Gardiner native, MSU Billings grad Pryor Orser becomes winningest coach in Colorado School of Mines history (406mtsports.com - 1/23/2022)
Career Resume
Pryor Orser was a member of the MSUB men's basketball team from 1986-89 and an assistant coach from 1991-1994. He was a student-athlete on the 1986-87 team that advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four by winning the NCAA II West Region Championship which was hosted at Alterowitz Gym.
Orser holds eight All-Time Records at MSU Billings including; number one all-time in career three-point percentage (45.33 percent); ranks second all-time in career free-throw percentage, eighth and ninth in a single season in free-throw percentage, and tenth all-time in career-three pointers made with 141. Orser amassed over 80 plus wins in his collegiate career. He received second Team All-Great Northwest Conference honors in 1988-89, and an Honorable Mention All-Great Northwest Conference in 1987-88.
Currently, Orser is the head men's basketball coach for the nationally ranked number 11 Colorado School of Mines and has a 14-1 record this year. He is a Two-time RMAC Coach of the Year and the NABC Central District Coach of the Year 2011-2012.
Orser received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration - Finance with minors in Economics and History from Eastern Montana College (now MSU Billings) in 1990 before earning his master's degree in Education from Montana State University Billings in 1995.
Feature Story: Orser Ready to Give MSUB Coaching Job his Best Shot (By: Joe Kusek/Billings Gazette, 6/11/2008) - Original Publication
Pryor Orser has always been a straight shooter.
It's why he remains the career leader at Montana State Billings for 3-point field goal percentage and ranks second all-time for free throw percentage.
He takes the same approach as a basketball coach.
"My style is always being honest," said Orser, a former guard for the Yellowjackets. "It's important to be that way with the players … with everybody. Sometimes, honesty hurts, players don't like to hear what you have to say, but it's always better in the long run."
The 42-year-old Orser was on the Montana State Billings campus Wednesday afternoon, offering his short- and long-term plans to right a program that was 7-49 the past two years, including 1-28 last season.
Orser was the second of the four finalists to become the new men's basketball coach to visit with the public during an open forum session.
Henry Clark was on campus Tuesday, with Shane Murphy to be on campus today. George Pfeifer will close out the meetings on Friday. MSUB officials hope to make a final choice on Monday.
Orser, a native of Gardiner, is a 1990 graduate of MSUB and played on the Yellowjacket team that reached the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1987. Orser has his bachelor's degree in finance and master's degree from MSUB in education.
He has spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at the Colorado School of Mines. Orser has guided the Miners to four straight winning seasons while competing in the rugged Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Prior to Orser's arrival, Colorado Mines had only 15 winning seasons since the program began in 1911.
"My foundation is toughness, humility and honestly," said Orser of what he looks for in a player. "We will recruit Montana players who can play and win the GNAC (Great Northwest Athletic Conference)."
In a wide-ranging talk, Orser discussed how to get the campus community more involved, recruiting concerns for the coming season and seasons beyond, creating more basketball camps and re-establishing contacts with the high school coaches around the state if he should get the job.
"I want to get our campus community more involved," Orser said. "I want our student-athletes to go to other sporting events. I want basketball players out there helping promote other programs.
"We need everybody's help. We're all in this as a team."
Prior to coaching at Colorado Mines, Orser was an assistant at MSUB, Carroll College and the University of Montana. He also spent some time as the head coach for the Northwest College women's basketball team in Powell, Wyo.
When asked about leaving Colorado Mines, where he had a good recruiting year, Orser had a simple answer:
"It's my alma mater," he said of MSUB. "I totally understand the challenge."
