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February 2006
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Volume 2, Issue 6 |
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Battling through adversity
Junior Bryan Ellis on his road from Detroit to Montana ... MORE
Griz Super Bowl picks
UM football coaches breakdown the Super Bowl XL matchup between Seattle and Pittsburgh ... MORE
Q&A: Jefferson Heidelberger
Read what the former UM football star and current track and field standout is up to... MORE
A coach's influence
UM's coaches remember their influential coaching mentors ... MORE
A letter from Griz A.D. Jim O'Day
Jim O'Day talks UM athletics in his monthly letter
... MORE
Department announcements
See what else is going on in the world of Griz Athletics ... MORE
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Battling through adversity: Bryan Ellis
by Tim San Pedro, MontanaGrizzlies.com |
In a conference basketball game between the Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State Bobcats, UM point guard Bryan Ellis stole the ball late in the game and had the chance to score an easy two points that he rightfully earned. Instead, Ellis unselfishly passed the ball to teammate Virgil Matthews for the electrifying dunk.
For Ellis, plays like this directly correlate to his life off the basketball court -- selfless.
“In my life, I always want to help people and uplift them,” said Ellis, a junior majoring in Sociology. “On the court I like to pass. I like to get my teammates involved. I like to see others do well as opposed to myself doing well. I prefer to see people around me succeed. And I think if I help other people succeed, I will succeed in the long run.”
Ellis’ path to success and to Missoula, Mont., has not been an easy one. Born in Detroit, Mich., Ellis grew up in a community that was corrupted by gangs, violence and a school system that was losing its students rapidly. His father, an alcoholic and a drug-user, died when he was very young. Ellis’ mother, who he hardly knew, contracted HIV from his father and died of AIDS when Ellis was in the third grade. As a reminder, Ellis has a tattoo on his left forearm that says R.I.P. Mom and Dad.
Fortunately, Ellis was adopted by his Aunt Rosie and Uncle Morris Franklin as soon as he was born. He refers to them as his mother and father.
“For awhile I thought that my auntie and uncle were my mom and dad,” Ellis said. “It wasn’t until later that I found out who my real mother was. I still only refer to (my auntie and uncle) as my mother and father.”
Ellis is a “miracle baby,” according to Morris Franklin because either his mother contracted HIV after he was born or she didn’t pass the disease on at birth.
As fortunate as he was not to have contracted HIV, he still had major obstacles to overcome in Detroit. The community he lived in didn’t have very many success stories from the students who were raised there. Most of the successful students happened to be the athletes. His father (Morris Franklin) knew this sad truth.
“When I was little my father put a basketball in my hand and said this is my way out,” he said. “He was my inspiration, my role model.”
He grew up in a school system that let him slip by and didn’t challenge him because of his athleticism, which didn’t prepare him at all for college.
“When I was in Detroit, education wasn’t really that big because the society viewed education as unimportant; everybody pushed sports,” he said. “I used to see it as basketball or nothing and education wasn’t a part of my life.”
Yet when he was a senior in high school his grandfather came into his life.
“He’s got a Ph.D.,” Ellis said proudly. “He put the emphasis on education on my life. Before he came everything was basketball. He didn’t look at me as a basketball player, he looked at me as a student.”
But even though he had someone to show him the importance of education, it didn’t mean that the 12 years of scholastic neglect would magically go away. Ellis was not prepared at all for a college education.
“I was kind of disappointed (when I got to college) because I wasn’t where I should have been at all,” he said. “I just wanted to work hard to get my grades up. The public school system was terrible to me. A lot of people get pushed under and shoved under in that society to the point that they never make it out.”
When Ellis first arrived at Butler Community College in Kansas, he had to enroll in zero-level classes -- meaning basic fundamental classes.
“I couldn’t function in regular classes. I couldn’t take regular college courses because I couldn’t do the work,” he said.
In his English class he had to start out by writing single sentences. In math, he began the year doing basic two-plus-two equations.
“I could do addition and subtraction, but I couldn’t do division,” Ellis said. “So I had to work my way all the way up to get to be a regular college student. Took a whole year of zero level classes to build myself up.”
Even basketball became more difficult at the college level, not because the competition was harder, but because his head coach at Butler Community College didn’t care about his players. In an individual practice with the coach, one of Ellis’ friends injured his back and had to go to the hospital. The whole team showed up except the head coach who never even called to see how his player was doing.
“After that I just said I’m not going to the first practice without my friend,” he said. “The team said that they weren’t going with out us, so everyone stayed at the hospital.”
He said the coach came down pretty hard on him after that because Ellis, who stood by his injured friend, unintentionally led a boycott. The boycott resulted in the firing of an assistant coach because he sided with the players instead of the head coach over the boycott.
After that season ended in Kansas, Ellis followed the assistant coach who sided with him to Salt Lake Community College where he was chosen to the second team all-conference and named the team’s Most Improved Player by averaging 6.7 points, 5.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds a game.
After his sophomore season, his coaches urged him to join an up-and-coming program, led by a coach who has NBA experience -- Grizzly head coach Larry Krystkowiak.
“He’s been as solid as a rock,” said Krystkowiak. “Off the court he’s been a great kid, a tough kid. He cheers for everybody and pulls for everybody. It makes it real easy for us to do the same for him.”
Ellis says that basketball is “just a hobby.” Something that he likes to do and what gives him joy. It has also been his ticket to success and to a great education that will prepare him for what he wants to become.
“One day I hope to make a difference in my community and other communities that have a bad system like mine. There are a lot of kids who could be doing a lot better than they are because their surroundings are so negative,” he said. “I want to try to help our young society overcome some of the obstacles that are in front of them and become a positive influence on society as a whole through sociology and through social work.”
Krystkowiak said that basketball teaches his players how to be part of a team and how to reach goals together: “I think (basketball) is invaluable to (my players). They learn so much from it.”
Ellis’ basketball experience might just be teaching him a valuable lesson on his way to reaching his ultimate goal -- becoming a motivational speaker.
If not, the hard work he put in to earn a 3.9 G.P.A. last summer and 3.4 G.P.A. last fall might be an indicator of the direction Ellis is heading after basketball and after college.
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
Griz Super Bowl picks
by Joel Carlson, UM Sports Information |
Seattle against Pittsburgh. The road warrior Steelers versus the peaking Seahawks. What better source to break down Super Bowl XL than Grizzly football assistant coach Tim Hauck, who played 13 seasons in the NFL (with New England, Green Bay, Seattle, Denver, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and San Francisco) before moving into the coaching ranks.
Following Hauck’s scouting report, some of Montana’s other football coaches were asked their views of the game.
Tim Hauck pictured on kick coverage while playing for the Seattle Seahawks in 1997. |
Coach Tim Hauck’s Super Bowl Scouting Report
Pittsburgh is a big, physical team. The thing that’s impressive about them is that if they have to run the ball, they can do it. And they want to run the ball. But they also have (Ben) Roethlisberger, and the things he’s done and as far as he’s come from his rookie year, it’s amazing.
If a team zone blitzes him, he’s going to make them pay. He’s going to find the hole in the defense, and he’s going to throw the ball in it. They’re going to get the things done they need to get done.
Seattle’s defense has its work cut out for it. They’re going to have to be physical against the run and still be able to play the pass without zone blitzing. I think they’re either going to have to play base defense or go all-out blitz and try to get some pressure on him in a hurry.
If they are going to blitz, I think they are going to bring six or seven and hopefully they can get some heat on him in a hurry and match up one-on-one outside for two or three seconds and get some sacks.
Seattle is going to give the ball to (Shaun) Alexander as many times as they can. But (Matt) Hasselbeck has come a long way, too. He’s clicking on all cylinders. With both teams, they are very two dimensional, so you gear up to stop the run, and they are going to hurt you with the pass. And Seattle’s line does a heck of a job protecting the quarterback.
Pittsburgh’s defense is going to have to put a lot of guys in the box to stop Alexander. I think that’s going to be the first thing they do. And then they’re going to have to be able to cover one-on-one outside and see if they can stop Seattle’s wide receivers with man coverage.
Seattle’s tight end is a big, tall kid who can run, Jerramy Stevens. He’s one guy that may exploit the Pittsburgh defense if they go one-on-one matchups, because he’ll go down the middle, they’ll throw the ball up to him and he’ll make plays.
I
think the key for both teams is to stop the run first, and see how they match up outside and stop the receivers one-on-one.
Tim Hauck is a Grizzly Sports Hall of Famer. |
Offensive personnel edge
I think it’s a toss-up. They both have the running game. I think Alexander is more of a game-breaking type of guy who can hurt you if you let him, whereas Pittsburgh has the big backs who are going to run downhill. If they get a lead, they are just going to punish you play after play after play and eat up the clock.
For Seattle I think the key is to get on top in a hurry and not let Pittsburgh get in that game where they can control the ball and eat up the clock and still gain yards doing it.
Defensive personnel edge
Both teams have some good things going. It’s amazing, really, and that’s why I think this is going to be a great game. I think Seattle has its work cut out for it just because Roethlisberger is playing so well right now.
Pittsburgh’s defense has some big-name guys, so I’d have to lean towards Pittsburgh right now in terms of the edge defensively. With Troy Polamalu and Joey Porter, those guys get the job done. They can just flat-out run, they can hit you and they make big plays when they have to.
Coaching edge
I’m going to lean towards Seattle, just because I know the guys. I played for Mike (Holmgren) for three years and a lot of the guys on his staff were in Green Bay when I was there. They’re great guys and I like the way they handle things. They’ll have a great game plan and they’ll have their guys ready to go. They’ve been in this situation before, just as Cowher’s staff has.
But just because I have some bias, I’m rooting for Seattle. I know their coaching staff and I probably know more of their players, so I’m hoping Seattle can come out on top.
Prediction
I’m going to go with my heart and stick with who I like, and that’s Seattle. I say it’s going to be a close game. I don’t think it’s going to be a shootout because both defenses are physical units, but those quarterbacks are on a roll. Either one of them could light it up a little bit.
Ty Gregorak - linebackers coach |
Griz Coaching Staff Super Bowl Picks
Ty Gregorak (linebackers coach): Being a Washington guy from Spokane, I’m pulling for the Hawks. Even though they are the underdog, I think they are the better team. Their defense is playing really well, their offense is really good and I think Mike Holmgren has finally got it working. I see a balanced game from a couple of evenly matched teams. I don’t think there’s any reason why Pittsburgh can’t win it, but in terms of all the intangibles and who’s got the upper hand, I just think Seattle’s an overall better team. There are a lot of things I like about the Steelers, however. I just hope it’s a good game. I hope it’s an awesome game with Seattle coming out on top.
Ron Kowalski (running backs coach): Let me grab a coin. I’ll go with Pittsburgh. I think the AFC’s a better league, and the Steelers are hot. But Seattle is hot too. Both quarterbacks are playing well. I hope it’s a close game.
Kraig Paulson (defensive coordinator): I say Pittsburgh by seven. I think the key will be experience. I think it will come down to Pittsburgh’s experience on both sides of the football. I’d love to see Seattle win, but I just don’t think they’re going to be able to do it.
Mike Hudson (cornerbacks coach): The Pittsburgh Steelers, because they run the ball and they’re a tough football team led by a tough leader. I’m expecting a close game, maybe 10 points.
Tom Hauck (defensive line coach): I’m going to be rooting for Seattle. I watched (Mike) Holmgren win at Green Bay, and I like him. Pittsburgh had the good teams back in the 70s and they are good right now, but I’m going to go for Seattle.
Dominic Daste (offensive line coach): My pick is the Seahawks. One of my friends plays for them, tight end Jerramy Stevens. I went to college with him, so I’m kind of pulling for him.
Bobby Hauck (head coach): I’m the last guy you should ask. I don’t watch any NFL football. The first game I watched all season was two weeks ago, so I have no idea. I hope the Seahawks win because I like Mike Holmgren.
[Back to the Grizzly Times]
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Grizzly Spotlight: Jefferson Heidelberger
by Joel Carlson, UM Sports Information |
Jefferson Heidelberger is a Montana student-athlete few fans of Grizzly athletics will soon forget. Sure, the name stands out, but so does the game. He ranks 15th on the Montana football career receiving list with 1,733 yards and earned All-Big Sky Conference honors as a senior after helping lead the Griz to a spot in the 2004 national championship game.
Now he’s taken his talents to Dornblaser track, where he’s in his second year with the UM track team competing in the sprints. At the 2005 Big Sky Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, Heidelberger placed third in the 200 meters and eighth in the 55 meters. At the 2005 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, he ran to a fourth-place finish in the 200 meters and was on the Grizzlies’ 1,600-meter relay team that finished second.
Heidelberger recently sat down and answered the questions Griz Nation has been wondering about.
GT: What have you been up to since the 2004 national title game?
JH: The first thing I did was go back to school the spring semester (of 2005) and run with the UM track team, which was pretty fun for me because I hadn’t been a part of a track program since high school. That allowed me to stay in sports while I was still in school.
Last summer I went up to British Columbia and tried out with the Lions (of the Canadian Football League), but I ended up getting cut. At that point I really didn’t have any concrete plans, so I just kind of had a laid-back summer (back in Nevada City, Calif.) and did the active-rest thing. I had a period of about three months when I really wasn’t training for any given sport, which was the first time that had happened in years. That was as healthy as I’ve ever been, so that felt really good.
I took the fall semester (of 2005) off from school because I wanted to come back in the spring (to run another year of track) and I only had three classes I needed to take. So I took that time off, and now I’m back here, as healthy as I’ve ever been going into a season. I’m feeling good. Track is going pretty well so far.
GT: What are your short-term and long-term goals?
JH: My ultimate goal is to go to business school and then work in the corporate world. Right now I think I want to work in consulting with small firms and figuring out how to best improve their business growth and that sort of thing. I’m hoping to do an internship (in the near future), which will hopefully tell me if that’s really what I want to do or if I want to start looking at different options.
Ultimately I want to get into business school, but in the next couple of years I want to get some work experience first.
I also would like to give one more try at playing pro football, in the NFL or Canada. Basically I just need to get in touch with teams and get them to work me out. If I impress them enough, I can get into camp, and then from there it’s a matter of performing well and making a team.
GT: Why have you been able to be successful in two different sports?
JH: A big piece of it is that it is two things that combine similar elements. They are a different set of skills, but they are linked in some ways so you use similar ideas.
The training program I’ve been doing has always been good for complete athleticism. It wasn’t just to get big and strong, it was getting stronger while staying flexible with athletic-type lifting. So that was good for me, too, to make the transition from football to track.
GT: Would you rather be a pro football player or a world class track and field star?
JH: I’d probably say football player just since that’s been my passion since I’ve been young and it’s always been my favorite activity. I enjoy track because it’s competitive, but it’s competing against yourself a lot of the time.
GT: Compare the mindset of lining up at the line of scrimmage with getting down into the starting blocks for a sprint.
JH: It may sound kind of odd, but for me I’m actually more intense right as I’m about to get into the blocks for a sprint than I ever am on the field. I like to play football loose and relaxed. My mom always used to tell me when I was in high school and when I struggled here early, ‘You need to have fun. You always play better when you’re having fun.’
In football there’s a lot of visualization before the game, but once you get going, it’s kind of a laid-back, let-it-loose kind of thing, whereas in track I get very focused and try to visualize right before the event what it’s going to look like.
GT: How was your youth spent that allowed you to fulfill your athletic potential?
JH: To start with, I had two brothers and a sister, and for as far back as I can remember, we were all involved in athletics. I remember my dad, who ran track at Villanova, was always very into us running track. When I was young I remember him taking us out to the track and teaching us proper running form, like how to hold your hands and all the little things like that.
There were also days at my old elementary school when we had 40 or 50 kids lining up to play football. I was always one of the smaller ones, but I was pretty fast, so we used to do that just about every day.
And I think that’s a big part of it, when kids are out playing sports all day. Every chance you get you’re playing something. We’d get a 10-minute recess and we’re out there trying to play football for 10 minutes. On our lunch break that’s all we did.
I’ve just always been around and loved sports, so I think that’s helped.
GT: What’s your UM football highlight, and what’s been your track and field highlight to date?
JH: For my UM football highlight, I’d have to say there are two, and they’d both be the championship games. The first one (in 2001) because I was there and I was part of it and we won, and the second one because I felt more a part of it, I was more of a contributor.
As a freshman, I played a real limited role. I did some special teams stuff and I got to return punts, but I hardly ever lined up at receiver. That was frustrating, but it was also very fun to be a part of that team and see something great going on around you.
Getting to the (2004 championship) game is always going to be a highlight. It’s not a completely positive highlight because I still wish I could go back and change a few things and win the game, but in the long run it was a lot of fun and worth it.
My track highlight would be conference last year. None of us sprinters had a really terrific meet, at least none of the men. We had a 4x400 relay at the end of the meet and we were seeded dead last of all the teams going in, and we ended up taking second place. Everybody on the team just ran a terrific split. It was probably everyone’s best race of the year. That was some redemption on a little bit of a sour meet for us.
GT: How does the approach of football coaches differ with track and field coaches when dealing with athletes?
JH: In a lot of ways they don’t differ. There is such a focus on technique now that I never got in high school. In high school track it was conditioning and in football it was lifting and getting your plays right. Now it’s so much more about what are your hands and your feet doing and what’s your body position at any given time? That’s been the big focus in both football and in track.
A lot of athletes at this level have similar athleticism, but it’s the technical stuff that can set you apart. And that’s why it’s so difficult for a young kid either in football or in track to come in and instantly make an impact, because it’s the little tiny things that separate people at this level.
Once in a while you’ll get someone who’s so talented that they are just above and beyond technique, but at this level that’s rare. You’ll see so many guys at a position and if they had equal technique they’d be all in a stack, but some of them separate themselves over the years or it takes them less time to learn something and that gives them a head start.
GT: Who do you like in the Super Bowl?
JH: I think I’m going to go with Pittsburgh on that one. I’ve always liked Pittsburgh, so they’re my favorite in this one.
GT: Twenty years from now, how will you look back at this part of your life?
JH: I think it’s something I’ll always want to stay in touch with. I know I’m always going to follow Griz track and field and Griz football and see how guys are doing and what’s going on here just because it’s become such a big piece of my life. It’s part of who I am.
GT: What individual at Montana has had the most impact on your life?
JH: In the three staffs I’ve worked with, Coach Glenn’s staff, Coach Hauck’s staff and the track and field staff, they’ve all done a lot for me in terms of personal growth and athletic growth. I’m not sure I can narrow it down to just one.
Coach Hauck has been very good to me in terms of helping me to become a better football player. That was kind of a big deal for me because I struggled so much before they got here. I got kind of a fresh start with them, and that meant a lot to me. That was a big factor in my success.
GT: There’s a kid out there who still wears a Heidelberger jersey to bed every night and dreams of playing football or running track for the Griz. What’s your advice for him?
JH: Hard work always comes first, because that will get you the farthest. But maybe more important is to take care of the little stuff too. It’s not just about what happens on the field. You need to stay eligible academically and ultimately the real goal is to get your degree and go on and do better things than just football.
Take care of all the loose ends and keep your head on straight. Do all the little things right, and you’ll get there.
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
A coach's influence
by Joel Carlson, UM Sports Information |
Despite what Rick Pitino claimed in the title of his memoirs (“Born to Coach”), coaches are not born into the profession. They evolve into coaches through a combination of experience and education, and every coach has that one (or more) mentor in particular that has had the most influence on their coaching career.
Here are those special individuals who have played Yoda to the UM coaches’ Luke Skywalkers.
Head coach Robin Selvig |
Robin Selvig (women’s basketball): I’ve said many times that I dread to think what kind of coach I’d have been if I had not played for Jud Heathcote. He had an unbelievable basketball mind. I learned from him the important things it takes to win, mental toughness being one of them. I just learned a tremendous amount about the game of basketball from him. I owe a lot to him.
Bobby Hauck (football): There are two guys who had a great deal of influence on me. One was Don Read, the other was Terry Donahue. Don taught me how to be positive and treat everyone like a winner and how to build a program from the ground up. Find a way to win without always having the better players.
Terry Donahue was great because I learned the recruiting process from him. And I also learned how to be tough attitude-wise with players and coaches and everybody else.
Larry Krystkowiak (men’s basketball): I think Jerry Sloan and Phil Jackson from a temperament point of view, handling people and personalities and situations. I think the Xs and Os and the blueprints for coaching probably came from Del Harris and Coach Montgomery while I was here.
I think it’s a lot bigger deal than just Xs and Os and it’s obviously a lot more important than just dealing with people, so I had a nice combination of different people that I’d say I tried to pick stuff up from.
Probably one of the most important things is don’t overwhelm people with a bunch of discussion and talk. When you say something it needs to be valid. There are a lot of coaches that like to hear themselves talk, and I try not to be one of those guys, so that kids know that when you open up your mouth there’s something relevant to listen to.
Kris Nord (tennis): My most influential coach, easily, was Gary Ekegren, my football coach at Sentinel High School in 1975. I loved the way he conducted practices and games. He made it seem more than just winning and losing. He really emphasized carrying yourself with respect and pride. He just made a huge impact on me. I still see him to this day and tell him that. That would be my most influential coach.
Allison Weston (volleyball): I would say that Toshi Yoshida had the most influence and impact on how I coach now. He was the coach of the U.S. national team the last two years that I played. He was very no-nonsense and believed in a lot of hard work and getting the job done. Everybody knew what everyone’s job was, he presented things in a way that everybody could understand it and you knew what your expectations were. You went in and worked hard and you either did or didn’t do your job, and there were either good or bad things about that. He’s the coach that I probably learned the most from that I can apply to coaching.
Head coach Neil Sedgwick |
Neil Sedgwick (women’s soccer): My coaching influences started when I was a player competing for our Canada Games team in Nova Scotia. Adrian Cahill, who was our manager, really taught me how to be a manager of people. He cared about each of us and he attempted in his own way to get the best out of all of us. Also as a player, there was a gentleman in Halifax by the name of Ian Kent, who was a coach of mine at Dalhousie University, and that was really where I got a lot of organization and attention to detail. Ian was just a great manager of tasks as well as the game.
Then I had the opportunity to work with Neil Turnbull, the national team coach of Canada, someone whom I remain good friends with. Neil showed me how to never let standards and expectations drop below professional standards, and I carry that with me as a coach and I try to pass that on to the athletes.
Down here in the U.S., John Walker, who’s a fellow Canadian coaching at Nebraska. Through our many conversations, he’s always led me to think outside the box and to respect the game for what this sport is and to try to pass that on to the athlete.
I had three years with a good friend and coach at USC, Jim Millender. Through Jim I saw how relationships can be formed during the recruiting process and throughout the college career of young athletes.
Those five have helped form me as a coach.
Tom Raunig (cross country, track and field): The person who probably had the biggest influence on my coaching career and someone who I enjoyed running for and really respected was Marshall Clark. He was the track coach at Montana my second and third years of school before he left to be the head coach at San Jose State. Prior to Montana he’d been the distance coach at Stanford.
What I learned from him was to be patient with the athletes and to be even-tempered. And try to look at the big picture in terms of performance, trying to always keep people developing and moving forward and listening to the athletes and communicating.
Joanne Steele (women’s golf): The individual who has had the most influence on me and my coaching career would have to be Ray Hunthausen, the head golf professional at Green Meadow Country Club in Helena. Just watching the way he was able to teach me and work with people through lessons with him and also being able to work for him as assistant pro. He made a big impact on me and how I approach the game of golf and how I teach the game and how I communicate with people.
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
| A letter from Director of Athletics Jim O'Day |
Montana A.D. Jim O'Day |
At the midway point in the 2005-06 basketball season, The University of Montana men’s and women’s teams are chasing Big Sky Conference titles. We couldn’t be more excited about the superb efforts put forth by our student-athletes in maroon and silver under coaches Larry Krystkowiak and Robin Selvig.
In fact, Dahlberg Arena has turned into one of the top venues in the country for Division I basketball games. Already this season, the men have had near-capacity crowds against Stanford (6,929), the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (7,213) and most recently versus Eastern Washington (6,659). Lady Griz crowds are averaging 3,589 fans per outing – ranking 28th in the nation. That puts Montana in striking range of Pac-10 powers Stanford (3,795) and Oregon (3,795). Tennessee leads the nation in home attendance at 14,462 per game, with Texas Tech, Connecticut and New Mexico also averaging more than 10,000 fans per home game. With a few more games remaining in the Adams Center this month, UM hopes to continue climbing up the ladder.
The men have quality non-conference wins over the Cardinal of Stanford, Loyola Marymount (twice), Utah Valley State, Drake, UC-Riverside and Santa Clara, as well as league foes Idaho State, Weber State, Montana State, Sacramento State, Portland State and Eastern Washington. The Lady Griz, meanwhile, own impressive pre-season victories over Utah State, Wright State, Santa Clara, Miami (Florida), Gonzaga, Idaho, New Orleans, UNC-Ashville and Portland, along with conference wins versus Montana State, Sacramento State and Portland State. Close losses have come against respectable opponents such Florida State (12-7), Wyoming (14-4), Northern Arizona (14-6) and Eastern Washington (9-9).
As we enter the stretch run, we ask all our fans to consider coming out to a ball game and enjoy this quality entertainment. The energy and enthusiasm generated by our fine student-athletes is contagious. Catch Griz Fever!
While it may seem early, Griz football is right around the corner. In fact, spring ball is only a month away.
On Wednesday, Feb. 1, UM Coach Bobby Hauck announced an outstanding recruiting class for 2006. A capacity crowd filled a large banquet room at the DoubleTree Hotel that night to hear Coach Hauck speak individually about each and every new student-athletes headed to Missoula this fall. It was hard not to get caught up in the excitement of Grizzly football. Visit 2006 Signing Day Central for complete recruiting info
Speaking of the football season, you may have noticed a change in the 2006 schedule. As the result of an opportunity that arose, we will open at the University of Iowa on Labor Day Weekend. The Sept. 2 game will be played in the renovated 70,000 seat Kinnick Stadium. The game guarantee will also significantly help the football program purchase needed equipment and such, as well as generating enough income to help us meet our budget projections next year and put our recent deficit behind us…. Two years early! The student-athletes and coaches are also excited about the trip to the Big 10 school. We know it will be a challenge, but one we eagerly look forward to taking.
Finally, in the Jan. 30, 2005, edition of “The NCAA News,” the most recent statistics for attendance at NCAA games is listed. In the Division I-AA category, the Montana Grizzlies sit atop the poll with 157,355 fans attending our six regular-season home games and one playoff game last fall --- an average of 22,479 per game. For the first time in school history, Montana leads this category. Delaware, who in the past has been amongst the leaders in this category, was second in 2005 with an average of 22,177 for six home games – or a total of 133,060.
Rounding out the top 10 are: Yale, 5 games - 108,333 (21,667 ave.); Southern University, 4 games - 79,522 (19,888 ave.); Appalachian State, 7 games - 125,417 (17,917 ave.); Georgia Southern, 6 games - 97,443 (16,241 ave.); Florida A&M, 4 games - 60,706 (15,177 ave.); Tennessee State, 4 games - 60,092 (15,023 ave.); North Carolina A&T, 4 games - 58,438 (14,610 ave.); and Jackson State, 5 games - 72,986 (14,597 ave.).
Others of note: 11. Youngstown State, 6 games - 87,261 (14,544 ave.); 14. Montana State, 6 games - 82,262 (13,710 ave.); 15. James Madison, 6 games - 81,148 (13,525 ave.); 16. Texas State, 10 games - 128,57 (12,875 ave.); 23. Furman, 7 games - 77,366 (11,052 ave.); 27. Northern Iowa, 7 games - 74,393 (10,628 ave.); 30. Weber State, 5 games - 50,757 (10,151 ave.); and 36. Sam Houston State, 4 games - 37,074 (9,269 ave.).
While basketball and football have dominated the local sports sections recently, our other teams at UM Athletics are also extremely busy at this time of year. This includes track and field (both winter and spring seasons), tennis and golf. In addition, women’s volleyball and women’s soccer are busy in the strength and conditioning area. Both will have a spring schedule, and are anxiously awaiting the 2006 fall sports season.
Jim O'Day - Director of Athletics
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Montana sports camps taking applications
University of Montana coaches have a full slate of sports camps for the summer of 2006. Football, basketball, soccer, volleyball and track and field all provide camps or clinics for those who want to learn the sport from Griz coaches and players. Click below to see what camps are offered and when they are scheduled to take place.
CLICK HERE FOR THE UM SPORTS CAMPS WEBPAGE
Tickets on sale for annual "Driving the Griz" car raffle
Attention Griz fans, tickets are on sale for the third annual “Driving the Griz" car raffle, sponsored by the Grizzly Scholarship Association. This 1998 Ford Mustang Cobra SVT will be raffled at halftime of the Griz-Sac State basketball game on Monday, February 27, 2006. Tickets are available at the GSA tailgate, GSA offices and Blue Ribbon Auto Body. All proceeds from the raffle benefit the Grizzly Athletic Scholarship Association. This is 1 of 542 Mustang Cobra SVT’s made in 1998 and was painted and detailed in Griz spirit by Blue Ribbon Auto Body. For more information, contact the Grizzly Scholarship Association at 243-6481.
Thanks again to Blue Ribbon Auto Body for their support of the G.S.A.
Griz Nation wristbands on sale
All proceeds from the Griz Nation wristband will go to the Grizzly Scholarship Association at The University of Montana. Help Support the Griz by wearing the wristband and showing your pride in being the best fans in the country, which is now known as “Griz Nation." Thanks you for your support! Go Griz!
ORDER
ONLINE AT
THE GRIZ SHOP
Griz and Lady Griz merchandise available online
The Griz Shop on MontanaGrizzlies.com has all the latest Griz and Lady Griz logo wear for Montana fans of all shapes and sizes. Click below to visit the best online shopping anywhere for UM logo wear, keepsakes and memorabilia.
ORDER GRIZ AND LADY GRIZ MERCHANDISE
GSA apparel available
Grizzly Scholarship Association apparel is available at the GSA
offices in the Adams Event Center. There is an open invitation to all Griz
fans to check out the selection and help support the Montana
Grizzly Scholarship Association.
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