Lisa Tinkle grew up in Montana and played basketball for the University of Montana Grizzlies at the same time that her future husband, Wayne Tinkle, went there, per MontanaSports.com. She graduated in 1989 after leading the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances. The standout racked up 1,470 points plus 830 rebounds during her playing days, and she was enshrined into their hall of fame in 2011 (via The New York Times).
During the ceremony, Lisa recalled how her personal life overlapped with her life in basketball. "They showed one picture from our wedding night and my teammates were in the pic," she told the Missoulian. Lisa and Wayne got engaged while they were both seniors at Montana. Per MontanaSports.com, she was pregnant with their first when Wayne went to play professional ball overseas. The Missoulian asked her when she transformed from a basketball star to a mom. "Oh, that happened almost immediately," Lisa explained. "Now I have no identity other than their mom, but I'll take that."
Lisa told MontanaSports.com that the sport had been integral to her family's development. "Basketball was ... our ticket to go through the community and we've been awarded a lot of opportunities, have had wonderful experiences," Lisa said. The Tinkles recognize the sacrifices Lisa made so they could thrive. "I get emotional just talking about her, just what she's done for our family, for me and my sisters," son Tres Tinkle said.
