MSU athletics staffers hammer for Habitat

BOZEMAN -- Montana State athletics staffers recently picked up hammers and spent an afternoon volunteering for Habitat for Humanity in a north Bozeman subdivision.

The group included 20 administrative staff and coaches.

The crew worked on two duplexes in the West Winds subdivision behind Bozeman's Home Depot. Chores ranged from roofing and sheet rocking to installing windows and door frames.

Athletic Director Peter Fields says they have a lot of people in the department who volunteer their time to various organizations, but the Habitat project gave them a chance to do something together.

Habitat for Humanity of the Gallatin Valley is building four units right now, and Executive Director Jennifer Frank says they're always looking for volunteers.

Billings cyclist qualifies for nationals

BILLINGS (AP) -- Cyclist Nate Weston is the reigning Montana state champion for cycling time trials and criterion races. And now he's earned enough points to qualify for the USA Cycling Junior National Championships on Wednesday in Orange County, Calif.

Fresh off a ninth-place finish in the Tour of Idaho, a weeklong stage race, Weston received an e-mail from USA Cycling President Mark Abramson inviting him to the nationals. The 17-year-old Billings Skyview student found out he had six days to get registered and fly to California. He will be competing in the time trial and the road race.

Weston will begin his senior year at Skyview later this month, but he says he has already made up his mind on a college. He will be cycling for Lindsey Weston College in Kentucky while he pursues sports medicine and fire science.