Friday, July 8, 2016
by Montana State Billings Athletic Communications

BILLINGS, Mont. – Jessica Rayman has been announced as the next head coach of the Montana State University Billings softball program.
 
Rayman has spent the past five seasons as the assistant coach at NCAA Division II Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., and will assume her post as MSUB’s head coach the first week of August.
 
“The search committee was impressed by Jessica’s softball credentials, and we are excited to welcome her as our next head softball coach,” said Yellowjacket director of athletics Krista Montague. “We are confident that Jessica will hit the ground running with her years of experience as a coach at the Division II level, and are looking forward to what she will bring to the table as the leader of our softball program.”
 
Rayman helped lead Washburn to conference tournament appearances in 2012 and 2015, and coached 25 all-conference picks. In 2014-15, her team was recognized with the third-highest grade point average in Division II at 3.65. Rayman also spent time assisting as the athletic department’s compliance officer at Washburn, in addition to handling the softball team’s travel arrangements and day-to-day operations.
 
“I am very excited to lead the Yellowjacket softball program,” said Rayman. “I want to thank Mrs. Montague for giving me this opportunity to compete in the GNAC. After visiting the campus and meeting the athletics staff, I knew this was a place I could grow and be successful. I look forward to meeting the team and getting the season underway.”
 
Prior to her time at Washburn, Rayman was the head coach at Otero Junior College (Colo.), where she led the team to a record of 29-24 in one season at the helm. Under her guidance, Otero reached the National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX national tournament.
 
Rayman competed in softball at NCAA Division II Colorado Mesa University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2009. She went on to complete a master’s degree in the same field of study at California University of Pennsylvania in 2012.
 
The Yellowjackets finished the 2016 season with an overall record of 14-36, and went 6-22 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play to finish in eighth place. Rayman replaces interim head coach Rebekah Gasner, who has since been named MSUB’s compliance director after five years as MSUB’s assistant coach prior to her one year in charge in 2016.