BILLINGS, Mont.
The Montana State University Billings cheer & stunt program will be under new leadership in the 2026-27 season, as head coach Caitlyn Saunders announces her retirement from the position.
"We would like to thank Coach Saunders for her years of service, development, and leadership of our Cheer & Stunt Program," said MSUB athletic director Michael Bazemore. "Her tireless effort and commitment to providing a great experience for our student-athletes played a pivotal role in not only revitalizing the program but helping it grow as well. We also congratulate Caitlyn on her retirement from the program; she truly embodies what it means to be a Yellowjacket."
Saunders has served as the head coach for the cheer & stunt program since reviving the program ahead of the 2022-23 season, and has taken the program to new heights in each season she has run it. Under her guidance, the MSUB cheer & stunt team has transformed from an eight-person roster in its first season to roster sizes consistently in the twenties. In those four seasons, she has turned the program into an incredibly active team, one that is at nearly every Yellowjacket home game in Alterowitz Gym supporting other teams, as well as performing a number of impressive stunts and routines to keep the energy high. Saunders has helped lead the Yellowjackets to a Montana Cheer & Dance Championship once, along with winning the College Classic National Championship this last season. Saunders was twice nominated for Coach of the Year at the department's annual Buzzie Awards, and this past year was recognized with the Yellowjacket Award for Service, in recognition of her contributions to both the cheer & stunt program and MSUB Athletics as a whole.
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"The love I have for this program is unmatched," Saunders said. "To my current and past teams, I am so proud of where you started and all the things you have accomplished over the last four years. This program has been my baby for the last four years and it has been so hard to decide to take a step back from it. The only reason I am able to do so is because of the legacy that has been left by the athletes over the last four years and the faith that this program will continue on. I could not move on without the dedication from the amazing alumni who are willing to step into the role of leading this program even further. I could not have done anything over the past four years alone. I had help from the amazing athletic staff at MSUB, my past coaches and countless past teammates from Rocky Mountain College, cheer alumni from MSU and all of the former athletes that I coached before and during my time at MSUB. We didn't just rebuild a program. We built a family. A legacy. To the future Yellowjacket cheerleaders and stunt men: people will try to make you feel less than. Go out and prove that you can do anything they say you can't. Stand by your team, in and out of the gym. And never forget that you are leading the next team of jackets that need you to set the bar for them to reach. And set it high."
In her stead, former MSUB cheerleader Avery Osborne will step in to become the next head coach of the Yellowjacket cheer & stunt program.
"We are excited to have Coach Osborne as our next head coach," Bazemore said. "She has received great mentorship over the past few years and is ready for the challenge to assume this role. We look forward to supporting her and the continued growth of the Cheer & Stunt Program."
A 2025 graduate with her degree in business management, Osborne cheered for three seasons at MSUB and was a member of the original group of cheerleaders & stuntmen who helped to revive the program in the 2022-23 academic year. Osborne was also a cheerleader for multiple years at Billings West High School. Most recently, Osborne served as an assistant coach for the program during this past season under Saunders, gaining experience and preparing to ascend into the role of head coach.
"I am incredibly honored to step into the role of Head Coach for MSUB Cheer and Stunt," Osborne said. "This program has been such an important part of my life as an athlete, and the opportunity to continue with it as a coach truly feels like a dream come true. I am excited to continue the legacy that Coach Saunders built, and to continue growing and expanding this program by bringing in even more talent, passion, and opportunity. I cannot wait to continue making program history, breaking barriers, and building a strong team culture and community alongside these incredible athletes. I am beyond excited for this next chapter and ready to get to work. As always, Go Jackets!"
