Home of the Yellowjackets, the Montana State University Billings department of intercollegiate athletics supports 15 men’s and women’s varsity sports, 14 of which compete in the NCAA at the Division II level. MSUB is one of 10 full-time members of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, which features 12 championships throughout each academic year.
Within
Our Mission – to facilitate a transformative, positive and competitive, academic, and athletic experience that empowers each student-athlete to be successful throughout their career and beyond, and
Our Vision – to be the premier NCAA Division II institution in the mountain west region that fosters student-athlete growth to impact our local, state, and global communities; more than 240 student-athletes compete annually on MSUB’s teams, and MSUB-sponsored varsity sports include men’s and women’s teams in basketball, cheer/stunt, cross-country, golf, indoor and outdoor track & field, as well as baseball, softball, women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.
The 2024-25 season was a notable year for MSUB athletics. Yellowjacket baseball advanced to the NCAA tournament and secured their first win in program history at that level. Women's basketball had yet another 25-win season on their way to their third-straight NCAA tournament appearance. Jan Tipasathien, sophomore, was only the second Yellowjacket women's golfer in program history to advance to the NCAA regional tournament after tying for 6th place at the GNAC Championships. MSUB Softball had an impressive season, making the GNAC Championships for the first time in 10 years.
The Yellowjacket Athletic Department saw another successful year in enhancing sporting events in Billings, MT. Most notably, MSUB hosted their third D2 CCA Basketball Tip-Off Tournament and their fifth NCAA DII West Region Cross Country Championships.
2023-24 was arguably the most memorable year MSUB athletics has had on the hardwood. Alterowitz Gym was consistently packed for both men's and women's basketball. After signing some exciting local talent, both basketball teams won GNAC Championships, swept the GNAC individual honors and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, which was the first time together in program history.
Notably, Kola Bad Bear (Billings, MT) was named the GNAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, while earning 1st Team WBCA All-American Honors. The Yellowjacket women's basketball team was led by Kevin Woodin, who coached his team to a school record 28 wins on their way to the NCAA Sweet 16. On the men's side, Jalen Tot was named the GNAC Player of the Year while leading his team to a 20-win season and also earning All-Region honors. Luke Fennelly led the 'Jackets to their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
In 2022-23, women's basketball set a (then) program record 25 wins while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Men's Basketball made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011, behind GNAC 1st Teamers Carrington Wiggins and Bilal Shabazz. The Yellowjacket men's basketball season ended up being the finale for Montana coaching legend Mick Durham, who
In the summer of 2023, MSUB Athletics announced a new rivalry series with local Rocky Mountain College called the Rimrock Rivalry. The Rimrock Rivalry has a scoring system in place that includes all head-to-head competitions between the schools and factors in a GPA competition, as well.
2021-22 saw the Yellowjacket baseball team advance to the GNAC Championships behind a 26 win campaign. Forrest Cross took home the top spot at the GNAC Outdoor T&F championships, while Kailee Stoppel and Carson Jessop earned All Conference honors. All-American Taryn Shelley led women's basketball to a 17-win season, ending the '21-'22 campaign at the GNAC Championships with the Yellowjacket men's basketball team.
2020-21: COVID-19
2019-20: Spring sports canceled due to COVID-19. Both men's and women's basketball advanced to the GNAC Championships.
In 2018-19, the MSUB baseball team captured its fourth GNAC regular-season title in the last five years, won its first-ever GNAC tournament title, and advanced to the NCAA D2 West Region Championships for the first time in program history. MSUB broke numerous school and conference baseball records, including most wins in a season with 33, and most home runs in a year with 83.
MSUB’s athletics department also made a notable addition during the 2018-19 year, with the introduction of women’s triathlon as its 16th varsity sport. The women’s triathlon program will begin competition in the fall of 2019.
The 2017-18 academic year was historic, and was highlighted by an NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance in women’s basketball. The Yellowjackets won the west region title for the second time in program history, matching the achievement of the 1998-99 regional champion squad. MSUB also tied the school record for wins, going 25-12 en route to the GNAC tournament title prior to the regional run.
Senior Alisha Breen was a first-team All-American, after winning GNAC and NCAA D2 West Region Player of the Year accolades. The Choteau, Mont., native broke the MSUB and GNAC career scoring records, finishing her illustrious four-year career with 2,001 points.
MSUB's women's basketball team won the 2018 NCAA D2 West Region Championships.
The recent success on the baseball diamond was more pronounced than ever in 2018, as the Yellowjackets won a program record 33 games and claimed their third GNAC regular-season title in the last four years. Junior Kaleo Johnson was a consensus All-American, before he and teammate Adam Cox became the first players in MSUB history to be selected in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft in June, 2018.
The Yellowjacket track and field squad boasted a pair of All-Americans, as senior Jorey Egeland claimed the honor in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and junior Beau Ackerman received recognition as one of the nation’s top javelin throwers.
In softball, senior Heather Tracy earned All-American status after she batted .488 in her final year with the ‘Jackets. Perhaps the most prolific player in MSUB history, Tracy finished her career with a school-record 270 hits.
Members of Yellowjacket teams posted a collective 3.21 grade point average during the 2016-17 academic year.
In 2016-17, MSUB’s women’s golf team and baseball team each won the GNAC Academic All-Sport titles for their given sports. The ‘Jacket golfers’ collective 3.74 team GPA tied the conference’s mark for highest-ever by a team in any sport during a given academic year, and it was the team’s fourth title in the last five years. For baseball, it marked the fourth consecutive year claiming the award.
On the track, junior sprinter Sam Zook made headlines by breaking three school records and becoming the first male outdoor All-American in school history. MSUB’s baseball and men’s basketball teams earned berths into the GNAC Championships, and the men’s soccer squad posted its best record since the 2012 season with a mark of 9-6-3 overall.
The NCAA Division II West Region Cross Country Championships returned to Billings for the second time in the last three years, with another successful event occurring at Amend Park. MSUB also inducted three new members to its Hall of Fame, including Samantha and Tom Milroy, and Tanya (Petersen) Hauptman.
Highlights from the 2015-16 season included a second NCAA West Region Championships berth for MSUB’s women’s basketball team in the last three years, as the Yellowjackets played their way to the title game of the GNAC tournament before advancing. Junior Alisha Breen led the GNAC in scoring with 17.4 points per game, and senior Janiel Olson broke the school’s career rebounding record.
Senior Della Lyle stole the show on the track for the ‘Jackets, becoming the first All-American in school history on the women’s side. She was selected as the GNAC Newcomer of the Year in both indoor and outdoor seasons, and represented the Yellowjackets at the NCAA National Championships.
On the baseball diamond, the ‘Jackets claimed their second straight GNAC regular-season title, setting a program record with 30 victories including their first-ever postseason win in the conference tournament. Junior Cody Cooper shattered the school record with 106 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings, and senior Luke Reinschmidt closed his historic career by earning first-team all-region honors for a second straight season.
MSUB’s men’s soccer team also had a highlight year, posting its first winning season since 2012. Sophomore Ricardo Palomino led the entire NCAA west region in goals with 16, and earned first-team all-region honors. In women’s soccer, the ‘Jackets advanced to their third GNAC Championship tournament in the last four seasons, after posting a second consecutive winning year.
MSUB hosted three conference championship events and an NCAA Division II West Region Championship for the first time ever during the 2014-15 year. The ‘Jackets welcomed more than 30 teams to Billings on Nov. 22, 2014 for the NCAA Division II West Region Championships at Amend Park, hosted the 2014-15 Men’s and Women’s GNAC Basketball Championships from March 4-7, 2015 at Alterowitz Gym, and capped off the year by hosting the 2015 GNAC Baseball Championships from May 7-8 at Dehler Park.
MSUB also serves as the host of the largest NCAA Division II softball tournament, the Desert Stinger Classic, which was played for the sixth year in a row from Feb. 12-14, 2015 at Majestic Park in Las Vegas.
The 2014-15 year also featured three All-American athletes from MSUB, including senior Kayleen Goggins (women’s basketball), junior Robert Peterson (men’s indoor track & field), and senior Brody Miller (baseball). Miller was also selected as the 2014-15 GNAC Male Athlete of the Year for all sports, just the second baseball player in the conference’s history to win the award, and the second student-athlete from MSUB to collect the honor as he joined women’s basketball star Bobbi Knudsen (2013-14).
Capturing GNAC crowns during the 2014-15 year were MSUB’s baseball and softball teams. The Yellowjackets won the 2015 GNAC Softball Championships and advanced all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II West Region Championships in May.
MSUB’s women’s soccer team also competed for a GNAC Championship title, finishing in second place in the conference standings and earning the No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in the fall of 2014. In men’s golf, senior Jake Hedge also represented the ‘Jackets at the NCAA Regional level, competing as an individual in the championships in Monterey Bay, Calif., from May 6-8, 2015.
In 2013-14, the MSUB women’s basketball team made history by winning the 2013-14 Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season title and advancing to the NCAA Division II west regional championship game. MSUB’s 2013-14 women’s basketball team joined the Yellowjackets’ 1998-99 squad as the only two in program history to advance to the NCAA regional title game. The latter continued on to the Elite Eight, marking the furthest-advancing MSUB team in the school’s history.
Formerly known as Eastern Montana College, MSUB athletics stem back to the 1927-28 season, the year in which the university was founded. The Yellowjackets have competed in a number of different conferences throughout the years, and prior to the 1980-81 season the athletic department transitioned from the NAIA to competing at the NCAA Division II level.
The MSUB Hall of Fame and Distinction inducted its inaugural class in 1990 and serves as a tribute towards influential figures on and off the court, in both current and retired sports.
MSUB/EMC Conference Champions
MSUB's softball team won the 2015 GNAC tournament and advanced
to its fourth NCAA Division II West Region Championships.
| Sport |
Year |
| Men's Basketball |
1962 |
| Men's Basketball |
1963 |
| Men's Basketball |
1964 |
| Men's Basketball |
1965 |
| Men's Basketball |
1968 |
| Men's Basketball |
1970 |
| Men's Basketball |
1971 |
| Men's Basketball |
1972 |
| Men's Basketball |
1973 |
| Men's Basketball |
1975 |
| Men's Basketball |
1976 |
| Men's Basketball |
1980 |
| Men's Basketball |
1986 |
| Men's Basketball |
1987 |
| Men's Basketball |
1996 |
| Men's Basketball |
1998 |
| Men's Basketball |
2002 |
| Men's Basketball |
2006 |
| Men's Basketball |
2024 |
| Women's Basketball |
1987 |
| Women's Basketball |
1991 |
| Women's Basketball |
1996 |
| Women's Basketball |
1998 |
| Women's Basketball |
1999 |
| Women's Basketball |
2002 |
| Women's Basketball |
2006 |
| Women's Basketball |
2007 |
| Women's Basketball |
2014 |
| Women's Basketball |
2018 |
| Women's Volleyball |
2006 |
| Softball |
2009 |
| Softball |
2012 |
| Softball |
2015 |
| Baseball |
2015 |
| Baseball |
2016 |
| Baseball |
2018 |
| Baseball |
2019 |
| Football |
1947 |
| Football |
1948 |
| Football |
1957 |
| Football |
1958 |
| Football |
1959 |
| Football |
1960 |
| Football |
1964 |
| Football |
1965 |
| Football |
1966 |
| Football |
1968 |
| Football |
1971 |
| Football |
1975 |
MSUB's baseball team has won two straight GNAC regular-season titles (2015-16).
MSUB/EMC NAIA National Tournament Appearances
| Sport |
Year |
| Men's Basketball |
1963 |
| Men's Basketball |
1964 |
| Men's Basketball |
1965 |
| Men's Basketball |
1967 |
| Men's Basketball |
1968 |
| Men's Basketball |
1970 |
| Men's Basketball |
1972 |
| Men's Basketball |
1973 |
| Men's Basketball |
1975 |
| Men's Basketball |
1976 |
MSUB NCAA Division II National Tournament Appearances
MSUB's women's basketball team continued its sustained success in 2015-16, advancing
to the NCAA West Region Championships for the second time in the last three seasons.
| Sport |
Year |
| Men's Basketball |
1981 |
| Men's Basketball |
1982 |
| Men's Basketball |
1985 |
| Men's Basketball |
1986 |
| Men's Basketball |
1987 |
| Men's Basketball |
1996 |
| Men's Basketball |
1997 |
| Men's Basketball |
1998 |
| Men's Basketball |
2002 |
| Men's Basketball |
2012 |
| Men's Basketball |
2023 |
| Men's Basketball |
2024 |
| Women's Basketball |
1987 |
| Women's Basketball |
1994 |
| Women's Basketball |
1996 |
| Women's Basketball |
1997 |
| Women's Basketball |
1998 |
| Women's Basketball |
1999 |
| Women's Basketball |
2000 |
| Women's Basketball |
2002 |
| Women's Basketball |
2003 |
| Women's Basketball |
2005 |
| Women's Basketball |
2007 |
| Women's Basketball |
2014 |
| Women's Basketball |
2016 |
| Women's Basketball |
2018 |
| Women's Basketball |
2023 |
| Women's Basketball |
2024 |
| Women's Basketball |
2025 |
| Softball |
2005 |
| Softball |
2009 |
| Softball |
2012 |
| Softball |
2015 |
| Baseball |
2019 |
| Baseball |
2025 |
| Volleyball |
2006 |
| Women's Soccer |
2010 |
