September 11, 2012 

 

Contacts:

Dr. Stacy Klippenstein, Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs, 657-2307
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

Krista Montague, a Yellowjacket women’s basketball standout in the late 1990s and a current associate athletic director, will step in as interim director of intercollegiate athletics this week. She takes over for Dr. Gary Gray, who is taking a new job as athletic director at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

 

Search begins for a permanent director to step in next spring

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — A Hysham native and former Yellowjacket women’s basketball standout has been selected to be Interim Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Montana State University Billings.

 

Krista MontagueKrista Montague, 35, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Business at MSU Billings in 1999 and is currently the associate athletic director, will step in as Interim Director of Athletics starting today (Tuesday, Sept. 11), said Dr. Stacy Klippenstein, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.

 

Montague takes over for Dr. Gary Gray, who is leaving Montana to take on a role as athletic director at the University of Alaska Fairbanks this month. A search process is now under way for a permanent director of intercollegiate athletics at MSU Billings.  

 

“Krista is a wonderful choice as interim director of Intercollegiate Athletics and I believe she will bring great energy and enthusiasm to the position,” Klippenstein said. “Her experience as an MSUB student- athlete and commitment to serve the university and all student-athletes as an associate director of athletics makes her a perfect fit for this interim position.  I am confident our athletic department will continue to be successful on the field and in the classroom.”

 

Krista Fjelstad graduated from Hysham High School in 1995 and was recruited to play on the Yellowjacket women’s basketball team. During her time as a student-athlete, she:

  • Participated in four NCAA II West Region Women’s Basketball Tournaments.
  • Was a member of three Women’s Basketball conference championship teams. 
  • Was team captain of 1998-99 team.
  • Was a member of the 1999 Pacific West Conference Tournament Championship team.
  • Was a member of the 1999 NCAA II Women’s Western Regional Championship team.
  • Was a member of the 1999 NCAA II Women’s Basketball Elite Eight team.  
  • Left the basketball program with the school record for career free throw percentage.

After her graduation from college, she worked at Norwest Bank and then for D&D Marketing, doing corporate sponsorship work for her alma mater. She married Brent Montague and returned to MSU Billings in 2002, to take on the role of development and corporate sponsorship for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Since that time, she has taken on other roles and currently serves as the NCAA compliance officer for the university and well senior woman administrator.

 

In her role as senior woman administrator, Montague has been closely involved with all aspects of athletics administration and decisions for the past seven years and has been involved with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference management council.  She is also Member of National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators and served last year on the NACWAA’s Legislation and Governance Committee. The committee analyzes, evaluates, and disseminates national athletics governance legislation information, specifically those pieces pertaining to women and female student- athletes. 

 

In June, Montague began serving as interim director of alumni relations at MSU Billings. The search is progressing for a permanent alumni director and interviews are taking place this month. 

 

Montague said she is eager to step into this new role.

 

“It will be my goal to provide a stable and seamless transition for our coaches, staff, and student-athletes during the next eight months while the search for a permanent athletic director is taking place,” Montague said. “As a former Yellowjacket student-athlete, I am passionate about this university and will work hard to help our student-athletes achieve success on and off the playing fields.” 

     

She noted she learned much while working with Gray.

 

“I would like to personally thank Dr. Gary Gray for his countless accomplishments (including growing the Yellowjacket program from eight to 17 sports) in his tenure as Athletic Director,” Montague said. “Dr. Gray’s passion and enthusiasm for Yellowjacket sports will be missed.  He has been an excellent mentor to me for the past 10 years.”

 

MSU Billings is the only NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program in Montana. The university sponsors 17 sports for men and women. For more on the athletics programs at MSU Billings, go to www.msubsports.com.