Woodin Tabs Malnaa and Helmer as New Assistants (Aug. 11, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – Newly hired Montana State University-Billings women’s basketball coach Kevin Woodin announced Wednesday that former Yellowjacket standout Kami Malnaa and former Yellowjacket assistant Darryl Helmer have been hired as assistant coaches for the 2004-2005 season. 

Malnaa, a native of Glasgow, Mont., graduated from MSU Billings in 2002 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Health Promotion.  She completed her Master’s of Science in Athletic Training at MSU Billings in May 2004. 

In four years as a guard for the Lady Jackets, Malnaa scored 923 points, ranking her seventeenth in school history for career points scored.  In helping MSU Billings qualify for three NCAA Tournaments in four years, Malnaa made 171 3-pointers and shot 34.4 percent from behind the arc, ranking her second and tenth respectively in school history for those categories.  She earned all-conference honors in the 2001-2002 season and was named the school’s Outstanding Female Student-Athlete in 2002.

For the past two years, Malnaa has been the head girl’s varsity coach for Yellowstone County Christian Home School.  She was a volunteer assistant coach under Woodin at Billings West High School last year.  Woodin says Malnaa’s duties will include practice and game planning, recruiting, academics, scouting, film exchange, perimeter position development and pre- and post-season training.

Helmer will be serving his second stint as a Yellowjacket assistant.  He was also an assistant under Karyn Ridgeway in 2002-2003.  Helmer currently teaches at Billings Skyview High School where he as been for 15 years.  He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Montana in 1980 and his Master’s of Science in Sport Management from MSU Billings in 2004.

Helmer spent nine seasons as the head girl’s basketball coach at Skyview, leading the Falcons to seven Class AA state tournaments with a second place finish in 1996 and a fourth place finish in 1995.  Woodin says Helmer’s primary duties will be recruiting, practice and game planning, post position development, and scouting.