Coaches of The Year

Montana men’s tennis coach Kris Nord and women’s tennis coach Steve Ascher swept the 2012 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year awards the league office announced Friday. It marks the first time since 1997 that a league school other than Sacramento State swept both awards.

Nord is the first Montana men’s tennis coach to win coach of the year honors. Ascher is the second Griz women’s coach. Nord, who just finished his 30th year at Montana, was recognized by his coaching peers after leading the Grizzlies to their first-ever conference title. Montana went a perfect 8-0 in its league matches, 10-0 counting early-season nonconference victories over Idaho State and Montana State.

Ascher coached junior Heather Davidson and freshman Laurence Pelchat to first-team All-Big Sky honors. Freshman Precious Gbadamosi earned second-team and sophomore Maddy Murray honorable-mention honors. Ascher just completed his fourth season at Montana and took the Grizzlies one step closer to his goal of turning his team into Big Sky Conference champions.