He spent a further three seasons as an assistant at Bowling Green under Jerry York before getting his first head coaching job at Western Michigan.
Wilkinson was eventually fired as head coach on February 3 but allowed to remain at the university as a special assistant to the AD.
In the tournament Wayne State was set against the #2 overall seed Colorado College and, despite a valiant effort, could not overcome three power play goals from the Tigers.
[7] In 2007 the university announced it was shuttering the men's team, citing a $500K annual operating cost coupled with no on-campus rink and a troubled economy.
[5] Wilkinson continued to coach after Wayne State shut down, spending three seasons with CH Jaca and then a six-month stint with the Melbourne Mustangs before retiring.