Winkin directing tourney Husson coach to stay in Alabama for Super Regional

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Husson College baseball coach John Winkin will spend the next 10 days or so in Tuscaloosa, Ala., the site of one of 16 four-team NCAA regionals.

Winkin will reprise his role as a tournament director, a position he has held down for many years since his days as the head coach at UMaine.

“I don’t think I’ve missed a year since I came to Maine,” said the 87-year-old Winkin. “I’ve either been in it [as a coach] or I’ve been a tournament director.”

Winkin’s job is to serve as the top NCAA administrator at Tuscaloosa. He oversees the running of the event, taking care of the many situations that might arise involving TV coverage while handling disputes between the coaches and umpires or event staff.

He enjoys being back in the same setting he enjoyed while making 11 Regional appearances and six trips to the College World Series from 1975-93.

“I just love being in the atmosphere,” Winkin said. “It’s fun and everything’s exciting. The treat me like a king. It’s kind of like living in the past.”

Winkin will remain in Alabama for next week’s Super Regional. He claims to set high standards when it comes to handling his tournament director duties.

“What I tell the coaches is, don’t try anything, I’ve tried,” he said of his experience coaching the Bears in NCAA Tournament play.

Made in Manhattan

Aside from having his UMaine team in the NCAA Tournament, Trimper had another reason to smile Friday.

Trimper’s former team, Manhattan College, posted a huge upset when it knocked off host team and No. 6 national seed Nebraska 4-1 in the NCAA Lincoln, Neb., Regional.

The Jaspers (33-21) were the champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference while the Cornhuskers (42-16) were the runners-up in the Big 12 tournament. Manhattan is making the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance under former Trimper assistant coach Kevin Leighton.