Visger Hired as Lady Jacket Assistant (8/24/06)

BILLINGS, MT – Former Montana State-Billings basketball player Natalie Visger has been hired as the team’s assistant coach.  Head coach Kevin Woodin made the announcement Thursday.  Visger replaces her former teammate Kami Malnaa as the Jackets’ assistant.  Malnaa took the job of Director of Basketball Operations at Wichita State earlier this summer.

“I am very excited to have Natalie join our staff at MSUB,” said Woodin.  “She brings a tremendous amount of experience to the program, both as a player and as a coach.  We are very fortunate to have her, and I am confident she will have a positive impact upon our program.  Natalie’s duties will include directing and assisting with the pre- and postseason weight training and conditioning program, game and practice preparation, recruiting, film exchange, scouting, academic monitoring, travel arrangements, basketball camps and tournaments, and individual skill development.”

Visger is a 2003 graduate of Montana State University-Billings.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, graduating Magna Cum Laude.  As a senior in 2003 Visger was named the MSU Billings Outstanding Biology Senior.

Visger was a four-year standout on the basketball court for the Lady Yellowjackets.  As a two-time team captain she helped the Yellowjackets reach three NCAA Tournaments in four years.  As a freshman and sophomore Visger was an All-Pacific West Conference selection.  As a senior she was named the Montana State University-Billings Outstanding Female Student-Athlete.

Known as a tenacious competitor, Visger made several impressions in the Yellowjacket record books.  She still ranks twelfth in school history for scoring with 1,219 career points.  She is also in the career top 10 for free throws made, free throw percentage, rebounds, and rebounding average.

After graduating in 2003, Visger played professionally in Europe for three seasons.  In 2003-2004 she played for TV-Langen in Langen, Germany.  She finished the season ranked second in the league for scoring average at 20.7 ppg. 

In 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Visger played for ASG Theresianum Mainz in Mainz, Germany.  In the ‘04-‘05 season she was again second in the league for scoring at 18.5 ppg and led her team to a second place finish in the league.  Last year along with playing for the Women's first team, which again finished second in the league, she was the head coach for the Women's third team.  In addition to playing professional basketball, Visger, who speaks fluent German, worked as a document translator for STI Security Training International GmbH in Wiesbaden, Germany.

“I’m chomping at the bit to get started,” said Visger.  “I’m just excited to work with Coach Woodin and the girls.  Coaching has been my ultimate goal after my playing career was over.  I’m excited to start coaching, especially at MSU Billings because I know the community and the style.  I think the girls will like the energy I bring.”