BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State University Billings women's basketball coach Kevin Woodin announced the signing of grad transfer Kola Bad Bear, who will join the program ahead of the 2023-24 season.
 
"Kola is a tremendous and welcome addition to this year's team," said Woodin. "She is an established, elite player who had an incredible career at Montana State. I have known Kola for more than a decade and have always admired her playing abilities, leadership, and work ethic. I feel very fortunate to get a player of her ability to come to MSUB for her final year of eligibility. I know she is excited to play in front of her family and hometown fans and our coaches and returning players are excited to have her join our program. I can't wait for the season to begin." 
 
A Billings native, Bad Bear joins the Yellowjackets after spending the previous four seasons at Montana State. Bad Bear featured in 114 games in her Bobcat career, starting 78 of them. The forward averaged 7.1 points per game in her career, along with 3.9 rebounds. Bad Bear was a valuable role player in her freshman season, before becoming a regular starter for the Bobcats in the 2020-2021 season. She took a leap in her junior year, averaging 10.9 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals, earning a Third Team All-Big Sky selection, and was named the team's co-MVP, helping the Bobcats to a Big Sky Tournament title and berth in the NCAA tournament. This past season, Bad Bear averaged 9.8 points per game.
 
"I chose to come to MSUB because of the family culture the team and coaches have with one another," Bad Bear said. "Kevin Woodin has done an amazing job with his program, and I am excited to learn and grow while having him and Alisha (Breen) as my coaches for my final year. I wanted to be apart of a winning program that can make a run at a national title, and I have a strong feeling I can achieve that at MSUB, while also being able to play in my hometown in front of my family and friends."
 
Before her Montana State career, Bad Bear attended high school at Billings Senior, where she was a varsity basketball and volleyball standout. In her time at MSU, she was a leader both on and off the court, using her platform and voice to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) causes.