Tim Winn

A native of Niagara Falls, NY, Tim Winn was a basketball star at LaSalle High School and St. Bonaventure University.  Playing for hall of fame coach Pat Monti at LaSalle, Winn led the team to four straight Section VI titles and four straight appearances in the NYSPHSAA boy’s high school basketball championships in Glens Falls.   Those appearances included two NYS Class A championships for LaSalle (1995 & 1996).

Winn was well-known as a defensive standout and, although he was only a 5 foot 10 inch guard, he excelled at shutting down opposing players of any size.  One of his best known performances was holding national player of the year Stephon Marbury to 12 points in the New York State Federation tournament.  Marbury was considered the top point guard in the country and averaged 30 points per game.

Even though Winn has said that he didn’t become a more complete player until his senior year at LaSalle, he was named first-team All-WNY three times (1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96) and was a two-time Player of the Year honoree as junior and senior.  He is LaSalle’s all-time leading scorer with 1,897 points in 103 games, an 18.4 average, including a 52-point game.

High profile college programs like Syracuse, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Georgia Tech began recruiting Winn in his sophomore season, but Winn chose St. Bonaventure after forming a relationship with Bona assistant Rob Lanier.  At the time of his selection, Winn said: “I wanted to be a part of a growing program instead of being just another number at a bigger school. I have confidence that I can play anywhere, but Bona is where I want to go.”

Winn was a program-changing recruit for head coach Jim Baron and became one of the greatest guards in Bona history.  He led the Bonnies to 66 wins in his four years, an NIT berth in 1998, an appearance in the Atlantic 10 championship game and a spot in the 2000 NCAA tourney, taking national powerhouse Kentucky to double overtime.  He tallied 1,407 points, 449 assists (sixth in Bona history), 319 steals (second) & 192 3-pointers (fifth); he still ranks fourth all-time in Atlantic 10 steals. He was named an All-Atlantic 10 selection as both a junior and a senior, including first team honors and All-Defensive status in 1999-2000.

After college, Winn played professional basketball in several leagues in the United States and overseas. In 2006, while playing for the Buffalo Rapids of the American Basketball Association, he averaged 25 points, 11 assists, and four steals and represented the Rapids in the ABA All Star Game.

Winn was a Buffalo News second team all-time All-WNY selection (and 1st team All-1990’s) and was inducted into the St. Bonaventure Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.