Jackets Ink Anchorage Outfielder (6/8/07)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State University Billings head baseball coach Chris Brown announced Friday that Ryan Skillern of Anchorage, Alaska, will play for the Yellowjackets next season.  Skillern is a 6-foot-3 outfielder who graduated from South Anchorage High School in May.

“We are very excited to add Ryan as a member of our program,” said Brown.  “He is a solid student that is motivated in the classroom and on the field.  He is a big, strong, athletic player that has a very high ceiling.  We look forward to helping him develop to his full potential.  He should be an exciting player to watch in the years to come.”

Skillern was a four-sport letter winner at South Anchorage where he competed in baseball, football, tennis, and track.  He played America Legion baseball for four years.  Last season he batted .368 with 40 RBIs.  He was an all-conference and all-district selection as an American Legion player in 2006 and an all-district choice in 2005.

“I chose Montana State University Billings because of the city and how the school seemed to care about each individual student,” said Skillern.  “On my visit I saw all the study groups and help provided to students, which really put me at ease.  The opportunity for a spot on the baseball team was also a huge factor.”

The Yellowjackets will compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference beginning with the 2008 season.  Central Washington, Western Oregon, Saint Martin’s, and Northwest Nazarene are the other baseball schools in the GNAC.