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November 2004
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Volume 1, Issue
2
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Out on an island
The Montana defensive backfield has some talented,
but young, players. Learn what it's like to grow up fast in the Griz secondary. MORE
Griz basketball outlook
Get the inside scoop on the 2004-05 men's basketball team in the season outlook. MORE
Lady Griz basketball outlook
Can the Lady Griz have another magical season? Find out about this year's team in the season outlook. MORE
A letter from Athletic Director Don Read
Greetings from all of us in the Athletic Department here at The University of Montana. Much success has occurred since my last letter to you. MORE
GSA announcements
Want to know all the hapenings of the Grizzly Scholarship
Association? Check out the announcements for the month. MORE
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Click below for complete statistical capsule
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Out on an island
by Timothy San Pedro, MontanaGrizzlies.com |
The Big Sky Conference is known as a pass-happy league, and to survive in the
Sky, Montana defenses have relied on veteran defensive backs for leadership.
This season, Montana has been forced to break from that mold, with a defensive
backfield noticably younger than seasons past. The secondary lineup consists
of three juniors, three sophomores, four true freshman and, count ‘em,
zero seniors.
Sophomore cornerback Tuff Harris |
First year defensive back coach Tim Hauck, in response to why there is a gap
in seniority at the defensive back position said, "It’s hard to say. This coaching
staff stepped in last year and there weren’t a lot of guys ready to play in the
secondary and we’ve had to build with the guys we’ve brought in and some of our
guys have had to step up that probably shouldn’t have to play yet, but they do
and they’re doing a heck of a job and getting better every week."
They have a lot of room to improve. Out of 120 teams in I-AA, Montana ranks 117th in pass defense, giving up 330.43 yards per game, and 113th in total defense (448.86 ypg). Yet, Montana ranks first in the Big Sky conference in rushing defense (118.4 ypg) and first in turnover margin (+11) and are still finding ways to win.
"We’ve faced some incredible quarterbacks this year and that does attribute to a lot of the (passing) yards we’ve given up," sophomore cornerback Tuff Harris said. "I think we’ve faced the No. 2,3 and 4 passing offenses in the nation and that says something about the competition we’ve faced."
One of the keys to the Grizzly defense has been preventing teams from scoring
with in the 20-yard line, a.k.a. the "red zone."
"We step it up when we need to," sophomore free safety Matt Lebsock said. "We give up a whole lot of yards, but we keep people out of the endzone and that’s what’s important."
Sophomore safety Matt Lebsock |
Preventing red zone touchdowns "has a lot to do with the desire and not wanting to give up a score," Harris said. "We’re willing to give up some yards, but when they get into the red zone its more important for us to prevent a touchdown."
Covering receivers isn’t the easiest positions on the field, says Hauck. The defensive back position is arguably the most demanding position. It demands agility, speed and athleticism.
Take a moment and imagine stepping into the shoes of a defense back on the gridiron during a big game. You line up, face-to-face, across from an opposing receiver, one of the best athletes on the offensive side of the ball, eagerly anticipating the next 5-10 seconds of your life.
"Down. Set. Hut, HUT," the ball is snapped.
It occurs to you as you are backpedaling that the receiver knows exactly what
route he is going to run and exactly where he needs to be. You, on the other
hand, have no idea and have to react in a split-second to his every move. If
you react too slowly, 24,000 fans at Washington-Grizzly Stadium will see it,
their blood will boil and a fan or two hundred might heatedly say something wise
like "It’s not hard, just stay on your man."
"In man-to-man coverage, you’re on an island by yourself, you have no help, you’re just standing there pretty much lost," true freshman cornerback Muckie Forman said of the difficulty of his position. "You are just one with the world out there."
Lebsock remembered what it was like last year as a freshman trying to fit into the defensive scheme, "It takes a lot of repetition, doing things over and over again until you do it right. I played quite a bit last year at the safety position, but this year, I felt like I have a better feel for the defense and I know what to expect."
Yet some players are first stepping into their collegiate football roles as true freshman. Last year at around this time of year, true freshman Torrey Thomas, out of Dillon, Mont., was getting ready to play Billings Central in Class A divisionals.
"It’s quite a bit different playing in front of 25,000 fans," Thomas said. "I mean in my home town we had 5,000 total people in the town."
True freshman cornerback Tim Parks was taking reps as a quarterback at Moreno Valley High School in Moreno Valley, Cal. Foreman was doing the same thing in Spanaway, Wash.
Junior cornerback Kevin Edwards |
Remembering the transition from high school to college, Junior cornerback Kevin Edwards said, "The biggest shock for me coming from high school to college was how fast and how big the receivers were. You know there are receivers out there that are 6-5 or 6-6 and are just as fast if not faster than you. The speed of the game is so much faster and you have to react to it."
"These kids are stepping into situations that they’ve never seen before," Hauck said. "Sometime you see some wide eyes on the sideline and you try to calm them down and explain to them what happened so the next time they see it, they’re much better off.
Most players agreed; it takes time to become good at the defensive back position. Something that the Griz secondary hasn’t had a lot of.
"You’ve got to gain experience," Thomas said. "You have to work up to the speed level on the field. For a lot of us we’re just coming out of high school. It just takes awhile to get a feel for what you can and can not do."
"It takes longer to develop at the safety because you have to understand the
defense," Sophomore strong safety Van
Cooper Jr. said. "We’re left to guess."
Edwards said that a lot of young guys think that just because they are quick and have great speed that they are ready to compete. "If they don’t develop good footwork and understand this level of play, they are going to get torched every time.
For example, "basically, if you have the quickness and speed and football smarts, you can jump right in as long as you know what you’re doing," Parks said.
Hauck put it this way saying, "The more reps you get the more the game slows down for you. You’ll see something happen and automatically you’ll know what the play is. When you don’t have a lot of experience you won’t see plays develop. You’re, instead, forced to react on the run where things are going awfully fast in your head and on the field."
Among this young secondary, two leaders have emerged; Harris and Edwards.
"Tuff (Harris) and Kevin (Edwards) have just taken us under their wing," Parks said. "Whenever I have a question I go straight to them."
Edwards, as a junior, has stepped up and tried to lead the secondary.
"I feel like I have developed a leadership role," Edwards said. "Tyler Thomas and I were on the national championship team and we’ve seen some of the best players play and we’ve learned from them and picked up some of their characteristics. We try to teach the younger guys these types of things."
So what is it going to take to become a better defense against the pass?
"We just need to come together a bit more and get used to each other," Cooper said.
"A lot of the time, we’re just a step away from making a play on the ball," Thomas said. "Over time we’ll be able to break up a pass as opposed to just tackling a guy after he catches the ball."
"If we had some older guys, they’d have seen plays develop a hundred times," Hauck said. "It’s going to take more repetition for these guys than anything."
Every game, these young defensive backs are placed on their own island in a see of
green turf. Every minute of every half, they fight for ownership of this
island. Sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but always learning, they are the last line of defense for the Montana Grizzlies.
[Back to the Grizzly Times]
2004-05 Griz basketball outlook
by Dave Guffey, UM Sports Information
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The University of Montana Grizzlies return two starters and eight letterman from a 10-18 team that was 6-8 in league play and a sixth seed in last year’s six-team, post-season conference tournament.
Montana just missed an opportunity to advance to the Big Sky Conference semi-finals, hosted by Eastern Washington, losing 74-73 on the road to Idaho State in a first-round game.
The Grizzlies were 10-18 last season and 13-17 the previous year, marking the first time in 34 years (1969-70 and 1970-71) that Montana has had back-to-back losing seasons.
However, optimism is high as first-year head coach Larry Krystkowiak has returned to his roots to take the helm and rejuvenate the Griz program.
Senior forward Kamarr Davis |
Leading the way are returning starters Kamarr Davis a 6-7, 255-pound power forward and 6-2, 200-pound Kevin Criswell at the two-guard spot.
Davis, Montana’s only senior, was a first team All-Big Sky selection and tabbed as the league’s "Newcomer of the Year" last season when he averaged team-highs of 14.1 points and 6.3 rebounds a game.
Davis started in 26 contests and was ranked among the conference leaders in not only rebounding (fourth) and scoring (ninth), but also second in field goal percentage (55.7%) and sixth in free throw percentage (79.0%).
Criswell, a junior, was an honorable mention all-conference pick for the second season in a row last year. Last season he had the most starts on the team with 27 and was second in scoring with 12.3 points per game and third in rebounding (5.3 a game).
Another key returnee is 6-10 junior center John Seyfert. Seyfert started in the first 17 games of the season, but was sidelined with an injury. Despite missing several games, he was second on the team, averaging 5.4 rebounds, and he had a team-high 23 blocks (1.2 a game).
Junior Corey Easley (6-9) started 12 games at center last year, and he was ranked eighth in the conference in blocks with 21.
Other lettermen returning are junior center Chris McKay (6-11), sophomore forward Matt Dlouhy (6-6), junior forward Jon Wilkins (6-4), and sophomore guard Brian Lynch (6-1).
The Griz inked two players from the junior college ranks, Lamarr Farr, a 6-4 guard-forward from Northwest Junior College in Powell, Wyoming, and Virgil Matthews, a 6-3 guard from Centralia College (Wash.) Both players could provide immediate help.
Montana signed three players from prep ranks: 6-8 ½ forward Jordan Hasquet from local Sentinel High School, 6-1 guard Matt Martin from Spearfish High School (South Dakota), and 6-8 forward Andrew Strait from West Valley High in Yakima, Wash.
If he can take care of things academically, sophomore Mike Chavez, a 6-7 guard-forward who lettered two seasons ago at Montana, will begin playing again in December.
Two other new additions are walk-on guards Richard Stapleton (6-2) and Nick Thierry (5-10).
The Griz played some talented non-league opponents on the road last season, including Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Auburn, UNLV, and Gonzaga.
POINT GUARD
Lynch was slated to redshirt last season, but forced into action at point guard when senior Derrick Mansell was injured. Lynch played in 16 games and started in one.
"From the film I’ve watched, and talking to people about Brian Lynch, he kind of got thrown into the fray last year at point guard, and I think that he’s had a really good off-season," Krystkowiak said. "He’s making solid progress."
Matthews can also play point guard and averaged 22 points, nine rebounds, and six assists a game last season at the junior college level.
Martin was a three-time all-state selection as a prep and had 1,602 career points and 267 career three-pointers.
"We were fortunate in landing Virgil Matthews, a junior college combo guard who I think can lend a hand at the point position as well," Krystkowiak said. "Matt Martin could be a factor for us there as well.
"Between the three of those guys, we are hoping that we can get it done by committee," Krystkowiak said. "It’s a wide open position as far as I am concerned. It’s probably the spookiest of all positions in terms of guys who have not proven themselves at this level before, but, a lot of the things we’ll run will be two-guard, front oriented, and we won’t have to put as much pressure on one guy out front to get us into everything and handle all of the pressure."
Junior guard Kevin Criswell |
TWO GUARD
Criswell has started at this spot the past couple of seasons, and he has seen time at point guard as well. He had 18 double-figure games last year, which was the second most on the team.
"He puts an awful lot of pressure on himself," Krystkowiak said. "Kevin needs to worry about Kevin and what he’s doing and not worry about a lot of external things that are out of his control. He’s as competitive as anybody I know and he plays extremely hard. I know the sky’s the limit. We’re not going to ask him to do too much, and he’ll find his role here."
"Lamarr (Farr) will play the two and three, and Virgil with do the same thing," Krystkowiak said. "Lamarr stayed around here this summer and is as hard of a worker as we have on our team. He is not only a great worker, but he is also very athletic and strong. He will also be a real defensive force for us as well.
"I look at Farr and Criswell, and those are two very competitive, hard-nosed guys who we can place out front potentially, and those two guys give us a nice little mix," Krystkowiak said.
SMALL FORWARD
Dlouhy, a walk-on two seasons ago, played in 25 games last year. Both Farr and Matthews can play the three spot. At 6-8 ½, Hasquet is a dangerous three-point shooting threat. Wilkins, who was injured early in the year and saw limited time, can also play here.
"Jordan, maybe not this year, but at some point can play some three because of his ability to shoot," Krystkowiak said. "Matt Dlouhy is making good progress. Lamarr can play there, and Criswell could potentially be playing some three, depending on that point guard situation.
"Matt is probably one of the more fundamentally sound players on our team, as far as his footwork goes, and he has a real nice stroke," Krystkowiak said. "Matt’s strength is on the offensive end. If he will realize how important defense is, he could be a key contributor. I feel between Lamarr, Matt, Virgil, and Criswell we will have some flexibility at the small forward position.
"This isn’t a league that you need to have a 6-6 or 6-7 player at the three," Krystkowiak said. "It’s a bonus if you have one, but as long as they can defend we’ll be OK."
POWER FORWARD
Davis scored in double figures a team-high 20 times last season, including the last seven contests of the year, and received the C.R. Dragstedt Award (Montana’s MVP). He was tied for the fourth in the Big Sky for the most double-doubles with five.
Easley, who started in 10 of UM’s last 11 games a year ago, can also play the four, as can Hasquet and Strait.
"I feel like Kamarr Davis had a very positive fall conditioning session, and we are expecting some big things from him this season," Krystkowiak said. "He has great footwork and hands and will be a focal point for us in the post."
Junior center John Seyfert |
CENTER
Seyfert, at 6-10, 235, has the size you want in the middle, and proved that he could be a major contributor if he can stay healthy. He came to Montana two seasons ago as a redshirt transfer from St. Louis University.
McKay has formidable size at 6-11, 235, but played in only four games last year due to a couple of different injuries. As a redshirt freshman he played in 16 contests and started in four.
"We need to keep these guys healthy, and I hope we are approaching that right from a conditioning point of view," Krystkowiak said. "Everybody’s got their own philosophy on conditioning this time of year, and mine is a little more rigorous. I am hoping to deal with aches and pains now and not once the season starts.
"We’re pushing the guys right now, so that when October 16 rolls around we’re not doing things for the first time," Krystkowiak said. "John is as hard a worker as anyone we have on the team. He really wants to do the right thing, and we’re going to simplify it for him.
"He means an awful lot to our team, and as long as he doesn’t try to do things that he’s not good at, and we keep things simple, then he should be fine," Krystkowiak said. "It’s no different than the good old days with myself and (former center) Larry McBride around here, where we might be able to go out on the floor and hit some shots, but that’s not where you’re going to win games.
"The apple does not fall far from the tree, and I’m going to do the same things that (former Griz and Stanford head coach Mike Montgomery, now the mentor for the Golden State Warriors) Monty stressed," Krystkowiak said. "We’ve got guys who can shoot it and put the ball on the floor in the perimeter, and we’ll let our big guys take care of all of the dirty work inside. And John’s buying into that, and if he does, I think he could potentially be an all-league player."
THE SCHEDULE
The Grizzlies have an ambitious non-league schedule, beginning Nov. 21st when they play the nationally ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane. Other road contests include Western Kentucky, Southeast Missouri State, Missouri, UC Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Stanford.
Some of the home non-conference foes are Northridge, Southern Utah, Santa Clara, and Eastern Michigan.
"The bottom line is that there’s not going to be an at-large (NCAA tournament) team from this league," Krystkowiak said. "We want to be able to get ready for league and put ourselves in the best position for the (Big Sky’s post-season) tournament. It’s far less important for me to win 20 games than it is to play good teams and prepare for our Big Sky schedule. Maybe I’ll change my tune on that in a few years, I don’t know.
"Our goal is to get better every day of the week and get ready for that tournament," Krystkowiak continued. "You hope to win a few games together and you hope you’re cutting the nets down. I think this schedule will prepare us for that, if it doesn’t kill us first."
Montana opens its 2005 Big Sky Conference slate on the road in early January.
"I’ve read a couple of pre-season publications and one picked us first and the other had us second (in the Big Sky)," Krystkowiak said. "There is no one in our program who should be too excited or overconfident about anything that they’ve accomplished in the last few years.
"On paper we can feel pretty good that we return a solid nucleus of young men, but it’s not like we’ve cut the nets down here recently," Krystkowiak said, "but it’s great having the expectations which keep us driving and working hard."
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
2004-2005 Lady Griz basketball outlook
by Joel Carlson, UM Sports Information
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The University of Montana football team may have coined the phrase “The Biggest Show in Montana” to describe its home games, but last winter the Lady Griz basketball team did its best to steal some of that attention for itself.
Montana went 25-4 during the regular season, including a perfect 14-0 march through the Big Sky Conference for its 18th conference championship. After hosting and winning the league postseason tournament title, the Lady Griz were rewarded with a No. 12 seed in the Mideast Region of the 2004 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.
Montana hosted No. 5 seed Louisiana Tech in an electrifying first-round game played before 7,413 UM faithful. A raucous and boisterous crowd – the type not seen at Dahlberg Arena in a number of years – helped lift the Lady Griz to a double-figure lead midway through the second half, but the Lady Techsters rallied down the stretch and pulled out an 81-77 win to end Montana’s season at 27-5.
Head coach Robin Selvig |
Memories of that incredible ride are still strong and vivid among Montana’s fans, coaches and returning players, but with the 2004-05 season upon the Lady Griz, the show must go on.
While the page turns to another season, the impact of last year does not end. None of the three returning starters on this year’s team nor the additional five letterwinners had ever experienced a Big Sky championship, regular season or tournament, prior to last year, and none had tasted the excitement that is the NCAA tournament.
“What we experienced last year as a team was an invaluable experience,” coach Robin Selvig said just prior to the start of the 2004-05 season. “Something like that motivates you after it’s over. Once you are there, you really want to get back. This year’s team now knows what that experience is like and that is what they are going to be going after again.”
A number of experienced players return from a team that lost just two starters, but that starting duo leaves not only holes to be filled, but questions to be answered.
“I’m very optimistic about this season,” Selvig said. “We graduated only two players from last year, but they were key players.”
One was point guard Brooklynn Lorenzen, the 2004 Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament most valuable player, who ended her career as not only Montana’s but the Big Sky Conference’s career leader in assists.
“Losing a starter who played over 33 minutes a game is tough enough,” said Selvig, “but Brooklynn had her hands on the ball so much that our entire game started and went through her. That’s not easy to replace.”
Nor will it be easy to replace the other lost starter. All-Big Sky Conference selection Julie Deming led the team in scoring (13.6 ppg) and almost certainly would have been the league MVP had Selvig, who was limited to one nomination, picked the silky-smooth forward.
Lorenzen and Deming may be gone, but what they left behind is nearly as valuable.
“Brooklynn and Julie were relentless in their desire to get into the NCAA tournament,” Selvig said. “We’d been close the three years before and always lost close games that kept us out, but their attitude last year was ‘We’re doing it this year.’ They were great leaders and that stamp is on this year’s team.”
Carrying the torch this season will be a number of players with whom Lady Griz fans are well familiar, starting in the post, where Montana’s strength will lie.
Senior forward Hollie Tyler |
Through three seasons, senior Hollie Tyler has put up such consistent numbers that she already ranks in the Lady Griz career top 10 in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Tyler led Montana in all three categories as a freshman and sophomore, then led the team in rebounding and blocked shots last year and was second to Deming in scoring by a mere two points.
“Hollie is an outstanding basketball player who has the chance to be a great player,” Selvig said. “She is a good scorer and rebounder and provides us with a real defensive presence in the post. As a senior, we now need her to give us consistent play on both ends of the floor for us to be successful.”
Giving the Lady Griz an anticipated starting lineup of two 6-3 centers, both of whom can step out and knock down 3-point shots, will be senior Crystal Baird. Baird averaged over 15 minutes per game as a junior, finishing fourth on the team in scoring at 7.3 points per game.
“Crystal is a quality post player and an outstanding scorer,” Selvig said. “She should be improved in all areas of the game this year, and she has already proved she is a big-game player.”
Filling out the post and big forward rotation will be junior Jody McLeod and freshman Johanna Closson.
McLeod had 12 starts as a sophomore and finished second on the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg) while playing over 18 minutes per game. The 6-0 forward began the season as a starter, but finished the season as a key contributor off the bench as Selvig adjusted his lineup to get more scoring punch.
“Jody is probably our best rebounder and has been a good player, but she has the potential to do even more,” Selvig said. “She’s been an inconsistent scorer, but with another year under her belt and that additional experience, she could do good things for us this year.”
Selvig believes Closson, a freshman from Whitefish, Mont., has the chance to help his front line in her first season.
“Johanna is really an exiting freshman, a very athletic player. She’s got the talent to play a number of positions during her career, but she’ll start out as the big forward this season. The key for Johanna will be how fast she adjusts to the college game.”
Montana’s front line should be its backbone throughout the season. It is the perimeter where Selvig is going to have to play chemist. Not that he doesn’t relish the challenge.
“It is definitely going to be interesting,” Selvig said. “Last year’s team had more knowns and was established at just about every position. We have a lot of players back this year, but some of those players are going to be moving into new roles. The challenge will be to meld those players together, and that makes it kind of fun as a coach.
“But for us to develop and get as good as we can be, we need balance. I look at this team and see we have strong post play, so we need to develop our perimeter into a strength, and I think it can be.”
Senior forward Juliann Keller |
Senior Juliann Keller’s move into the starting lineup at the big forward spot last year – to oversimplify things – was the catalyst for a 17-game win streak that began with a key home win over Utah and ended with a Big Sky tournament title-game victory over Idaho State. This season Keller moves to the perimeter as the starting small forward, taking over Deming’s position.
“There is no question Juliann will be a key player for us this season, especially with the change of positions.” Selvig said. “But more and more she is becoming a mulit-faceted player who can be effective in both the post and on the perimeter.”
Also moving out to the perimeter from the post rotation to back up Keller at the three will be sophomore Amy Brooks. As a freshman, Brooks averaged over 10 minutes per game and provided solid relief off the bench, averaging 2.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while seeing action in all 32 games.
Aptly starting at the shooting guard spot will be junior Katie Edwards, who, with 117 3-point field goals in her first two seasons, is on pace to be the best long-range threat in Lady Griz history. And perhaps no player enters the 2004-05 season with more mojo than Edwards, who rallied Montana in front of an ESPN audience from an early deficit against Louisiana Tech by hitting five of eight 3-pointers and scored 19 points.
“Katie will be a very important player for us this season,” Selvig said. “Her ability to score from the outside to go along with our inside play will be a key for us. Plus she is such a steady player who does not make a lot of mistakes. And she’s always a threat to have a big night scoring.”
Shouldering the burden of replacing Lorenzen at the point will be senior Lynsey Monaco. The 5-10 guard has filled a number of roles in her career, however none as important as directing Selvig’s offense on the floor as the starting point. But Monaco has shown flashes of solid play at that position, including a six-assist, zero-turnover game against MSU-Billings last year.
“We made the decision to use Lynsey at the point last spring,” Selvig said. “Playing Lynsey at the point allows us the opportunity to do a lot of different things on defense because she is such a tenacious defender.”
Lorenzen’s primary backup at the point guard spot last year was then-freshman Jackie DeShazer. The 5-7 guard will miss the 2004-05 season after suffering an injury just a week prior to this season’s start of practice.
Junior guard Katie Edwards |
Backing up Edwards and Monaco at the guard spots will be redshirt freshmen Laura Cote and Michela Schmitz and true freshman Dana Conway.
Cote will see time at the two guard and will offer Selvig a different look than Edwards provides.
“Laura is very athletic,” Selvig said. “She can run and jump and can really create on offense. She runs the floor well and can get the ball to the basket, and that will give us a different look at that position.”
Schmitz, who missed last year with an injury, will be in the hunt to see playing time at the point guard spot.
“I’m really happy for Michela,” Selvig said. “After a disappointing freshman season, she is finally back to practicing at full speed. She gives us a good handler and creator on offense and speed and quickness on the defensive end.”
Probably seeing time at both guard spots will be Conway, a 5-10 guard who is fresh off of two state championships at Billings West High School.
“We’re very excited about Dana,” Selvig said. “She’s looked great in our early practices. She handles the ball well, passes well and can shoot. And for a freshman she is an outstanding defender.”
Sophomore Sara Gale, a 6-2 forward who redshirted last year, has started this season by being able to practice every other day as she works toward full recovery. Freshmen post players Hilary Tanneberg, from Issaquah, Wash., and Tamara Jo Guardipee, from Browning, Mont., are expected to redshirt.
Also sitting out this season is freshman Mandy Morales, the 2004 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year, who originally signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Arizona State. Morales, who teamed with Conway at Billings West on its two state championship teams, is expected to have four years of eligibility remaining starting next year.
On the bench, Lady Griz fans can expect to see the same coaching staff that has been in place over the last 11 seasons. Annette Rocheleau is entering her 24th season as Selvig’s top assistant, while Shannon Shweyen begins her 13th season and Trish Duce starts her 11th year.
Selvig begins his 27th season on the Montana sideline, where the honors and accolades seem to accumulate as quickly as the victories. Selvig’s record entering the 2004-05 season is 602-173. He has led the Lady Griz to 19 national tournament appearances, 18 conference championships and 15 postseason conference tournament titles. After guiding Montana to a 14-0 record in league play last season, Selvig was rewarded with his 15th conference coach of the year honor.
On March 6, 2004, when the Lady Griz defeated Portland State at Dahlberg Arena, Selvig reached 600 career wins. At the time he became one of just 12 active Division I women’s coaches to reach that milestone. But more impressive, Selvig became the sixth-fastest coach in NCAA history, men’s or women’s and in all divisions, to record 600 wins, doing so in his 772nd game. That trails only Adolph Rupp of Kentucky (704 games), Jerry Tarkanian of UNLV (720), Pat Summitt of Tennessee (734), Jody Conradt of Texas (746) and John Wooden of UCLA (755). Selvig ranks just ahead of North Carolina’s Dean Smith, who reached 600 wins in his 773rd game.
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
| A letter from Athletic Director Don Read |
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Hi Griz Fans:
Greetings from all of us in the Athletic Department here at The University of Montana. Much success has occurred since my last letter to you. We are very happy with the efforts of our coaches and players.
Since September 1st we have won many contests in several sports. All of our sports programs have started their season or are in the pre-season preparation stages. Thus, this is the busiest time of the calendar year for us in Athletics. It is also, however, the most exciting time as on any given weekend as many as three or four Grizzly contests or events take place.
Both men and women’s basketball season start their seasons this month. The leadership of these two programs is special. Look for excitement and pride to surface as Robin Selvig and Larry Krystkowiak’s student-athletes are truly quality. Hopefully, we win a bunch of games as has always been the case with the Lady Griz and the men’s
team you can bet will be scratching and clawing their way back to respectability.
Volleyball and soccer have been competing hard and demonstrating excellent
effort. It’s fun and exciting to watch both these teams perform. Coach Nikki Best and Neil Sedgwick, along with their staff’s,
are working hard to improve their respective programs. I can report, too, that
both programs operate with great energy and class.
Tennis, golf and track are well along with their preparation or have started up their season. Kris Nord, Joanne Steele and Tom Raunig are all optimistic and looking forward to their respective season. My take on these coaches is that they are outstanding individuals and very good coaches. We are in good hands with these very special individuals. We can expect great effort and a lot of success from these sport programs.
Montana’s athletic administration has directed their attention, as of late,
on these topics:
- Building A Better Team
- Hall of Champions Project
- Preparing for remodeling present Washington-Grizzly Stadium suites and
adding new suites to complex
- Many internal and external projects
- Fundraising
- Reorganizing some aspects of department
- Projecting plan of action for the future Grizzly Athletics and evaluation
of our present mode of operation
- Working to improve status quo through efforts
of committees, alumni, boosters, fans, faculty, administration and our National
Advisory Board for Grizzly Athletics.
The most important message, this “has-been” coach, now Athletic Director
can pass on to you is all is well in Grizzlyville. We face challenges every day
and we, too often get frustrated over one issue or another but the big picture
is positive. We are moving forward with confidence and determination. Have faith
and trust in us and our cause is our appeal. My encouragement to you is to continue
to join hands with us to keep the Griz on top. How you stay committed to Grizzly
Athletics is up to you, but please keep us in your heart and mind. Go Griz!
Warmest Regards,
Don Read -
Athletic Director
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| Grizzly Scholarship Association announcements |
2004 Griz Auction takes place Friday, November 19
The Griz Auction is back and will take place at the Holiday Inn - Parkside in Missoula! On the eve of this years’ Griz-Cat football game the bi-annual Griz auction will take place. It is the largest Grizzly Scholarship Association fundraising event of the year. There will be a social hour and silent auction followed by dinner and a live auction. Be a part of the fun and make your reservations now. For more information call 406-243-6487.
Football post-game socials to be held in the Grizzly Sky Club
Following Griz home football games, the post-game wrap-ups will be held in the Adams Center Sky Club. The socials will be sponsored by the Grizzly Scholarship Association, and will include game re-caps by head football coach Bobby Hauck and other members of his staff. Following the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 9, however, the event will take place in the Ballroom of the Holiday Inn-Parkside in Missoula.
Helena GSA Chapter sponsoring drawing for 'Griz' stain glass artwork
The Helena GSA Chapter had Gateway Glass of Helena create a beautiful one-of-a-kind stain glass artwork using the GO GRIZ Claw. Rhonda Umsted, Gateway Glass Owner, and Nancy Church created this exciting piece of glasswork using light gray translucent spectrum glass as a border, white wispy translucent spectrum paw and claws, black opaque spectrum lettering, and maroon English muffle textured glass as background. The circular shape of this exquisite work is approximately 24 inches. It will be on display at the GSA Tailgate before the game to buy tickets. The ticket costs are as follows: 1 ticket - $2; 3 tickets - $5; 7 tickets - $10; or 10 tickets - $15. For more information, contact the Grizzly Scholarship Association at 406.243.6485.
GSA truck raffle is happening
The second annual Grizzly Scholarship Association Truck Raffle is underway. Tickets for this year's drawing are $10 each, or 15 for $100. Proceeds go toward funding scholarships for UM student-athletes. The Ford F-150, custom-detailed truck will be drawn at this year's Griz-Cat men's basketball game in Missoula. Tickets are available at the GSA office in the Adams Center, as well as from members of the Missoula GSA Board of Directors and members of the State GSA Board of Directors. For more information, contact the GSA at 406.243.6485.
GSA sponsoring 'Griz Prowl' fundraiser
The Montana Grizzly Scholarship Association has launched the Grizzly Prowl, an effort that uses art to raise money for athletic scholarships for student-athletes.
The Grizzly Prowl is similar to other fund-raisers/art exhibits that have been started around the country. Chicago used cows in its exhibits, Seattle had pigs and Billings had horses. Missoula, of course, will use grizzlies.
Thirty-five life-size, fiberglass grizzly bear sculptures will arrive in Missoula by June to be decorated/painted by regional artists. Each bear will be six feet long, three feet high and 20 inches wide. Once the bears are given the artistic touch, they will find their homes in area businesses that have sponsored them. Then by early fall, people will be able to take the "Grizzly Prowl" and view the bears at various sponsor locations. In 2005, the bears will be available for purchase during an auction. For more information, visit the following web site: http://grizzlyprowl.com or call C.J. Peterson at 406.531.9444. Also, information is available at the Grizzly Scholarship Association at 406.243.6485.
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