Briefs: Griz McGourin, Capser bow out
MISSOULA — Jacob McGourin, a redshirt junior defensive end for the Montana Grizzlies, announced his retirement from college football on Wednesday.
A two-time Academic All-Big Sky Conference selection out of Cheney, Wash., McGourin is set to graduate this spring and is also coming off a torn ACL suffered during spring drills.
With an eye toward law school, the 265-pounder decided to hang up his cleats.
“It definitely wasn’t an easy decision because I love everything about my experience at Montana,” McGourin said in a release from the university. “It was one of the greatest experiences I’ll probably have in my life.”
McGourin played in 32 games at Montana — two coming in UM’s 2021 spring schedule. He started all 13 games last season and made 32 tackles, including a sack and four tackles for loss. For his career he had 69 tackles, 13.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks.
Camden Capser, a redshirt sophomore kicker out of Billings Central who missed spring drills, also announced via Instagram Wednesday that he was leaving the program.
“As I continue to heal from shoulder reconstruction I will be stepping away from Griz football,” he wrote. Capser hit 85 straight PAT attempts in high school, but didn’t attempt a PAT or field goal in two seasons at UM.
Idaho star Bea enters portal
Beyonce Bea, the Idaho Vandals’ three-time all-Big Sky Conference selection, has reportedly entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Skylinesportsmt.com was among several outlets to announce the 6-foot-1 guard-forward’s entrance, and pointed out that all five first-team all-Big Sky women’s basketball players have entered the portal: Bea; conference MVP Kahlaijah Dean and teammate Isnelle Natabou of Sacramento State; Darian White of Montana State; and Regan Schenk of Northern Arizona.
Bea led the Big Sky in scoring this past season, averaging 22.8 points in 30 games. She'll have one year of eligibility remaining.
Both Sacramento State and Idaho are changing coaches. Sac State’s Mark Cambpell left to take over Texas Christian, and Idaho parted ways with Jon Newlee after 15 seasons.
Weber St. hires women’s coach
Jenteal Jackson, a former player and for the last two seasons the head coach at Division II Westminster College in Utah, was named head coach for the Weber State women’s basketball program Wednesday.
Jackson played collegiately at BYU for two seasons before transferring to Westminster and helping the Griffins, then an NAIA program, win two Frontier Conference titles. She then spent nine years on the Griffins’ coaching staff before ascending to head coach, compiling a two-year record of 34-21.
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