BILLINGS – Unveiling its finalists for the open athletic director position on Thursday, Montana State University Billings announced three candidates who will appear on campus for interviews the week of June 7.
Peyton Deterding will interview on campus on June 7, Michael Feuling will be interviewed on June 8, and Michael Bazemore will follow on June 9. MSUB chancellor Dr. Stefani Hicswa, in conjunction with the athletic director search committee, is expected to make her selection for the next director of athletics in the week following the conclusion of the three on-campus interviews. The target start date for the new athletic director is July 1.
Each candidate’s on-campus interview will include a public forum open to campus community and Billings community members. These open sessions, which will take place in the Glacier Room on the university campus, are as follows:
Monday, June 7 – Peyton Deterding
2-2:45 p.m. – Public forum open to campus community members and Billings community members.
Tuesday, June 8 – Michael Feuling
2-2:45 p.m. – Public forum open to campus community members and Billings community members.
Wednesday, June 9 – Michael Bazemore
2-2:45 p.m. – Public forum open to campus community members and Billings community members.
Peyton Deterding – Monday, June 7, 2021
Deterding most recently served as the director of athletics at the University of Illinois Springfield, where he was in charge of the school’s 15 men’s and women’s NCAA Division II varsity sports programs. During his time at UIS, Deterding oversaw a department that achieved a collective grade point average of 3.52 during the 2020 spring semester as well as a school record 45 students who achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA during the 2020 fall semester.
In charge of the department’s development efforts, Deterding increased annual fundraising by more than 32 percent and spearheaded the establishment of two new, endowed scholarships. He was also in charge of diversity and equity, facilities, and compliance during his tenure as athletic director.
Prior to his time at UIS, Deterding spent 12 years in three different roles at Illinois State University including three years as senior associate athletic director for internal operations. He was in charge of the athletic department’s $25 million budget, had direct oversight of the baseball, football, and men’s basketball programs, and directed all facility management projects resulting in $40 million in facility upgrades.
Deterding completed his master’s degree in exercise and sport science from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2002 after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in public administration from University of Northern Iowa in 1998.
Michael Feuling – Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Feuling is a development officer for the annual fund and community relations at Linn Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon. Holding his current role since December, 2020, Feuling is in charge of the general management of the school’s annual giving campaign as well as developing community relations strategies with businesses and corporations.
Prior to his time at LBCC, Feuling spent 10 years as the assistant athletic director for development at fellow Great Northwest Athletic Conference school Western Oregon University. Feuling was responsible for designing and managing all aspects of WOU’s yearly fundraising campaigns, the identification and cultivation of relationships with donors, and leading the university’s major giving and special projects.
Feuling holds a master’s degree in sport administration from Lasell University, which he achieved in 2017. He completed his undergraduate degree in business administration from Western Oregon in 2007.
Michael Bazemore – Wednesday, June 9, 2021
The former director of compliance within MSUB’s athletic department, Bazemore spent five years on staff with the Yellowjackets in a variety of roles. Bazemore was the chief rules officer for the athletic department and compliance liaison to the NCAA and GNAC for three years. He previously spent two years as a member of the department’s media relations and gameday operations staff and worked directly with departing MSUB athletic director Krista Montague.
Bazemore is currently the assistant director of academic and membership affairs for the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, where he has served since October of 2018. He is responsible for providing NCAA bylaw interpretations for member institutions, processing legislative relief waivers, and is the primary contact for the Division II institutional performance program. Bazemore had stints at both Truman State University and Metropolitan State University of Denver upon departing MSUB and prior to beginning his current role at the NCAA office.
Bazemore earned his master’s degree in sport, recreation, and fitness management from MSUB in May of 2014. He completed undergraduate degrees in sociology and interdisciplinary studies in social science from Michigan State University, where he was a four-year letterwinner on the Spartans’ football team.
Montague announced her resignation as athletic director on March 30, and will complete her nine-year tenure at the position on June 30, 2021. The Hysham native became the first female athletic director in the state of Montana on Sept. 11, 2012, and has spent a total of 25 years at the university dating back to her career on the women’s basketball team from 1995-99.
