Yellowjackets Ink Two-Sport Product

BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings Director of Athletics, Dr. Gary Gray announced that Kayla Neumiller has signed with the Yellowjackets for the 2009-2010 season.  Neumiller, a native of Colstrip, Mont., plans on competing in both volleyball and track & field.

“We’re exciting to have Kayla sign as a two-sport Yellowjacket student athlete,” Gray said.  “I know she will be a great addition to both the volleyball and track and field programs at MSUB.”

Neumiller, 5-8, outside hitter, lettered all four years in high school in volleyball and was an all-state selection as a junior and senior.  She was a first team all-conference selection for three years and earned state all-tournament honors as a senior.  She was tabbed Most Valuable Player in both volleyball and track her senior year.

Neumiller recorded 330 kills, 48 blocks, 83 aces and 406 digs during her senior year and amassed over 1,000 kills (1,026), 211 aces and 161 blocks in her high school career.  She helped lead her team to the division championships in 2007 and a third place finish at state and a runner-up finish at divisionals and a fourth-place finish at state her senior year.

In track, she has been equally impressive as she lettered all four years and will be a great addition for MSUB head track and field coach, Dave Coppock.  She finished second at state her senior year in the 800M run, which beat the existing State B record and finished third at state in the high jump.  She tallied personal records in the 800M (2:14.96) and the 400M (60.55), while having a personal best 5’1 in the high jump.  She helped lead her team to a runner-up finish at divisionals as a senior in track.

“Kayla will make a huge impact on our track and field program and I’m really excited about working with her,” Coppock said.  “She’s a versatile athlete and has competitive marks in the 400 and 800 meters as well as the long jump and high jump.  Her 800 meters, at 2:14, is outstanding and is under the NCAA Division II National provisional qualifying mark.  With her versatility in the field events, the heptathlon would be an area we’ll certainly take a look as she progresses here.”

Not only did she excel on the field, but also in the classroom as she was a valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA.  She was Student Council President, a member of National Honor Society, a Wendy’s Heisman Award state finalist and school winner, as well as being named academic all-state all four years in both volleyball and track.