Rachi Wortham - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of Montana Athletics

Staff Directory

Rachi Wortham

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
Phone:
243-5334

Rachi Wortham returns to UM for the 2025-26 season after spending the previous five seasons as the head coach at Tacoma Community College. He was originally hired by head coach Travis DeCuire in July 2016, and was re-hired in July 2025.

Wortham came to Montana after spending two seasons at Oregon State (2014-15 through 2015-16), working under former Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle. No stranger to the Big Sky Conference, Wortham served as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington from 2007-2011 under Kirk Earlywine. Wortham is also an EWU alumnus, where he was a standout guard from 2003-05 and was part of the Eagles’ first trip to the NCAA tournament in 2004.

During Wortham’s final two seasons, Montana won back-to-back Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NCAA tournament both seasons. The team won a combined 52 games, the most ever in a two-year stretch.

In 2018-19, Montana won 26 games, tied for the third-most in school history. During non-conference play, the Grizzlies beat a pair of NCAA tournament teams in Georgia State and North Dakota State, and snapped South Dakota State’s nation-leading 26-game home winning streak. After beginning Big Sky Conference play just 3-2, Montana won 16 of its next 18 games to repeat as Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament champions.

Montana was one of 20 schools nationally to rank in the top 100 for both scoring offense and defense, and was incredibly efficient, making 49.2 percent of its shots (10^th in the nation), including 37.6 percent from beyond the arc (38^th).

The 2017-18 season was historic on many levels, winning 26 games, and like 2018-19, winning Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament titles and advancing to the NCAA tournament. The team’s 26-8 record included a perfect 14-0 mark on its home court.

The Grizzlies got off to a strong start, posting their first winning non-conference record in six seasons, including a signature victory at Pitt of the ACC. Montana then won its first 13 Big Sky games, the third-longest winning streak in school history and the third-longest active streak in the NCAA at the time. The stretch featured a program-record seven consecutive road victories. Montana used the same starting lineup for all 34 contests, leading to a balanced effort. The Grizzlies led the Big Sky in five statistical categories and ranked in the top three in 14. On defense, the Grizzlies ranked in the top 30 nationally for turnovers forced (15.4, 22^nd), steals (7.8, 23^rd) and turnover margin (+3.0, 29^th).

Among the greats Wortham helped develop were Ahmaad Rorie and Michael Oguine. Rorie, the 2019 Big Sky Conference tournament MVP, reached 1,500 career points faster than any player in Montana history, doing so in his third season with the program. Oguine was the 2018 tournament MVP and league’s top defender, and finished his career ranked in the top 10 for scoring, steals and games started.

During his first season in Missoula, the Griz went 16-16 and earned a first-round bye in the Big Sky Conference tournament, despite having 10 underclassmen and just two seniors who saw significant time.

In addition to his leadership on the court, Wortham’s also headed the program's mentoring and community outreach efforts, regularly spending time at local elementary schools or speaking to assemblies. He is passionate about using basketball as a means of outreach and leadership development, and has spent time volunteering for organizations such as TEAM ACCESS, the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties, the Boys & Girls Club, the Isaiah Thomas Basketball Camp and Lids Team Sports-Nike Team.

In 2016-17, the Grizzlies posted a team grade-point average above 3.0, earning NABC Team Academic Excellence recognition, with two players being named to the NABC Honors Court.

Wortham and DeCuire’s relationship dates back to the mid-1990s when he played AAU basketball under DeCuire at the age of 15 in his hometown of Tacoma, Wash.

During his time in Corvallis, Oregon State posted back-to-back winning seasons and an NCAA tournament berth in 2015-16. Among those Wortham developed was 2016 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton, Jr. While at Eastern Washington, the Eagles earned a berth in the Big Sky Conference tournament in 2010-11.

Wortham is a 2000 graduate of Foss High School in Tacoma, Wash., where he led his team to a 25-4 record and the 2000 Washington 4A state championship.

After high school, he followed family ties to the University of Alabama on an academic scholarship for one year (2000-01) before returning to the Pacific Northwest to play basketball at Tacoma Community College. Wortham played at TCC for two seasons (2001-02 through (2002-03), leading the Titans to a 58-8 record and a first-place finish at the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) tournament. He was inducted into the NWAACC Hall of Fame in 2013.

At TCC, Wortham earned an associate of arts degree in general studies in 2003 before transferring to Eastern Washington University, where he graduated in 2006 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies and helped the Eagles to the 2004 Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament titles. He also worked on a master’s degree from EWU in 2008 in science sports administration.

He has one son Joaquin that is 13 years old.

RACHI WORTHAM AT A GLANCE
PERSONAL
Hometown	Tacoma, Washington
Education	Eastern Washington, 2006
Family	Son: Joaquin

COACHING HISTORY
Year	School	Position	Record	Conference finish	Postseason
2007-08	Eastern Washington	Assistant	6-10	8th	N/A
2008-09	Eastern Washington	Assistant	12-18	7th	N/A
2009-10	Eastern Washington	Assistant	9-21	7th	N/A
2010-11	Eastern Washington	Assistant	10-20	6th	Big Sky Tournament
2014-15	Oregon State	Director of Player Personnel	17-14	7th	Pac-12 Tournament
2015-16	Oregon State	Director of Player Personnel	19-13	7th	NCAA Tournament
2016-17	Montana	Assistant	16-16	5th	Big Sky Tournament
2017-18	Montana	Assistant	26-8	1st	NCAA Tournament
2018-19	Montana	Assistant	26-9	1st	NCAA Tournament
9 Seasons			141-129