Montana Tech head men's basketball coach Adam Hiatt announced former University of Montana standout Derek Selvig would become the assistant coach for the Diggers in late April.
“Derek is a great addition to our staff here at Montana Tech,” Coach Hiatt said.
The 7-foot former Grizzly power forward helped lead the Montana squad to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Selvig finished his career with 844 points and 560 rebounds. The big man shot 40 percent from three-point land in his career and saw the Griz offense run through his position.
Selvig’s Dawson County High School team had a 44-4 record in his junior and senior seasons and reached the Montana Class “A” State Tournament all four years of his high school career. Selvig was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Montana in his senior season. Selvig was one of the top-150 players in the nation in high school, being recruited by powerhouse schools from the Pac-12, Ivy League, ACC, and Big 12 conferences.
After the University of Montana, Selvig played overseas for two seasons in Gotha, Germany with the BiG Oettinger Rockets. Returning to the states, he gained his first coaching experience serving as an assistant at Billings West for one year.
"First and foremost, he is a winner, having won at every level throughout his playing career. He brings immediate credibility to our current players, as well as future prospects, and will be a terrific asset when teaching, especially to our big men. He has a bright future as a coach and is a great fit for our basketball program, for Montana Tech, and for the Butte community."
Basketball is a common thread in Selvig’s family tree with both his parents Doug and Anita (Novak) Selvig being standouts for the University of Montana in the 80s. In addition to his mother and father playing for the Griz and Lady Griz, Selvig’s younger sister Carly played for the University of Montana and was the Big Sky Conference’s Defensive Player of the year twice. In addition to Selvig’s immediate family, his cousin Jordan Sullivan and aunt Sandy (Selvig) Sullivan played for the University of Montana. Derek’s uncle Robin recently retired after compiling an 865-286 record in 38 seasons coaching the Lady Griz, the fifteenth highest win total in women’s college basketball.
