Rocky Mountain College Clara Klindt Athletic Hall of Fame
Jake Stuart is a native of Gildford, Mont., and graduated from Rocky Mountain College with a managerial accounting degree in 2004.
Stuart came to Rocky in 2001 to play for Rocky’s men’s basketball team after transferring from the University of Montana, where he spent two years in the Grizzlies’ basketball program.
While at Rocky, Stuart received NAIA All-America honors in 2004 and was a two-time All-Frontier Conference performer. During his three-year Rocky career, Stuart helped lead the Battlin’ Bears to two-straight NAIA national tournament appearances.
Considered as the “best teammate” by current head men’s basketball coach Bill Dreikosen, Stuart served as a team captain twice and earned the NAIA’s distinction as the program’s Champion of Character Award recipient.
During Stuart’s three-year Battlin’ Bears career, the 6-foot-3-inch guard accumulated nearly 1,400 points and 441 rebounds.
Stuart excelled as a three sport athlete at Kremlin-Gildford High School, where he led the KouGars basketball team to back-to-back state Class C titles in 1998 and 1999. He was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player both years. For his efforts, Stuart was named first team All-State for basketball and football (1998, 1999). In 1999, he was named the Montana Gatorade Player of the Year for basketball. Stuart’s 1999 football and track and field teams also captured state titles.
After graduation from Rocky, Stuart worked in the insurance industry in Billings before moving to Malta, Mont., in 2008. When he’s not coaching youth basketball and flag football teams, Stuart owns and operates Phillips County Insurance.
