(NSU Sports Information release)
Aberdeen, S.D. – Northern State University head men’s basketball coach, Paul Sather announced on Thursday the addition of Jamie Stevens to the Wolves coaching staff. Stevens will assume the assistant coach role, after spending the last seven seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Montana State University Billings.
“We couldn’t be more excited about having Jamie join our men’s basketball program,” explained Sather. “He has 16 years of coaching experience at the college level, and the last 10 as a successful head coach. He’ll be a great addition on the court with our players and will also open up different recruiting areas for us to pursue.”
In his seven seasons, the Yellowjackets went 89-113 overall, and advanced to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2017. In 2012, MSUB went 18-12 to claim the program’s first GNAC Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
“My family and I are absolutely thrilled to be joining the Northern State family,” noted Stevens. “I have known Coach Sather for several years and am so impressed with the culture he has engineered here at Northern State.”
Prior to his time at MSU Billings, Stevens spent four seasons at Central Wyoming College, where he resurrected a program that had been out of existence for nearly two decades. In the three competition years under his guidance, CWC compiled a 53-39 record with three consecutive winning seasons. In his first season the team finished 19-11 and tied for first in sub-region play, earning Stevens the Wyoming Community College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. In 2010-11 the Rustlers finished 17-15 overall and advanced to the second round of the Region IX Tournament in Norfolk, Neb. Under Stevens, numerous players earned postseason recognitions as six players earned all-conference honors and two earned all-region honors. His inaugural team (2008-09) also carried a 3.17 team GPA that earned them a National Academic Team of the Year distinction by the NNJCAA.
Stevens added, “During my 16 years of college coaching, I have become good friends with many former Wolves. Their loyalty and passion for Northern State basketball has always stuck with me. It is an honor to join the Northern family and I look forward to going to work. Go Wolves!”
Stevens began his coaching career as the assistant men’s basketball coach at the Colorado School of Mines for six seasons. During the 2005-06 season, Stevens was a part of an Oredigger squad that had a 15-14 overall record and advanced to the RMAC/Wells Fargo Shootout after an opening round victory in the conference quarterfinals. It was the first win in the RMAC tournament for Mines since 1996.
“Anywhere Jamie and his family have been, they have built incredible relationships and made an impact in the community,” continued Sather. “They’ll be a great fit to our basketball program, Northern State University, and the community of Aberdeen.”
He played collegiately at Montana State University Billings from 1994-99 and is known as one of the most prolific passers in the programs history. In four seasons, Stevens set records for most assists in a game (16) and in a career (805), and also left the school with the most career steals (167). Stevens helped the Yellowjackets to a Pacific West Conference championship during the 1995-96 season and a trip to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 during the 1996-97 season. His play and dedication to the program earned him induction into the Eastern Montana College/Montana State University Billings Athletic Hall of Fame in February of 2008.
Jamie and his wife Sarah, as well as his three daughters, Clara, Marcella, and Catie, will move to Aberdeen.
