BILLINGS Mont.
Tony Stone, a former assistant softball coach at Montana
State University-Billings, will return as the school’s new head softball coach,
said Gary Gray, director of intercollegiate athletics at the Billings
campus.
Stone is from Billings
and was head coach at Big Bend Community
College in Moses Lake, Wash., the past two
seasons. He was an assistant softball coach at MSU-Billings from 2000 to 2005.
“We are excited that coach Stone has accepted our offer
to become the next head softball coach at MSU-Billings,” Gray said.
“His knowledge in recruiting Montana
student-athletes as well as those from the northwest region of the country will
serve MSU-B well. In addition, his expertise in hitting and overall offensive
strategies will be very beneficial to the team.”
At Big Bend, Stone took his team from
a 12-24 record in 2005, to 22-15 in 2006. For his efforts, he was named the
2006 Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Eastern Division
Coach of the Year.
In his time with the MSU-Billings Yellowjackets, Stone
assisted in leading the team to multiple conference and national team rankings.
Stone also has been an assistant coach of the Magic City
Havoc Softball Club, and has been involved with the Hitter’s Club Inc. and
Little League fast pitch in Billings.
The Yellowjackets were 26-24 this season and posted a 10-5
mark in the Heartland Conference. They will join the Great Northwest Athletic
Conference in the 2007-08 school year.
– Associated Press
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
