2017 Missoula Prep Coach Of The Year

2017 has been a great year for Missoula Prep Sports as we have seen teams work their way to championship games, win state titles, and for some repeat as state champions. Our community is full of hard working and dedicated men and women who sacrifice time with loved ones to bring out the best in our student athletes.

In an effort to recognize these individuals for their dedication to our prep sports heroes we have chosen the top coaches from the variety of high school level sports in Missoula. This was a tough task because the Garden City is full of coaches who make so many sacrifices in order to mentor our local youth.

Brent Hathaway – Missoula Mavericks Baseball

Coach Hathaway has been a staple in the Missoula Mavericks organization and has become one of the most successful Legion Baseball coaches in the Northwest. In his 34th season Coach Hathaway guided his team to win the Montana-Alberta State AA Title, and an appearance in the 2017 Northwest Regional Tournament Championship game. Coach Hathaway enters his 35th season as the manager of the Mavericks with a young group players who have big shoes to fill after All-Stars like Nick Yovetich, Spencer Schock, and Ryan McHugh graduated.

Marcus Baxter – Missoula Bruins Jr Hockey

Coach Baxter is in his second season at the helm of the Missoula Bruins Jr Hockey team but is no stranger to the Missoula community having coached the Missoula Maulers. Since his arrival in Missoula in 2009 Coach Baxter has been named Coach Of The Year twice and has accumulated over 230 wins while coaching student athletes from all over the world.

Dan Nile – Big Sky Eagle Track & Field

Coach Nile has been at the helm of the Big Sky Eagle track & field team for 15 years and under his direction he has lead the Eagles to a 2008 State Championship for the girls, and championships in 2013 and 2014 for the boys. In 2013 Coach Nile was selected as the United States Western Region Coach Of The Year, and in the spring of 2017 Coach Nile was inducted into the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame due to his hard work and dedication to the mentoring Missoula’s prep sports heroes.

Jay Anderson – Hellgate Knight Boy’s Soccer

Coach Anderson is in his 14th season as the head coach of the Hellgate boys’ soccer team, and his 18th season with the program. In 2017 Coach Anderson guided the Knight’s to repeat as the Montana State Class AA Champions, the fourth overall. At the helm of of the Hellgate boy’s soccer team he has coached the Knight’s to nine state tournaments and six appearances in the championship game. In addition to his work with the Knight’s, Coach Anderson is the Academic Director of the Missoula Strikers Association.

Todd Hughes – Loyola Ram Football

Coach Hughes has lead the Loyola Rams football team since 2014 when he took over for Dan Weber, and has been part of the Ram football program as the defensive coordinator since 2007. A Florence native, Coach Hughes took over a Loyola football program that was coming off a second consecutive perfect season leading to a Class B state Championship and has continued the winning tradition for the Rams putting them in the postseason since his arrival.

Karen Deden – Sentinel Spartan Girl’s Basketball

Coach Deden is in her 18th season at helm of the Sentinel girls basketball program. As a graduate of Sentinel in 1987 Coach Deden takes pride in her mentor ship of the Lady Spartans and works hard to maintain an atmosphere of excellence. In her time as the head coach of the Lady Spartans Coach Deden has lead Sentinel to the Class AA postseason numerous times and has brought home the state title three out of their five appearances in the championship game.

Please take a moment and vote, the poll will remain open until 11:59 December 31st.

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