He was the first full-time assistant coach at Kansas State and helped Coach Jack Gardner and the Wildcats reach the 1951 national championship game. He became the head coach at Marquette at the age of 28 and stayed for two seasons before returning to Kansas State as the head coach. Winter guided the Wildcats for 15 seasons, won eight Big Eight titles and was the National Coach of the Year in 1958, when K-State was rated the number one team nationally by both wire services. His triangle offensive was and continues to be a key component to the 10 NBA Championships won by the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers of the 90's and 00's.