue and green running in his veins.

He is now taking that loyalty to the next level and will lead the Lady Vikings' basketball team beginning in the 2007-2008 season.

"For 40 years my family has been a part of Big Bend," Wilks said. "I've been an instructor at the college for 11 years and done a lot of different things. I'm excited about this new challenge."

Wilks replaces Craig Randall, who left his post in April to pursue an overseas teaching position. Randall had coached the Lady Vikings since the 2003-2004 season.

Wilks has worked as an accounting instructor and administrator at Big Bend since 1996. For the past seven seasons he has been an assistant for the men's basketball team. Prior to that, he played for the Big Bend men's team, serving as captain during the 1988-1989 season.

"When you take all those things in context, this is the next thing for me to do at BBCC," Wilks said. "It's a natural fit."

Wilks' first charge as head coach is to recruit new players for the upcoming season. He believes college athletics offer a variety of learning experiences for student-athletes, including using the basketball court as a learning environment for the frustrations and challenges student-athletes will face their entire lives.

"We only have four players returning," he said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for some girls and it is wide open right now."

Wilks wants the Lady Vikings to aspire to be a championship-caliber team.

"We want to get the program back to the level it was in 2002 when the team brought home a banner and where it was in 2003 when they lost in the championship playoff game," Wilks said.

Players interested in joining the team can contact Wilks at 509-793-2194 or by email at prestonw@bigbend.edu.

— Staff report