BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State University Billings athletics and athletic director Michael Bazemore have announced the promotion of Paul Cuevas to interim head men's soccer coach ahead of the 2024 season.
 
"Paul has done a great job of growing as a coach over the past two seasons and has earned the respect of the team to put himself into this position," said Bazemore. "He provides a level of consistency in a number of areas that the program has been developing, and this will continue to improve under his guidance. Taking over a program is a challenging task, and I appreciate Paul's commitment to our student-athletes, and look forward to being a great resource to him, the entire coaching staff, and our student-athletes."
 
Cuevas takes over the position from Aaron Champenoy, who announced his departure from the program earlier this summer. Cuevas was the top assistant on Champenoy's staff for the past two seasons. Cuevas has also been involved as a coach with Billings United, most recently coaching his 05 boys group to a second-place finish at the USYS National Presidents Cup.
 
"I am really excited and grateful to have the opportunity to step into the head coach position for this program," said Cuevas. "Having played for MSUB for three years and been an assistant coach for two, it has been amazing to see how far the program has come, and I am excited to keep moving it in the right direction. We have a great group of guys, and I am looking forward to the upcoming fall season with them."
 
Prior to beginning his coaching career, Cuevas played five seasons of college soccer. After spending the first two seasons of his career at Skagit Valley College, Cuevas joined MSUB as a player, competing as a Yellowjacket from 2019-2021, featuring in the midfield. Cuevas played in 33 games as a Yellowjacket, making 25 total starts, while scoring four goals and adding a pair of assists in his MSUB career. Cuevas graduated from MSUB with a degree in history, with a minor in physical education.
 
In addition to Cuevas taking the position of interim head coach, Milo Downey will become a graduate assistant/assistant head coach under Cuevas for the 2024 campaign. Downey finished his first season on staff with the Yellowjackets as a graduate assistant during the 2023-24 academic year, after completing a four-year playing career at Rocky Mountain College.