Ryan Orton returns to the Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball staff in 2022-23 for his eighth season as the program’s top assistant, and his ninth overall with the program. He was elevated to the role of associate head coach in July 2022.
Since coming back to UAA in 2017, the Northwest native has helped the Seawolves push their streak of .500-plus records to 16 seasons, including a 20-14 mark and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament runner-up finish in 2019-20. As the program's primary recruiter, he has helped UAA secure commitments from five future All-GNAC performers since his return.
Orton came back north after a 5-year stint as the head coach at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, Wyo., where he led the Mustangs to winning seasons in his last three campaigns, including 21- and 22-win seasons and NJCAA Region IX playoff berths in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
In his first stint with the Seawolves, Orton made an impact by securing commitments from three former Alaska Players-of-the-Year, plus a long list of Lower 48 prep and junior-college standouts. In 2011-12, former recruit Taylor Rohde was the GNAC Player of the Year and Division II Bulletin National Player of the Year for the Seawolves.
Orton coached at D-I program Montana State from 2006-08, where he was responsible for both recruiting and team academic development, while serving as position coach for post players. In his time with the Bobcats, the team had a 100 percent graduation rate, produced five Academic All-Big Sky honorees and earned the athletic department’s 2006-07 Allison Award, given to the MSU team whose overall GPA improves most from one year to the next.
At conference rival Northwest Nazarene from 2004-06, Orton was involved in every facet of the program from on-court instruction and scouting to scheduling and fund-raising. He also proved one of the GNAC’s top young recruiters, signing the league’s 2007 Newcomer of the Year and the 2006 Idaho High School State Player of the Year.
Orton directed the program at Lane (Ore.) Community College in 2003-04, where his team led the NWAC South Region in points per game and ranked third overall among 36 league programs.
Orton got his start in college coaching at D-I Eastern Washington from 1998-2003, serving on the staff that produced the Big Sky Conference’s best overall record over four seasons (2000-03).
He earned a B.S. in health and physical education from Eastern Oregon and his masters in physical education from Eastern Washington in 2001.
As a player at EOU, he was the 1996 team MVP and captain, earning honorable mention All-Cascade Conference honors. He also played collegiately at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Ore., from 1991-93.
A former rival in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Jalon McCullough joins the Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball coaching staff for his first season as an assistant coach in 2021-22.
McCullough was a three-year letterwinner at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he appeared in 77 career games for his hometown team. A point guard, he earned All-Northwest Athletic Conference First Team honors at Peninsula (Wash.) College in his lone season of junior college in 2016-17.
Prior to his collegiate career, McCullough starred at Monroe Catholic High School in Fairbanks, where his teams advanced to the ASAA state title game every year – winning three times – and suffered only five losses in his four seasons.
McCullough earned his bachelor of arts degree in communications, with a minor in sports management, from UAF in 2020.
Ryan Engebretsen is in his second year with the Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball program as a volunteer assistant coach in 2021-22.
One of the most successful high school coaches in Alaska, Engebretsen spent 12 seasons (2008-20) at Wasilla High School, where he led the Warriors to six conference championships, three state-title game appearances, and the 2018 ASAA 4A state championship.