BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings Athletic Department announced its 2027 class of inductees into the Yellowjacket Hall of Fame and Distinction, recognizing the contributions of two individuals and one team to the legacy of Yellowjacket Athletics.
The 1996-97 men's basketball team will become the fourth-ever team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and Distinction, with track & field greats Beau Ackerman and Sam Zook entering alongside them.
"We are truly excited to induct our 2027 Hall of Fame class," said Andrew Bonner, interim director of athletics. "The group features a record-breaking basketball team with a handful of Yellowjacket legends, and two track & field All-Americans. It is always a great time to celebrate the accomplishments of our former student-athletes, and with it being our Centennial year, it adds an extra level of excitement. When I first started at MSUB, I had the opportunity to work with Sam and Beau and meet multiple individuals from the '96-'97 men's basketball, so to see their hard work payoff both in the moment and now for a spot in our Hall of Fame is pretty special."
People are also reading…
1996-97 men's basketball team
The 1996-97 men's basketball team still ranks as one of the most special groups in the history of men's basketball at MSUB, with the squad finishing the season with a 22-6 overall record, with its .786 win-loss percentage still ranking as the highest in program history, and a 9-3 mark in conference play. Helmed by Hall of Fame head coach Craig Carse, the Yellowjackets won the Pacific West Conference championship and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament, making a run to the Sweet 16.
One of the best offensive units in the program's history, the team scored 2,904 total points, averaging 103.7 across its 28 games, both totals which still rank second highest in program history. The Yellowjackets crossed the 100-point mark in 14 games that season, still a program record. The team also made the most 3-pointers in a single season by an MSUB team with 396, and the most assists in a single season with 607.
The team had a number of standouts, including Reece Gliko, who was named an NCAA Division II All-American after averaging 26.6 points per game, with both that and his 745 points the second most scored by a Yellowjacket in a single season, while his 54 points scored on Dec. 28, 1996, still hold the record for most points in a game by an MSUB player. Gliko also earned All-West Region and All-Pac West first-team honors that season, but he was hardly alone in his success, joined by fellow All-Pac West first-team selection Mark Hamilton and All-Pac West honorable mention Titus Warmsley, who were crucial to the team's success and both put together two of the most efficient 3-point shooting seasons in program history, with Hamilton's 115 made triples ranking sixth most in single-season MSUB history. Meanwhile, point guard Jamie Stevens finished the season with 235 assists, the third most in program history.
The Yellowjackets' full 1996-97 roster is listed below, with a designation for those who have also been inducted into the Yellowjacket Hall of Fame and Distinction as individuals. The team was coached by Carse, who was assisted by Scott Hatler and Brent Montague, with team manager Tina Coulsten:
Miodrag Babic, Jamie Stevens*, Matt Preusser, Mark Hamilton*, Eddie Cochran, Reese Gliko, James Washington, Titus Warmsley*, Trent Hickes, JJ Pilgreen, Djole Palfi, Tod Scott, Darin Anderson
Beau Ackerman
One of the most decorated athletes in the history of the program, Ackerman was a standout javelin thrower for the Yellowjackets, still owning the program record in the event with a mark of 71.19m (133' 7"). Ackerman was a two-time GNAC outdoor champion in the event, winning the javelin in 2018 and setting his school record mark in the event in 2021, for which he also received Performance of the Meet honors. He also won bronze at the 2017 outdoor championships, his first career All-GNAC honor. Ackerman qualified for the NCAA DII Men's Outdoor Championships in both 2018 and 2021, becoming just the second Yellowjacket to qualify for multiple NCAA Championship meets. He placed fifth in 2018 and fourth in 2021 at the national championships, qualifying for two first-team All-American awards. Ackerman was named the USTFCCCA West Region Men's Athlete of the Year and GNAC Men's Outdoor Athlete of the Year, still the only Yellowjacket to ever receive those honors. Ackerman was a three-time GNAC Field Athlete of the Week selection and was also a four-time Academic All-GNAC honoree in his career.
Sam Zook
Zook meanwhile helped blaze a trail that athletes like Ackerman would follow, becoming the first Yellowjacket to ever qualify for the NCAA Men's Outdoor Championships multiple times. A name plastered all across the MSUB record books, Zook still holds five school records at MSUB. His 10.47-second time in the 100m and 21.04-second mark in the 200m are still the gold standard all MSUB men's sprinters chase, as well as running as the anchor on the school record-holding 4x100m squad in outdoor, while he also holds indoor school records in the 60m (6.78) and 200m (21.65).
Zook earned eight All-GNAC honors in his career, including six gold medals at GNAC Championships, the most conference golds in program history. He finished his career as a two-time outdoor champion in the 100m and 200m, taking first in 2017 and 2019 and finishing second in 2018, while also earning gold as a member of the 4x100m relay side in 2018 and a 60m indoor victory in 2017. Zook qualified for the NCAA DII Men's Outdoor Championships in both the 100m and 200m in 2017, marking the first time an MSUB athlete qualified for nationals in multiple events, and in the 100m once more in 2018. He finished his career earning NCAA DII All-American honors once, alongside five All-Region selections from USTFCCCA and four GNAC Track Athlete of the Week honors.
The Yellowjacket Hall of Fame and Distinction class of 2027 will be inducted and recognized next year on Friday, Feb. 19 in a ceremony at the Double Tree Hotel, before being celebrated again the following evening between the men's and women's basketball games. To purchase tickets for the induction ceremony, please contact Hollie West at hollie.west@msubillings.edu, or by calling 406-896-5934.
