Tuesday’s Regional Sports Briefs

UGF hires assistant women’s basketball coach

Rachel Steinbarger has joined the University of Great Falls women’s basketball coaching staff, Lady Argos head coach Bill Himmelberg announced Tuesday.

Steinbarger, 25, replaces Jaci Henry, who returned to Wyoming to pursue other opportunities.

“Rachel has the energy, enthusiasm, professionalism and a great spiritual base that will give us exactly what we need,” Himmelberg said. “We are expected great things from her this season. I couldn’t be happy to have her on board.”

Steinbarger comes to UGF from Lancaster (Pa.) Bible College, where she coached the program to a 24-6 record and the NEAC South Division title in her only year as head coach. The team advanced to the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II Tournament where it finished third.

Steinbarger was a four-year starter and a co-captain while competing for Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind. IWU had a 115-26 record during her career and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament all four years, including two Elite Eight appearances and one Final Four.

Cat-Griz game will be a noon kickoff

The Bobcat-Grizzly football game this November in Bozeman will start at noon, ROOT Sports announced.

ROOT Sports announced its televised Big Sky Conference football schedule kickoff times this week; five of the games will feature the Montana Grizzlies of first-year coach Bob Stitt.

All five of the Grizzlies’ games on ROOT Sports in the fall — three at home, two on the road — will be early-afternoon starts.

Montana’s Homecoming game against Northern Arizona on Sept. 26 will kick off at 2 p.m. The Grizzlies’ home game versus North Dakota on Oct. 24 will start at 1:30 p.m., and their Nov. 14 contest against Eastern Washington will start at either 1 or 1:30 p.m., depending on the Utah Jazz’s schedule.

Montana’s road games at UC Davis on Oct. 3 and Montana State on Nov. 21 will also be carried by ROOT Sports. The Grizzlies will face the Aggies at 2 p.m. (MT) and the Bobcats at noon.

The Bobcats, meanwhile, will play on ROOT against Eastern Washington on Sept. 19 (2 p.m. Mountain), against Sacramento State on Oct. 10 (5 p.m.), and against Portland State on Oct. 17 (1:35 p.m. Mountain). The Cats will also play on ROOT against Southern Utah on Nov. 7, with kickoff time to be announced.

Montana plays host to North Dakota State on Aug. 29 at 1:30 p.m. in ESPN’s second annual FCS Kickoff.

Montana State kicks off its season against Fort Lewis (Colo.) on Sept. 3 at 7:05. Cowles Media (KFBB-TV in Great Falls) will televise.