University of Alaska Fairbanks Men’s Basketball Coach Frank Ostanik’s Son, Win Ostanik, Passes Away, Leaving His Parents Heartbroken

Gone too soon!

January 8, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on January 8, 2026

Win Ostanik, the son of University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) men’s basketball coach Frank Ostanik, has passed away, leaving behind his parents and the community in grief.

He was the only child of Coach Frank and his wife, Toni.

Win was a graduate of the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks and Dakota College at Bottineau, where he played multiple sports, including basketball and hockey.

In addition to sports, Win was passionate about fishing.

After his college years, he joined the University of Alaska Fairbanks in August 2017.

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Fairbanks, Alaska, Community Mourns the Loss of Coach Frank Ostanik’s Son, Win Ostanik!

Coach Frank Ostanik and his wife, Toni, recently faced the worst nightmare that no parent should have to endure: the passing of their child.

Win Ostanik was the only child of the couple, and his passing has undoubtedly brought grief and moments of sorrow into their lives.

One of Coach Frank’s colleagues recently about Win’s passing, saying he had never seen Coach Frank so vulnerable.

Having achieved multiple records with the UAF basketball team, Coach Frank now seems to be struggling to process the loss of his son.

Not just the Win family, but the entire community also seems to be mourning the loss of the young man and expressing their support for the Ostanik family.

Following Win’s passing, one of his dearest friends left a heartfelt post on Facebook, sharing his sorrow, he writes;

I’m not even sure where to start because it was never supposed to end. There’s so many adventures that we were going to experience together but I’m grateful for the ones I did get with you. Looking back at the last few years, my favorite memories have you right by my side. A trip to Kenai for a record run, an auction that led to a trip to Portland, all the lake weekends, and of course Packers on Sunday Night Football. The truest definition of a good friend. Always happy to see everyone, always with a smile on your face (unless you talked bad about the Pack), always with a story to tell that goes a little too long, and always letting everyone know you loved them. Everyone has a Win story, I’m one of the lucky ones that has a million. I know you love me because you never stopped telling me, I hope I told you enough that you knew it too. I promise to keep you alive in the best way I know how, be more like you. Win, average fishermen master baiter, number one Packer fan, my best friend. Fly high free bird, I love you

As of now, the family is taking time to process their loss and has not released any funeral details to the public.

While the Ostaniks take this time to navigate this difficult period, we would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and everyone who knew Win.

Rest in Peace, Beautiful Soul!

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Nishan Dahal writes sports with a human touch, covering breaking news, athlete lives, and the stories that stats can't tell. Nishan believes every athlete has a story worth telling. With the goal of bringing those stories to life with honesty, heart, and a touch of curiosity, he shares his insights through PlayerBio.

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