BILLINGS, Mont. – Following the completion of her tenth season in charge of the Montana State University Billings softball program, Lisa McKinney announced Monday that she would be stepping down as head coach for Yellowjacket softball.
 
"I would like to thank Coach McKinney for her leadership of our softball program throughout the past decade plus," commented MSUB director of athletics Michael Bazemore. "Having won several GNAC titles, accomplished several NCAA tournament appearances, and coaching countless all-conference players (including a player of the year), she has definitely made her mark on the program and athletic department. Lisa was great to work with, exhibited a high level of professionalism on a daily basis, and was very supportive of all Jacket programs and student-athletes. We are going to miss Boom (Coach McKinney), she is a true Yellowjacket through and through, and we wish her all the best in her future opportunities."
 
"I would like to thank Krista Montague for being a great mentor to me and giving me a second opportunity to work at MSUB," McKinney said. "I would also like to thank Chancellor Stefani Hicswa, Mike Bazemore, and Rebekah Gasner for their support and guidance over the last few years. MSUB has been a large part of my college coaching career, and I will be forever thankful to have started and ended my head coaching career here."
 
McKinney departs MSUB following ten total seasons in charge of the Yellowjacket softball program, serving in the head coaching position over two different tenures, from 2011-2015, and from 2019-2024. She also served as an assistant coach for MSUB beginning in 2009, before assuming head coaching responsibilities midseason in 2011. In her career, McKinney accumulated the most wins in program history at 181, achieving a 181-250-1 (.420), and a career mark of 107-133 (.446) in GNAC play. Under her guidance, the Yellowjackets won the program's first GNAC title in 2015, along with winning a regular season title in 2012, while also being a part of MSUB's 2009 regional tournament run as an assistant coach.
 
McKinney also spearheaded the coordination of the Desert Stinger Classic in her time at MSUB, one of the largest NCAA Division II softball tournaments in the United States. The stinger was hosted 12 times, with McKinney being at MSUB for nine tournaments.
 
McKinney returned to MSUB in 2019 after spending two seasons as the head softball coach at San Francisco State, where she went 46-59 (.438) overall. Prior to first joining the Yellowjackets, McKinney served as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State University, and Linfield College. This followed a standout playing career at Oregon State, where she twice earned All-Pac 10 honors as a catcher, and helped lead the Beavers to the NCAA Regional Championships in four seasons, and a run in 2006 to the NCAA Division I College World Series. McKinney also played softball professionally before joining the coaching ranks, spending one season each with the Dornbirn Sharx of the Austrian professional softball league, and with the New England Riptide of the National Professional Fastpitch League.
 
McKinney completed a master's degree in sports management in 2012 while at MSUB, after earning her bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science from Oregon State.
 
Also leaving with McKinney is assistant coach Taylor Olsen, who spent seven seasons as a coach in the MSUB program. Olsen served as a crucial member of the Yellowjackets staff over that time span, helping coach and develop a number of all-conference, all-region, and all-american players.
 
"I appreciate and thank Coach Olsen for her commitment to our student-athletes," said Bazemore. "Her progression as an assistant throughout her tenure is evident. Taylor also went above and beyond her duties and was always willing to step up to support areas outside of her specific responsibilities. She has a bright future, and we wish her well on the next chapters in her journey."
 
A national search for MSUB's next head softball coach will begin immediately.