MSUB's 27th annual Hall of Fame & Distinction induction ceremony set for Friday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, January 18, 2016 MSUB’s 27th annual Hall of Fame & Distinction induction ceremony set for Friday

Three of MSUB’s all-time greats will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, with the induction ceremony to take place at the Hilton Garden Inn. MSUB SPORTS – A trio of Yellowjacket legends will be enshrined in the Montana State University Billings Hall of Fame and Distinction on Friday, as Sam Charles, Troy Truvillion, and Ali Watson will be inducted as the class of 2016.

MSUB’s 27th annual Hall of Fame and Distinction induction ceremony will take place Friday, Jan. 22, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Billings. The evening will begin with a welcome from MSUB director of athletics Krista Montague followed by a dinner at 5:30, with the induction ceremony beginning after the conclusion of the meal.

Scott Breen of KTVQ will serve as the master of ceremonies for the second year in-a-row. Admission to the event, including dinner, is $30 with tickets available now through MSUB Athletics. To attend the event, contact the MSUB athletic department at 406-657-2369.

The event will fall between a pair of Yellowjacket basketball doubleheaders, as MSUB’s men’s and women’s teams each have two home games this weekend at Alterowitz Gym. MSUB’s women’s basketball team is tied for first place in the

Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 7-1, and will host Western Washington University on Thursday and Simon Fraser University on Saturday.

The Yellowjacket men will host Seattle Pacific University on Thursday and Saint Martin’s University on Saturday. Both women’s games will tip off at 5:15 p.m., with the men’s games following at 7:30 p.m.

“The Yellowjacket Hall of Fame and Distinction was founded to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to Yellowjacket Athletics,” commented MSUB director of athletics Krista Montague. “This 2016 class brings distinction, honor, and excellence to our university, and we are proud of their athletic accomplishments. These three exemplify the true spirit of athletic competition at MSUB, and we are excited to welcome them to this prestigious group.”

Charles is a former NCAA Division II National Player of the Year on MSUB’s men’s soccer team, Truvillion was an All-American on MSUB’s men’s basketball team, and Watson is a former Heartland Conference Player of the Year in the Yellowjackets’ volleyball program.

Sam Charles.

The top scorer in the both the MSUB and Great Northwest Athletic Conference record books, Charles amassed 140 points throughout his three seasons, scoring 62 goals and adding 16 assists in 52 games. Setting an MSUB and GNAC singleseason record with 24 goals to lead the NCAA in scoring during the 2009 season, Charles was picked as the Ron Lenz Daktronics Division II National Player of the Year.

Charles had five hat tricks during his career, and scored 19 goals in the 2007 season and again in the 2008 season. He was picked as the GNAC Player of the Year in 2007 and 2009, and earned NCAA Division II West Region Player of the Year after his historic 2009 season.

Charles’ scoring average of 2.69 points per game stands as a GNAC record, and his 22 career game-winning goals are also the most ever in the conference.

Charles was a member of an MSUB team which went 13-4-2 in 2007, 10-8 in 2008, and 11-5-2 in 2009 for a cumulative career mark of 34-17-4. In his final career game, Charles scored three goals on Nov. 4, 2009 at Rocky to put a fitting close on his illustrious career.

An NCAA Division II All-American during the 1989-1990 season, Truvillion was a member of two Eastern Montana College teams that combined to go 38-19 during his career. He was a first-team all-region selection as a senior and was a first-team all-GNAC pick both seasons he competed for the Yellowjackets.

His 45 points against Seattle Pacific on Feb. 15, 1990 ties for the seventh-best single-game scoring total in MSUB history, and his 17 made field goals in the game are third-most in school history. Truvillion also ranks fifth in career free-throw percentage at 83.28 (149-for-299), and climbed to No. 21 in career points with 1,016 in just two seasons.

Troy Truvillion.

“I am honored to be selected as a basketball player to the MSUB Hall of Fame,” Truvillion said. “I must give a huge thank-you to my teammates and coaches, for without them, I would not be able to accept this great honor. I loved every moment of my time in Billings, and the people in the community made my experience there unbelievable. It forever changed my life, and eastern Montana will always be a special part of my life.”

Watson was picked as the Heartland Conference Player of the Year in 2006, helping the ‘Jackets to a record of 26-5 and a berth in the NCAA Southwest Regional Championships after winning the conference title. She was a first-team all-conference selection in 2005 and 2006.

In just two seasons, Watson made her way into MSUB’s record books with the fifth-most and seventh-most kills in a single season with 443 in 2006 and 414 in 2005. She also stands as No. 8 in career service aces (84), and No. 10 in career kills (857).

Ali Watson.

Charles is the first men’s soccer player, Truvillion is the 34th men’s basketball player, and Watson is the eighth women’s volleyball player to be inducted into MSUB’s Hall of Fame.

They will join 149 previous inductees when they are enshrined in January.

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