(Editor's note: MSU Billings news release)
BILLINGS — Montana State University Billings athletics and director of athletics Michael Bazemore have announced the selection of Joe Yegge to become the next head coach of the MSUB softball program.
“We are excited to have Joe join the Yellowjacket family, as he steps in to lead our softball program,” said Bazemore. “His extensive career and track record for success has touch points at various levels throughout the sport and has garnered well-earned respect from his coaching peers. We look forward to supporting Joe in all the necessary areas and are confident in his ability to produce at a high level.”
Yegge becomes the eighth softball coach in the program’s history and brings with him 28 years of coaching experience at nearly all levels of collegiate softball. Yegge holds a career record of 714-287 (.713) in 18 seasons as a head coach.
“I am excited to be joining the MSU Billings athletic department,” said Yegge. “I want to thank Michael Bazemore and (associate athletic director for compliance) Rebekah Gasner for having the trust in me to lead the program. I am looking forward to the challenge of growing and developing this program and can’t wait for my time in Montana.”
Yegge most recently spent the past three seasons as the head coach at Missouri Western State University, where he helped lead the Griffons to a 98-62 (.613) overall record and a 44-34 (.564) record in conference play, recording a winning record in each of his three seasons, and qualified for the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament in each of his seasons in charge.
Prior to his time at Missouri Western State, Yegge was the associate head coach at DePaul University for three seasons, with the team going 68-39 during his tenure and 24-6 in the Big East Conference. Yegge and the Blue Demons’ coaching staff were recognized as the Big East coaching staff of the year in 2021 when the team went 25-11 overall and won the regular-season title with a 13-1 mark. The 2020 season was impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the 2019 season Yegge and DePaul went 35-16 overall, finishing second in the Big East during the regular season before winning the conference tournament championship and qualifying for the NCAA tournament.
Preceding that, Yegge spent 11 seasons at Kirkwood Community College, building the program into a junior college powerhouse. In his time in charge of the program, the Eagles accumulated a 537-112 (.827) record, along with winning eight Iowa Community College Athletic Conference championships and making six appearances in the NJCCA Division II World Series. In Yegge's last 10 seasons, Kirkwood won at least 41 games each year, including at least 52 wins in six campaigns. Yegge and his staff were recognized as the NFCA Midwest regional staff of the year five times at Kirkwood. Fifty-three of his players went on to play at four-year programs. He developed 46 NFCA All-Americans, 33 NJCAA All-Americans and three national players of the year.
Yegge also served concurrently as the head softball coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School for five seasons while at Kirkwood, leading the Hawks to a conference championship and two state tournament appearances in five seasons before stepping down.
Before joining Kirkwood, Yegge spent five seasons as the hitting coach at Indiana State. He got his start in coaching at North Iowa Area Community College, serving as an assistant coach for two seasons before ascending to head coach, holding that position from 1999-2002.
Yegge and his wife, Amy, have two sons, Wyatt and Canon.
