Fish finds new gig
by Danny Waldo
Former Montana State men’s basketball coach, Brian Fish, has landed a new gig at the University of Georgia.
Fish, who was relieved of his duties as head basketball coach at MSU after five seasons, moves onto the Southeastern Conference with the Bulldogs as the Director of Player Personnel for head coach Tom Crean. His new position will pay him an annual salary of $175,000.
While Fish changed the culture of the men’s basketball program by bringing in a plethora of talented players such as Tyler Hall, and improving the overall competitiveness of the team, he was never quite able to create the winning program that he and many supporters envisioned when he was hired from the University of Oregon back in 2015. Fish’s contract was not renewed after the 2019 season, a campaign that ended with a quarterfinal loss in the Big Sky Conference tournament.
Overall, during his time in Bozeman, Fish had a win/loss record of 65-92, including 42-50 in Big Sky Conference play, and this past season they won a post-season game for the first time in a decade.
The 2018-19 season was one of high expectations for the Bobcats with the return of an experienced roster led by Hall, who withdrew his name from the NBA Draft to return for his senior season. But, unfortunately, inconsistent play and early exit at the conference tournament spelled Fish’s demise. Fish also suffered personal loss after his daughter passed away unexpectedly in mid-season. MSU struggled to a 15-17 record and athletic director Leon Costello opted to breathe new life into the basketball program by hiring former Bobcat standout Danny Sprinkle to return the ‘Cats to their glory days of the mid ‘90s.
Fish has moved to Athens, Georgia, home of the Bulldogs, and will begin his duties immediately.
Danny Waldo is a local freelance writer covering Bozeman Hawk and Montana State Bobcat athletics. •
