MISSOULA — Montana women’s basketball coach Robin Selvig improved his 36-year coaching record to 799-255 with his team’s 76-49 win over Montana State-Northern last weekend.
He has a chance to become the sixth active NCAA Division I coach and the ninth overall to reach 800 wins on Monday when the Lady Griz host Portland.
Selvig was hired at Montana in 1978 from a finalist pool that also included current Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, who had an 893-202 record through Monday.
And the guy who made the hiring decision? Current Cal men’s basketball coach Mike Montgomery, who had 656 career victories through the end of the 2012-13 season.
Montgomery says Selvig got the job because of his ties to Montana and the university, where he played basketball.
Selvig says he thinks VanDerveer would say that 1978 hiring decision worked out well for both of them.