Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Men’s Basketball Adds Kenny Love to Coaching Staff, Three Coaches Receive Updated Titles for 2026-27 Season
7/8/2026 5:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bobcats head into upcoming season with experienced six-member coaching staff
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State men's basketball program announced the addition of Kenny Love to its coaching staff, as well as new titles for three returning coaches for the 2026-27 season.
Love joins the Bobcats as an assistant coach after four seasons as the head women's basketball coach at Whitworth University. Additionally, Bobcat assistants Zach Payne and Sam Scholl were promoted to Associate Head Coach, and Shamrock Campbell was elevated to Assistant Coach after serving as the Director of Basketball Operations for two years.
"I am incredibly grateful for the ability to work alongside a staff that shares my core beliefs and pours into our basketball family the way this staff does," Montana State head coach Matt Logie said. "Along with MSU alum Xavier Bishop, I am highly confident that this staff will continue to build upon the cultural foundation that has been set here at Montana State, while we strive for Big Sky championships and NCAA Tournament appearances."
Love spent a total of 13 years at Whitworth University as a player and coach. He enjoyed a successful college basketball career under Logie from 2013 to 2017, serving as a two-time captain for the Pirates. As a player, Love made four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and led the Pirates to three Northwest Conference regular-season and conference tournament titles. A three-time First-Team All-Northwest Conference honoree, he was a Third-Team All-American and the Northwest Conference Player of the Year in 2015, also earning First-Team All-West Region honors in 2015 and 2017. Following his playing career, Love joined Logie's coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2017. During their two years together, Logie and Love's Pirates compiled a 45-10 record and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country. Love was promoted to Head Assistant Coach in July 2019 and remained in that role for three seasons. He guided the Pirates to a further two NCAA Tournament appearances in those three years, with the 2021 tournament being cancelled due to COVID-19. Love most recently served as Whitworth's head women's basketball coach for the past four seasons from 2022 through 2026 before arriving in Bozeman this summer.
"Kenny Love has been an integral part of my basketball family since 2013," Logie said. "A two-time team captain, All-American, and conference MVP selection amid four NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted an outstanding playing career before joining my staff for two seasons. His knowledge of our core values and basketball philosophy along with four years of head coaching experience will prove extremely valuable to our staff and players here at Montana State."
Payne and Scholl both arrived at Montana State with Logie at the start of the 2023-24 season, with the trio guiding the Bobcats to a 50-50 overall record, including a 30-24 record in Big Sky play, in 100 total games. The Bobcats won their third-straight Big Sky Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight year during Payne and Scholl's first season at the helm before advancing to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals in 2024-25. The 2025-26 season saw the Bobcats post their strongest record since the 2022-23 season, finishing 18-14 overall and 12-6 in the Big Sky to place second in the Big Sky regular-season standings. The Bobcats ranked as high as No. 127 in the country in the NCAA Men's Basketball NET rankings during the 2025-26 season, marking Montana State's best ranking during Logie, Payne, and Scholl's tenure.
Prior to his arrival in Bozeman, Payne served as an assistant coach at Montana from 2019 to 2023, helping the Grizzlies post winning records during each of his four seasons in Missoula and guiding them to a Big Sky Tournament semifinal appearance in 2021. He spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant at Portland State, where he helped guide the Vikings to a fourth-place finish in the Big Sky regular-season standings, their best result in seven years. Payne's first full-time coaching job came at Western Oregon, where he guided the Wolves to the GNAC Tournament championship game as an assistant coach in 2016-17 before serving as the associate head coach in 2017-18. During his second and final year with the Wolves, he guided the team to a 31-2 record, GNAC regular-season and tournament titles, and a national rank as high as No. 3 in Division III men's basketball. Like Love, Payne played college basketball under Logie at Whitworth, competing for the Pirates for two seasons from 2011 to 2013 after beginning his collegiate career at Diablo Valley College (2009-11). While at Whitworth, Payne won a pair of conference championships before serving as a volunteer assistant under Logie during the 2013-14 season and a graduate assistant from 2014-16. In his three years on Logie's coaching staff, the Pirates posted a combined 74-12 record with three conference titles and an NCAA Division III Tournament appearance.
"Coach Payne has been a foundational member of our basketball family since my first year as a head coach and the five years we spent together at Whitworth," Logie said. "More importantly, Coach Payne's Big Sky experience and leadership role within our MSU basketball family is much more accurately reflected in his title of Associate Head Coach. Zach is a rising star in this profession; has won everywhere he has been; cares deeply about our players, fellow staff members, and program; and has poured himself into a leadership role from the moment I took over at Montana State. There is no doubt in my mind that Coach Payne has the tools, experience, and leadership qualities necessary to be a highly successful head coach in the future, and this title change reflects those beliefs."
Scholl enjoyed a 24-year coaching career across multiple programs in California before his arrival in Bozeman in 2023. During that time, he guided his teams to seven postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournaments and one NIT bid. He served as the Basketball Performance Advisor at San Diego State during the 2022-23 season as the Aztecs advanced to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. The Aztecs posted a 32-7 record that season, including a 15-3 record in the Mountain West, while earning the conference's regular-season and tournament titles. Prior to his time with the Aztecs, he was the head coach at the University of San Diego from 2018 to 2022, earning the head coaching gig after serving as the interim head coach late in the 2017-18 season. The Toreros made the postseason in two of those four years, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2018 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) after compiling a 20-14 record during the 2017-18 campaign and adding an NIT appearance in 2018-19 after winning 21 games that season. A 2001 graduate of USD, Scholl was an assistant coach for the Toreros from 2000 to 2007 and again from 2015 to 2018 before taking over as the team's head coach. The team made the NCAA Tournament in 2003, marking their third appearance in program history. Between his two stints at San Diego, Scholl served as an assistant coach at Santa Clara from 2007 to 2015, where he was eventually elevated to Associate Head Coach after guiding the Broncos to a 24-win season and the CIT crown during the 2010-11 season, followed by a 26-win campaign and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament title in 2012-13. He began his collegiate career at Tacoma Community College in Washington for two seasons before playing for San Diego for his final two years.
"Coach Scholl has been an absolute servant leader from the moment we came to Montana State," Logie said. "His work ethic, level of detail, and leadership amongst our staff has been hugely valuable to our success and where our program is today. This title change much more accurately reflects his experience and role within our program, and as a former Division I head coach, that impact has been felt by both players and staff alike, myself included."
Campbell arrived with Logie at Montana State prior to the start of the 2023-24 season, serving as a graduate assistant for the Bobcats for one season before taking over as the Director of Basketball Operations during each of the last two seasons. In his most recent role, he managed team travel and practice scheduling, coordinated recruiting visits, and assisted with film, workouts, and practice operations for the Bobcats. Prior to his time at Montana State, Campbell played at Carroll College for four seasons from 2018 to 2022, where he was a two-time NAIA All-American and guided the Saints to the NAIA National Championship game during his freshman season. He concluded his college career at Point Loma Nazarene University, where he played for Logie during the 2022-23 season. During Campbell's lone season at Point Loma, the Sea Lions won 25-straight games en route to a 29-4 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. Campbell will step into his first full-time coaching role as an assistant coach for the Bobcats during the 2026-27 season.
"Shamrock is another former player who has his imprint all over the success of our basketball family, both as a player at Point Loma as well as his three years on staff here at Montana State," Logie said. "Shamrock's title change much more accurately reflects his role and the impact he has made on our basketball program here at Montana State, and I look forward to continuing to see his growth in the coaching world."
Montana State's bench will feature a full-time coaching staff of six during the 2026-27 season, including Logie (Head Coach), Payne (Associate Head Coach), Scholl (Associate Head Coach), Bishop (Assistant Coach), Campbell (Assistant Coach), and Love (Assistant Coach). The Bobcats will look to build on a successful 2025-26 season after the Bobcats compiled an 18-14 overall record and 12-6 Big Sky record to finish second in the conference's regular-season standings. With Montana State boasting a 100% retention rate of scholarship players from last season's campaign, the team will feature a slew of returning faces to Bozeman in the fall, as well as five new additions as the Bobcats look to make a run at another strong season in 2026-27.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State men's basketball team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsMBB and on Facebook at Montana State Men's Basketball. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
Love joins the Bobcats as an assistant coach after four seasons as the head women's basketball coach at Whitworth University. Additionally, Bobcat assistants Zach Payne and Sam Scholl were promoted to Associate Head Coach, and Shamrock Campbell was elevated to Assistant Coach after serving as the Director of Basketball Operations for two years.
"I am incredibly grateful for the ability to work alongside a staff that shares my core beliefs and pours into our basketball family the way this staff does," Montana State head coach Matt Logie said. "Along with MSU alum Xavier Bishop, I am highly confident that this staff will continue to build upon the cultural foundation that has been set here at Montana State, while we strive for Big Sky championships and NCAA Tournament appearances."
Love spent a total of 13 years at Whitworth University as a player and coach. He enjoyed a successful college basketball career under Logie from 2013 to 2017, serving as a two-time captain for the Pirates. As a player, Love made four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and led the Pirates to three Northwest Conference regular-season and conference tournament titles. A three-time First-Team All-Northwest Conference honoree, he was a Third-Team All-American and the Northwest Conference Player of the Year in 2015, also earning First-Team All-West Region honors in 2015 and 2017. Following his playing career, Love joined Logie's coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2017. During their two years together, Logie and Love's Pirates compiled a 45-10 record and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country. Love was promoted to Head Assistant Coach in July 2019 and remained in that role for three seasons. He guided the Pirates to a further two NCAA Tournament appearances in those three years, with the 2021 tournament being cancelled due to COVID-19. Love most recently served as Whitworth's head women's basketball coach for the past four seasons from 2022 through 2026 before arriving in Bozeman this summer.
"Kenny Love has been an integral part of my basketball family since 2013," Logie said. "A two-time team captain, All-American, and conference MVP selection amid four NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted an outstanding playing career before joining my staff for two seasons. His knowledge of our core values and basketball philosophy along with four years of head coaching experience will prove extremely valuable to our staff and players here at Montana State."
Payne and Scholl both arrived at Montana State with Logie at the start of the 2023-24 season, with the trio guiding the Bobcats to a 50-50 overall record, including a 30-24 record in Big Sky play, in 100 total games. The Bobcats won their third-straight Big Sky Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight year during Payne and Scholl's first season at the helm before advancing to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals in 2024-25. The 2025-26 season saw the Bobcats post their strongest record since the 2022-23 season, finishing 18-14 overall and 12-6 in the Big Sky to place second in the Big Sky regular-season standings. The Bobcats ranked as high as No. 127 in the country in the NCAA Men's Basketball NET rankings during the 2025-26 season, marking Montana State's best ranking during Logie, Payne, and Scholl's tenure.
Prior to his arrival in Bozeman, Payne served as an assistant coach at Montana from 2019 to 2023, helping the Grizzlies post winning records during each of his four seasons in Missoula and guiding them to a Big Sky Tournament semifinal appearance in 2021. He spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant at Portland State, where he helped guide the Vikings to a fourth-place finish in the Big Sky regular-season standings, their best result in seven years. Payne's first full-time coaching job came at Western Oregon, where he guided the Wolves to the GNAC Tournament championship game as an assistant coach in 2016-17 before serving as the associate head coach in 2017-18. During his second and final year with the Wolves, he guided the team to a 31-2 record, GNAC regular-season and tournament titles, and a national rank as high as No. 3 in Division III men's basketball. Like Love, Payne played college basketball under Logie at Whitworth, competing for the Pirates for two seasons from 2011 to 2013 after beginning his collegiate career at Diablo Valley College (2009-11). While at Whitworth, Payne won a pair of conference championships before serving as a volunteer assistant under Logie during the 2013-14 season and a graduate assistant from 2014-16. In his three years on Logie's coaching staff, the Pirates posted a combined 74-12 record with three conference titles and an NCAA Division III Tournament appearance.
"Coach Payne has been a foundational member of our basketball family since my first year as a head coach and the five years we spent together at Whitworth," Logie said. "More importantly, Coach Payne's Big Sky experience and leadership role within our MSU basketball family is much more accurately reflected in his title of Associate Head Coach. Zach is a rising star in this profession; has won everywhere he has been; cares deeply about our players, fellow staff members, and program; and has poured himself into a leadership role from the moment I took over at Montana State. There is no doubt in my mind that Coach Payne has the tools, experience, and leadership qualities necessary to be a highly successful head coach in the future, and this title change reflects those beliefs."
Scholl enjoyed a 24-year coaching career across multiple programs in California before his arrival in Bozeman in 2023. During that time, he guided his teams to seven postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournaments and one NIT bid. He served as the Basketball Performance Advisor at San Diego State during the 2022-23 season as the Aztecs advanced to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. The Aztecs posted a 32-7 record that season, including a 15-3 record in the Mountain West, while earning the conference's regular-season and tournament titles. Prior to his time with the Aztecs, he was the head coach at the University of San Diego from 2018 to 2022, earning the head coaching gig after serving as the interim head coach late in the 2017-18 season. The Toreros made the postseason in two of those four years, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2018 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) after compiling a 20-14 record during the 2017-18 campaign and adding an NIT appearance in 2018-19 after winning 21 games that season. A 2001 graduate of USD, Scholl was an assistant coach for the Toreros from 2000 to 2007 and again from 2015 to 2018 before taking over as the team's head coach. The team made the NCAA Tournament in 2003, marking their third appearance in program history. Between his two stints at San Diego, Scholl served as an assistant coach at Santa Clara from 2007 to 2015, where he was eventually elevated to Associate Head Coach after guiding the Broncos to a 24-win season and the CIT crown during the 2010-11 season, followed by a 26-win campaign and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament title in 2012-13. He began his collegiate career at Tacoma Community College in Washington for two seasons before playing for San Diego for his final two years.
"Coach Scholl has been an absolute servant leader from the moment we came to Montana State," Logie said. "His work ethic, level of detail, and leadership amongst our staff has been hugely valuable to our success and where our program is today. This title change much more accurately reflects his experience and role within our program, and as a former Division I head coach, that impact has been felt by both players and staff alike, myself included."
Campbell arrived with Logie at Montana State prior to the start of the 2023-24 season, serving as a graduate assistant for the Bobcats for one season before taking over as the Director of Basketball Operations during each of the last two seasons. In his most recent role, he managed team travel and practice scheduling, coordinated recruiting visits, and assisted with film, workouts, and practice operations for the Bobcats. Prior to his time at Montana State, Campbell played at Carroll College for four seasons from 2018 to 2022, where he was a two-time NAIA All-American and guided the Saints to the NAIA National Championship game during his freshman season. He concluded his college career at Point Loma Nazarene University, where he played for Logie during the 2022-23 season. During Campbell's lone season at Point Loma, the Sea Lions won 25-straight games en route to a 29-4 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. Campbell will step into his first full-time coaching role as an assistant coach for the Bobcats during the 2026-27 season.
"Shamrock is another former player who has his imprint all over the success of our basketball family, both as a player at Point Loma as well as his three years on staff here at Montana State," Logie said. "Shamrock's title change much more accurately reflects his role and the impact he has made on our basketball program here at Montana State, and I look forward to continuing to see his growth in the coaching world."
Montana State's bench will feature a full-time coaching staff of six during the 2026-27 season, including Logie (Head Coach), Payne (Associate Head Coach), Scholl (Associate Head Coach), Bishop (Assistant Coach), Campbell (Assistant Coach), and Love (Assistant Coach). The Bobcats will look to build on a successful 2025-26 season after the Bobcats compiled an 18-14 overall record and 12-6 Big Sky record to finish second in the conference's regular-season standings. With Montana State boasting a 100% retention rate of scholarship players from last season's campaign, the team will feature a slew of returning faces to Bozeman in the fall, as well as five new additions as the Bobcats look to make a run at another strong season in 2026-27.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State men's basketball team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsMBB and on Facebook at Montana State Men's Basketball. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
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