Joining the Montana State University Billings men’s basketball team as a graduate assistant beginning in the 2016-17 season, Montana native JC Isakson will become the third member of the Yellowjackets’ coaching staff.
Having spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Montana Western, Isakson brings experience both as a player and a coach to MSUB’s program.
“We are ecstatic to have a coach of JC’s caliber join the program here at MSUB,” said Yellowjacket head coach Jamie Stevens. “He is a proven coach and will be able to jump right into every aspect of our program. He will hit the ground running from Day 1. I feel very good about our coaching staff for next season.”
Isakson was the lead assistant coach under Steve Keller at UMW in Dillon, Mont., after playing for the Bulldogs from 2008-2012. After graduating from Montana Western, Isakson accepted an assistant coaching position with Glacier High School in Kalispell, Mont., under head coach Mike Harkins. Upon helping the Wolfpack qualify for the Class AA state tournament, Isakson returned to his alma mater to pursue a coaching career at the collegiate level.
“I am tremendously thankful for the opportunity to further my coaching career under Coach Stevens at MSUB,” said Isakson. “The GNAC is an extremely competitive league with exceptional coaches. I am very fortunate to be able to learn from Coach Stevens, Coach Schmit, and to be a part of the Yellowjacket family.”
In two seasons on the sidelines for the Bulldogs, Isakson helped Western compile a 42-23 record. During his tenure, the team made two appearances at the NAIA national tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2015, and won a Frontier Conference regular-season championship. As a player and a coach for the Bulldogs, Isakson qualified for five NAIA national tournaments, made two Sweet 16 appearances, and won two Frontier Conference regular-season championships. Isakson has coached four NAIA All-Americans, seven Frontier All-Conference performers, a Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and the Frontier Conference Player of the Year.
In the offseason Isakson has worked Hoop Group Elite Camps in Philadelphia, Maui Sports Academy College Exposure Camps in Hawaii, and camps for Coach Schmit’s Midwest Elite Basketball in Wyoming and Colorado. He plans on remaining with MEB and expanding camps into Montana and Idaho. In addition to MEB, Isakson has been an active partner with Montana Select AAU Basketball Club and most recently coached the Montana 17U team.
Isakson is a 2008 graduate of Augusta High School in Augusta, Mont. He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Montana Western and will begin working on a Master of Science in public relations through MSU Billings this fall.
