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September 2006
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Volume 3, Issue 1 |
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Grizzly Spotlight: Lex Hilliard
Injured running back Lex Hilliard is optimistic about his replacements and UM ... MORE
UM football sets sights high
The season is just getting started for coach Bobby Hauck and the Griz and expectations are once again very high in 2006 ... MORE
UM soccer looks to rebound
Coach Neil Sedgwick and Montana return 13 starters and 15 letterwinners to 2006 ... MORE
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Volleyball finds new direction
First-year head coach Jerry Wagner and the Grizzlies seek a conference tourney spot ... MORE
Griz runners ready for 2006
Montana cross country exceeded expectations in 2005, see what's in store for 2006 under the direction of coach Tom Raunig
... MORE
Department announcements
See what else is going on in the world of Griz Athletics. No. 37 Legacy Program, GSA ... MORE
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Grizzly Spotlight: Lex Hilliard
by Trent Makela, MontanaGrizzlies.com |
Senior running back Lex Hilliard and the Grizzly football team was dealt a devastating blow earlier this fall when he suffered a season-ending injury during fall camp.
The two-time all-conference selection has stayed calm, working a positive influence on the Griz from the sideline. Grizzly Times caught up with Hilliard for a question and answer session regarding his injury, the 2006 team and the future.
GT: What were your expectations for the team coming into the 2006 season?
LEX: Of course I expected to win the Big Sky Conference championship. I was just looking towards great things playing with the team we have this season. Working out with everybody in the off-season was just so impressive. It really got me excited for the year – especially my senior season.
GT: What were your first thoughts when you heard you were out for the season?
LEX: It kind of hit me hard. When you’re hurt you always think about the worst case scenario. When I was in the doctor’s office and I first hopped up on my crutches, my foot just kept bouncing. I knew I didn’t have an Achilles anymore. It was tough – to be honest, I wasn’t thinking about much else at the time.
GT: How did being injured affect your expectations for the team?
LEX: It didn’t really hurt my expectations for the guys at all. I’ve seen this group work together and I’ve seen how the guys play harder when someone goes down. I was supposed to be the guy, you know? I was the star running back. We’re lucky enough, though, to have guys like Brady Green, Reggie Bradshaw and Greg Coleman who can step up and carry the same load.
GT: Of the 7 other players listed as running backs on the team’s roster, was there somebody you knew you were passing the starting job to for now?
LEX: I don’t think they named the starter yet. Last year it was kind of me, Brady and J.R. Waller. People know about the transfers but I know Brady’s definitely in the mix. He had a lot of carries last year and he knows the offence really well. He’s always been a guy who could help me out when I didn’t know something.
GT: How are the running styles of Green, Bradshaw and Coleman different from yours?
LEX: To tell you the truth, Greg’s a big physical guy that runs almost the same way I do. Reggie’s kind of a speed guy who can get to the outside. He’s faster than me, so when he gets the corner he’s real tough to catch. Brady is a kind of ‘whatever it takes’ guy. He’s got more heart than anyone I’ve ever met. If it’s one or 15 yards he’s going to take the carry and he doesn’t care what kind of pounding he’s going to take. All three of their styles are different, but I think we’ll be in good shape.
GT: You’ve probably had more time than you’d like to watch your teammates in action over the last couple of weeks. What has caught your eye from the sideline?
LEX: As a group, I’d just say our offense. They’ve progressed so far from last year. We kind of struggled then, but this year I’m seeing a lot more caught balls and everything. Guys are going up and running hard. Everybody’s just making plays. That’s what we needed and I think that’s what’s going to put us over the top.
GT: How did you feel after the team finished 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big Sky last season?
LEX: You always look at it like we could have done better. There’s a lot of this and that we could have done differently. We regrouped strong, though, and we know what our mistakes were and what we’re going to do better.
GT: What did you feel were the most important goals for the team to reach this past off-season?
LEX: Everyone worked really hard this off-season and I think we got closer to the mindset of playing just one game at a time. If you win them all and hunker down you never know how far you’re going to go. That’s the kind of thing that’ll get us to the national championship.
GT: What does new starting quarterback Josh Swogger bring to the team?
LEX: He’s definitely got a strong, accurate arm. He stands in the pocket tough and already has the experience to do the right thing. He’s started some big games before, and that’s going to helps us out - especially going into Iowa. He’s seen crowds like theirs before. He knows what to expect and he’s giving all of us here a kind of heads up on that.
GT: In what other areas have you noticed growth since last season?
LEX: I don’t know if it’s growth or not, but watching our defense tackling every day is pretty intimidating. It’s crazy to know that’s how they play week after week. Sure you can make one of them miss, but there’s five more coming and the rest are running up your back.
GT: How is the team preparing for going into the season opener against Division-I Iowa?
LEX: We’re just preparing for them the same way we prepare for anyone else. We’re focusing on our game-plan and we’re going to play our hearts out. They’re the toughest opponent we’ll see all year. It’s definitely going to be a battle.
GT: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
LEX: I’d just like to thank the fans for coming out and supporting our team like they have over my career with the team. Their support obviously helps our team a lot and it helps me a lot. I guess I’ll just see everybody out there again on game days.
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
UM football sets sights high
by Dave Guffey, UM Sports Information |
A perennial Big Sky Conference preseason
favorite, The University of
Montana Grizzlies will more-thanlikely
find themselves with that familiar “X”
on their backs once again this season —
and will be tabbed as the favorite to win yet
another league crown.
Head coach Bobby Hauck |
And why shouldn’t the Griz expect to
“bear” (sic) that burden again in 2006?
Montana has won or shared eight Big
Sky Conference championships in a row
and garnered league titles 11 out of the
past 13 seasons. The Grizzlies have also
registered a record 13 Division I-AA playoff
appearances in a row. UM has been ranked
in The Sports Network’s top 25 Division IAA
184 of the past 188 weeks.
That storied history is just one of the reasons
that the Grizzlies enter the season
more optimistic than ever.
Another reason Montana could be in the
thick of the Big Sky title hunt once again is
that it returns 15 starters and 45 lettermen
from an 8-4 team that was ranked 11th in
USA Today/ESPN’s final poll and 12th in The
Sports Network’s season-ending poll.
Another reason why Montana
could be in the conference title hunt is Buck Buchanan Award nominee Mike Murphy who is back at defensive end.
Add to that previous list the addition of
three quality I-A transfers, as well as those
returning starters and lettermen listed earlier,
and it all adds up to high hopes and
expectations for fourth-year Griz head
coach Bobby Hauck, his staff, and players.
“I like our quarterbacks,” Hauck said.
“Josh Swogger is a proven commodity, and
we have players who add to our depth and
have started at that position, which is invaluable.
“The wide receiver position has come a
million miles from where it was a year ago,”
Hauck said. “Mike Ferriter and Eric Allen had tremendous springs, and we expect Craig Chambers and Ryan Bagley to be bigtime
players.
“That’s a strong group of athletes.
They’re young, and there are nothing but
encouraging things going on in our offense,
and in fact, when you look at it, we have
only three senior starters there right now,”
Hauck said.
Senior quarterback Josh Swogger |
Quarterbacks
Swogger, a 6-5, 237-pound senior transfer
from Washington State, had an outstanding
spring and earned the starting job.
Sophomore Cole Bergquist (6-2, 192)
was 5-3 as a starter, and senior Jason Washington (6-2, 195) started four games.
Redshirt freshman Clint Stapp (6-3, 215)
could also figure into the mix, and UM signed
highly touted in-state quarterback Andrew Selle.
Last year Bergquist passed for 1,275
yards and eight touchdowns, while Washington
passed for 535 yards and four scores.
“Josh is an experienced guy. He’s mature,
and he’s got a lot of leadership abilities
to go along with a big arm and his understanding
of the game,” Hauck said. “Josh
brings something to the table that some of
the younger players can’t, and we’re hoping
for him to take the reigns and lead our
team this fall.
“Behind him we’ve got Cole Bergquist who
started eight games. Clint Stapp is charging
forward as well, and Andrew Selle is potentially
the best quarterback that we’ve recruited,
and then we’ve got Jason Washington
who started four games back for us.”
Running Backs
Hilliard (6-1, 228) entered his senior season
ranked second in school history with
2,884 career rushing yards and 34 touchdowns.
In 2005, he was a unanimous first
team All-Big Sky selection for the second
season in a row and a finalist for the Walter
Payton Award, when he rushed for 1,322
yards and 12 touchdowns. Hilliard was
ranked 19th in the nation and second in
the league in rushing last year, averaging
110.17 yards a game. He suffered a season-ending foot injury in fall drills which will force Hilliard to redshirt.
Graduated JR Waller left UM as the
eighth-ranked rusher in school history with
1,726 yards, but new addition juniors Reggie Bradshaw (6-0, 215), a transfer from Louisville,
Greg Coleman (6-0, 238), a transfer from Iowa State, and veteran senior
Brady Green (5-9, 195) brings quickness
and toughness to the table.
Junior running back Greg Coleman |
Bradshaw was injured last season and
rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown in
2004 for the Cardinals. Green rushed for
174 yards and two scores last year and was
named a first team All-Big Sky special teams
player.
“Reggie Bradshaw provides us with a
powerful, explosive back-up, and Brady
Green sees the field maybe as well as any
of our running backs,” Hauck said. “When
you go down our depth at running back, we
have a strong group with Andrew Schmidt,
Brandon Utterback, Thomas Fletcher, and
our incoming freshmen.”
Offensive Line
This was an area in which the Griz suffered
key injuries a year ago, and three
starters are now gone due to graduation.
However, junior Cody Balogh (6-7, 300)
started all 12 games last season and is the
incumbent at left tackle, while senior center
Jeff Marshall (6-5, 285) had 11 starts.
At left tackle, Balogh is backed up by
promising redshirt frosh Chris Dyk (6-8,
281).
Marshall, a second team all-league pick
last season, did not participate in spring
ball due to an injury, and he may not be
ready to play right away. In that case, veteran
Ryan Wells, a 6-4, 292-pound senior,
will get the starting nod at center, and
redshirt freshman Dan Girard (6-4 1/2, 285)
will provide solid depth.
Sophomore Colin Dow (6-5, 315) earned
the starting job at right guard and was
tabbed by coach Hauck as a 2006 “honors
candidate.” Redshirt freshman Ryan Schmidt (6-1, 283) adds depth.
Sophomore Brent Russum (6-4, 290)
also had an outstanding spring and earned
the starting berth at right tackle and honors
candidate status prior to the season.
Junior letterman Ryan Gustafson (6-5, 280)
and redshirt freshman Kevin Bell (6-4, 275)
are vying for playing time at that position.
Junior Eric Michel (6-6, 281) earned the
starting job at left guard, with promising
redshirt freshman Terran Hillesland (6-7,
313) pushing him for the starting berth.
Sophomore Trapper Hight missed the majority
of spring ball with an injury but will
provide depth there this fall.
“We have one senior slated to start in
Ryan Wells at center; other than that, we
have two juniors in Balogh and Michel and
then sophomores Russum and Dow,” Hauck
said. “It’s a young group. It’s a good-sized
group, which had a good spring and a good
off-season, and I believe our team will go
as far as that group can take us. Guys like
Terran Hillesland and Chris Dyk, a couple
of redshirt freshmen, will challenge to start
as the season goes on.”
Wide Receiver
Jon Talmage graduated and is gone,
along with his 176 career catches and 2,566
career receiving yards, but juniors Eric Allen
(6-3, 208) and Ryan Bagley (6-4, 210) are
returning starters, and with the addition of
Craig Chambers (6-4, 200), a junior transfer
from the University of Washington, and
the improved play of Mike Ferriter (6-1, 201),
this should be a dynamic position for the
Griz.
Junior wide receiver Ryan Bagley |
Bagley had a team-high 50 catches for
499 yards and two touchdowns in 2005,
while Allen had 14 grabs for 106 yards.
Chambers was the second-leading receiver
for the Huskies the past two seasons and
had 31 receptions for 573 yards and a teamhigh
six receiving scores last year. Bagley
was an honorable mention all-league selection
last year.
Ferriter was the team’s third-leading receiver
a year ago when he had 20 grabs for
182 yards and a score, while fellow sophomore
Matt Troxel (5-9, 173) had 14 catches
for 117 yards. Sophomore Rob Schulte (5-
8, 180) should also see action, along with
redshirt freshman Tyler Palmer (6-3, 199).
“There’s been incredible growth at the
wide receiver position in attitude, maturity,
strength, and in their ability to make plays
and understand the offense,” Hauck said.
“Eric Allen has transformed himself into a
big-time player. Mike Ferriter and Ryan
Bagley have really come on strong, and
Craig Chambers is as explosive a player as
there is in the conference. They are backed
up by some tremendous young talent.”
Tight End
Youth dominates the tight end/H-back
position, with redshirt freshmen Dan Beaudin (6-5, 228) and Kevin Klaboe (6-2, 218) in the mix,
along with a couple of “true” freshmen. Unfortunately,
junior Ross Brunnelle, an honorable
mention all-conference pick last season,
had to end his career due to injury.
“We are very young, and as with so many
young guys, it’s kind of a work in progress,
especially at the tight end spot where they
need to get bigger and stronger after you
come into our program,” Hauck said. “It is
the position where I see us potentially playing
a true freshman, but Dan Beaudin’s
done a nice job. He is a gifted athlete who can make plays for us at the tight end spot,
which is something we’ve been missing for
a year or so. Kevin Klaboe at the h-back
spot is a great lead back and catches the
ball well.”
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW
Murphy heads up a group which includes
seven-plus starters, 26 lettermen, and
seven all-conference selections. The Griz
“D” was ranked among the national leaders
in a couple of key categories: sixth in
turnover margin at +1.54 a game and 16th
in scoring defense, allowing 18.17 points a
game.
The Griz are also relatively young on
defense with four seniors slated to start,
but they return 12 players who started in at
least one game last season, and seven players
started in 10 or more contests.
“Defensively we want to continue to not
allow teams to put points on the board,”
Hauck said. “It was a salty defense a year
ago in a conference that had a good number
of talented and well-drilled defenses,
and I believe that we were the best by a
long shot in our league last season. I also
believe that we had one of the better, if not
one of the best, defenses in our school’s
history last year, and I expect nothing else
from that group this season because of their
proven experience and tenacious work
ethic.”
Senior defensive end Mike Murphy |
Defensive End
Four-year starter and injury-plagued
Lance Spencer has graduated after racking
up 23 career sacks, the fifth most in
school history, but Murphy (6-3, 240) is back
and has 20.5 career sacks, including a
team-high eight last season, despite playing
the last half of the year with a broken
thumb. Senior Dustin Dlouhy (6-2, 235) is a
2006 “honors candidate” but missed spring
football to recover from an injury. He was
UM’s fourth leading tackler last season with
51 stops.
Juniors Kroy Biermann (6-3, 230) and
Mike Stadnyk (6-4, 253) are talented backups
who could start for a lot of teams. Stadnyk will sit the entire 2006 season with an injury.
Biermann was fifth on the team in tackles
last season with 48 stops and is also an
“honors candidate” this year. Sophomores
Karl Pitcher (6-2, 2250) and David Haile (6-
5, 240) will both see action.
“Defensive end is a strength for us, starting
with Mike Murphy,” Hauck said. “We
believe that he is going to be a finalist for
the Buck Buchanan Award. Dustin Dlouhy,
Kroy Biermann, and Mike Stadnyk have all
played a substantial number of snaps, and
we expect great production out of that group. We have a couple of young players,
Karl Pitcher and David Haile, who provide
us with competition and depth.”
Defensive Tackle
All-American Alan Saenz graduated, but
senior Kerry Mullan (6-3, 290) started in 10
games, and sophomores Craig Mettler (6-
4, 250) and Jesse Carlson (6-3, 255) had
starts a year ago and are experienced despite
their youth. Mettler is one of the Grizzlies’
top returning tacklers with 36, as is
Mullan, who had 21 stops a year ago.
Carlson missed most of spring drills with
an injury.
Junior Kelly Kain (6-4, 288) was playing
well last season but missed UM’s final eight
games with an injury. Sophomore Dan Carter (6-5, 315) was moved from offense
to defense and should contribute right away.
“We had a rash of injuries at defensive
tackle last season which kind of mirrored
our entire team, and we’re hoping with the
change we have in our strength program
we won’t have the number of injuries we’ve
had the last three years,” Hauck said. “We
also need some young guys to come along
at defensive tackle. It’s an extremely young
group. Kerry Mullan is our only senior there,
and he’s by far the most experienced. We
like the depth and the play-making ability
of Craig Mettler, Jesse Carlson, Kelly Kain,
and Dan Carter.”
Junior outside linebacker Tyler Joyce |
Linebacker
Montana’s emotional leader and one of
its defensive captains, Shane MacIntyre, graduated, but juniors Tyler Joyce (12
starts), Kyle Ryan (10 starts), and Loren Utterback (two starts) are returning starters.
Utterback (6-1, 215) missed half the
season with a leg injury.
Weakside linebacker Joyce (6-5, 227)
had a team-leading 83 tackles last season,
while middle linebacker Ryan (6-3, 225)
was second on the squad with 76 stops,
and both players were honorable mention
all-league selections.
Other experienced players back are juniors
Alex Hawthorne (6-1, 220) and Muckie Foreman (6-1, 201), along with sophomores
Tyler Corwin (6-3, 230), Shawn Lebsock (6-0, 214 and Tom Martin (5-
10, 200). Redshirt freshman Jace Palmer (6-
3, 207) and Tyler Pelleur (6-2, 222) are also
vying for playing time.
“The linebacking core is expected to be
a strength of our defense,” Hauck said.
“They all have good frames. They all run
well, and they’re all becoming stronger. The
best thing about them is that they all have
game experience, but none of them are
seniors, and we’ll have all of our top nine
back for at least another year. We like this
group. They’re leaders, and they’re hardchargers;
they understand the defense,
and we just expect them to carry the day
this year for us on defense.
“My belief is that Mike Murphy is the best
defensive player in our conference, and
Tyler Joyce may be the second best,”
Hauck said. “Tyler is a terrific talent. He’s
tough, he’s big, he’s fast, he’s got it all, and
his future is bright. When you add Loren
Utterback, Kyle Ryan, Shawn Lebsock, Tyler Corwin, Alex Hawthorne, Muckie Foreman,
Jace Palmer and Tyler Pelluer into that mix,
you’ve got an awfully talented and deep
group of linebackers who are all going to
contribute.”
Cornerback
Senior Tuff Harris (6-0, 197) started all
12 games a year ago, and junior Jimmy Wilson (5-11, 184) had six starts. Wilson had a
team-high 10 pass deflections in 2005 and
tied for the second most interceptions on
the team with three. Harris had 30 solo tackles,
which were the third most on the team.
Both Harris and Wilson were honorable
mention all-league picks in 2005.
Junior Quinton Jackson (5-11, 176) and
sophomore Tim Parks (5-10, 178) add quality
depth, while junior Brandon Dwyer, who
was moved from wide receiver to corner, is
vying for playing time. Junior Chris Clark (5-11, 165) saw considerable action last
season before being sidelined with a leg
injury and did not participate in spring drills
as he recovered from that injury.
Junior safety Torrey Thomas |
“We feel good about our corner group,
and that all begins with Jimmy Wilson and
Tuff Harris,” Hauck said. “They are both talented;
they’re good tacklers, and they have
great confidence in their ability to cover and
in their catch-up speed. I believe that Tim
Parks, Chris Clark, and Quinton Jackson
all have the same type of speed and confidence
in their ability to catch up and cover
wide receivers and get after folks, and we’ve
got depth provided by Brandon Dwyer as
well.”
Safety
Junior Torrey Thomas (6-0, 190) started
all 12 contests last year, as did his brother,
Tyler, who graduated. Senior Matt Lebsock (5-11, 186) and junior Van Cooper Jr. (6-2,
200) have considerable experience. Thomas, an honorable mention All-Big Sky
pick a year ago, had a team-best four interceptions
and is the team’s fifth leading returning
tackler with 47 stops.
Redshirt freshmen Brandon Fisher (5-10,
200) and Shann Schillinger (6-1, 193) each
missed last season due to injury, and both
will see playing time. Sophomore Colt Anderson (5-10, 182) is also in the mix.
“Torrey Thomas has a chance to be an
All-American this year,” Hauck said. “He’s a
guy who can make a lot of plays. He makes
good things happen out there on the football
field. He’s extremely physical, he’s a
good tackler and he’s got great instincts.
“The rest of the group are a lot like him,
maybe not as talented, but they’ve got the
ability to get things done,” Hauck said. “Van
Cooper Jr. is a fast player; he’s explosive,
and he’s got the ability to make high-speed
collisions and knock the ball loose. Matt
Lebsock is steady and can get things done
and is always in the right place, and that’s
the type of player that we hope Brandon
Fisher, Shann Schillinger and Colt Anderson
can all become.”
SPECIAL TEAMS OVERVIEW
“It’s nice to have veterans back at the
punter and kicker positions,” Hauck said.
“We expect Tyson Johnson and Dan Carpenter to be very productive and be a real
strength for our football team.”
Senior punter Tyson Johnson |
Kicker/Punter
At punter, senior Tyson Johnson has
ranked among the Division I-AA leaders
since his freshman season. He was second
team all-league last season and ranked 17th
in the country, averaging 41.03 yards a punt,
and 20 of his 63 kicks were inside the
opponent’s 20-yard line.
Junior kicker Dan Carpenter has been a
second team All-Big Sky pick the past two
seasons. Last year he made 14-of-21 field
goal attempts, including a career-long 50-
yarder at Northern Arizona.
Returns
Tuff Harris was a first team All-Big Sky
pick at punt returner and was ranked 14th in
the nation, averaging 12.6 yards on 25 returns,
while Schulte was ranked 14th in the
I-AA ranks by averaging 26.1 yards on 23
kickoff returns.
Schulte, Troxel and Jackson are all working
as punt returners, while Jackson,
Bradshaw and Troxel may return kickoffs.
SCHEDULE
Montana has the disconcerting task of
opening the 2006 season on Sept. 2 at Big-
10 powerhouse Iowa, which will more-thanlikely
be a top 10 preseason pick. The
Hawkeyes return 16 starters from a 7-5 team
that finished third in their conference.
The Griz open their home schedule on
Sept. 9th against South Dakota State, a
team which they edged 7-0 at home a year ago. SDSU has 14 starters back from a 6-5
team.
UM’s other non-league foe is Cal Poly on
Nov. 4. Last year the Griz beat the Mustangs
36-27 in the regular-season and lost 35-21
in a I-AA first-round playoff game in Missoula.
Cal Poly returns 17 starters from a 9-4 team,
including sophomore running back James
Noble, who rushed for a school-record 1,578
yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
“It’s a pretty demanding non-league
schedule,” Hauck said. “Obviously taking
Iowa on at Kinnick Stadium the first of September
is a daunting task. They don’t lose
at home to anyone, let alone a I-AA school.
We’ll need to have our ‘A’ game in order to
have a chance to be in that football game.
Senior safety Van Cooper Jr. |
“South Dakota State returns a good
nucleus of players off a team that was talented
and hard-nosed a year ago,” Hauck
said. “They played us extremely tough. They
played Georgia Southern extremely tough,
as well as Cal Poly — all playoff teams.
They’re a team that has to feel like they let
us off the hook last year and that they had a
chance to beat us but couldn’t quite get it
done. I am certain they’ll come in here looking
for an upset and feeling good about their
opportunity to do that.
“Cal Poly is a team that has had the (I-AA)
player of the year on defense the last two
years, and they were probably the most talented
team, outside of the University of Oregon,
that we played last year,” Hauck said.
“We got after them the first time we played
them, but we didn’t have enough left in our
tanks to get them the second time we played
them in the playoffs. They will come in with
an extremely talented group of players this
year and give us everything we can handle.”
The Griz open their Big Sky slate at home
on Sept. 23 against Sac State and then have
difficult back-to-back league road contests
at Portland State and Eastern Washington.
After that two-game road swing, UM has
three conference home contests against
Northern Arizona, Idaho State and Montana
State and road games at Weber State and
new Big Sky member Northern Colorado.
“I like our chances to compete this season,
especially considering that we’ve won
eight straight Big Sky championships and
have a record streak of 13 straight NCAA
playoff appearances right now,” Hauck said.
“I see us as being one of the teams that is
senior, or at least upperclassmen oriented,
and many of the teams in the conference fit
that bill last year, and we did not. No matter
what, though, each league game will be a
battle. That will never change.”
[Back to the Grizzly Times]
|
Griz soccer looks to rebound
by Ian Marks, UM Sports Information |
Head coach Neil Sedgwick |
Head coach Neil Sedgwick has high expectations for the Grizzly soccer program in 2006. The team returns 13 starters and 15 letterwinners from last year's squad.
"We are excited about what has happened developmentally since last year. We begin this preseason with what we feel are 25 new players. The returning players have made great strides and are stronger players than 12 months ago," said Sedgwick.
"Last fall we had a lot of good goal scoring chances but didn't finish them. We had shots hit the post or get cleared off the line that could have changed not only the game but the season for us," said Sedgwick, who enters his third season at the helm of The University of Montana.
The team addressed the problem by focusing on its attacking and finishing during most of the spring season, which included three games during a tour to England.
"The team is very motivated to turn its scoring opportunities into goals this season," said Sedgwick. Joining Sedgwick for his third year in the program are assistant coaches Angela Morrison and Tina Morse, who share Sedgwick's expectations for the team.
Morrison, who previously coached under Sedgwick at the University of North Dakota and then took on the head coach role on his departure, serves as the recruiting coordinator and goalkeeper coach for the Grizzlies. Morrison has experience at the goalkeeper position at both the college and professional level.
"Angela continues to bring experience to the team. She has seen every level of the game first hand. Angela will also be faced with the task of developing two freshman goalkeepers this season," said Sedgwick. "Fortunately, these are goalkeepers with a great deal of potential."
Morse, who played under Sedgwick at UND and served as an assistant coach with Morrison at San Diego State, brings a vast array of coaching experience.
"Tina brings a lot of coaching experience at various levels to the program. She has become a more confident coach, and this is demonstrated in her daily interactions with the players," said Sedgwick.
Senior forward Lindsay Winans |
Forwards
Senior Lindsay Winans, a three-time All-Big Sky selection and 2004 Big Sky Conference offensive MVP, will lead a group of forwards that will be difficult for opponents to defend. The Tigard, Ore., native has notched 21 career goals and led the team last season with six goals, including three game winners.
"We expect big things out of Lindsay during her senior season. She has the ability to be a proficient scorer as the scoring form of two years ago will return in 2006," Sedgwick said.
Sophomore Meghan Chambers (Lake Oswego, Ore.), who notched two goals and an assist in her freshman campaign, returns to the program after missing last season due to injury.
"Meghan is an exciting player to watch play. Going forward, she is dynamic, while remaining a strong tackling individual defender," said Sedgwick.
Freshman Kiki Blake (Vancouver, Wash.) and sophomore Sami Cooke (Anchorage, Alaska) will also bring an ability to score up front this season.
"Kiki and Sami are both hard workers who are very good in front of goal and can provide us with key goals this year," said Sedgwick.
Freshman newcomer Kristyn Shapka (St. Albert, Alberta) will also see action up front.
"Kristyn has great athletic ability and a love for the game and will see time as she adapts to the college level," Sedgwick said.
Junior midfielder Mahlleace Tomsin |
Midfielders
The Grizzlies return a large group of exciting attacking players to the midfield.
Junior Mahlleace Tomsin (Seattle, Wash.), an All-Big Sky honorable mention selection in 2005, will be looked upon to organize the midfield.
"With her experience, we expect Mahlleace to increase her goal scoring from last year and direct our midfield play," said Sedgwick.
Joining Tomsin in the midfield is second-team All-Big Sky selection, sophomore Rachael Mayer. The Anchorage, Alaska, native ranked second on the team last season with 25 shots, while starting every game for the Grizzlies.
"Rachael had a tremendous freshman year and we expect even more as she continues to improve at every aspect of her play," said Sedgwick.
Junior Laura Nogueira (Lake Oswego, Ore.), a second-team All-Big Sky selection last season, adds to the depth at midfield.
"Laura has become a strong individual, combined with being a fearless defender," said Sedgwick. "She is a quick technical attacker who is dangerous in the final third."
Sophomores Sara Campbell (Billings, Mont.) and Lydia Cotton (Anchorage, Alaska), who both saw playing time the previous season, will continue to create opportunities for the team as they continue to gain Division 1 experience.
"Both Sara and Lydia can create. They have played up front and have the attacking mentality that we need to progress," said Sedgwick.
Joining the Griz midfield for her senior year is Kristina Lamberty.
"Kristina came to Montana after two years at Colorado. She is ready to play after a break from the game. She fits the mold as a strong, physically attacking minded player," said Sedgwick.
Freshman Abby Grafft (Boise, Idaho) and Frankie Brady (Great Falls, Mont.) will also complement the midfield with their physical presence and direct style of play.
"Abby and Frankie are exciting freshmen. Both have the physical qualities of a Division I player, and both are willing to go forward and put the opposition under pressure," said Sedgwick.
Sarah Stevens, a Portland, Ore., native, is yet another freshman midfielder joining the program.
"Sarah is focused and has great drive. Her position will become defined as we move through preseason, but we look forward to seeing her progress," said Sedgwick.
Also joining the Griz midfield from Billings, Mont., is Samantha Alario. "Sara has a lot of experience and athleticism. We feel she could become a strong player at Montana," said Sedgwick.
Senior defender Kelly Fullerton |
Defenders
Senior Kelly Fullerton, a first-team All-Big Sky selection as a junior, returns to lead the Griz defense. The West Linn, Ore., native, was one of just two players to start all 17 games last season.
"Kelly has put the team on her shoulders and is a leader not only in the back but all over the field," Sedgwick said.
Senior MacKenzie Murphy (Penn Valley, Calif.) also returns to the defense where she has started in every game but one during her three-year career.
"MacKenzie is the vocal leader of the defense and will bring the group together and then drive them forward," said Sedgwick.
Also playing at the back this year will be junior Carrie Lee from Minnetonka, Minn.
"Carrie came into her stride during winter break. Her focus and fitness improved, adding a consistent attack from the back," said Sedgwick.
Katie Banner (Corvalis, Mont.) who is coming off a redshirt year, will also join the core of defenders who have been at Montana.
"Katie continues to grow as a player. She is very conscientious and sets herself up to get the most out of her college career," Sedgwick said.
Sophomore Sara Aspinwall (Great Falls, Mont.) will also spend time in the back as she gains more experience and continues to grow with every training session.
"After redshirting in 2004, Sara proved that development can change a player. She was extremely valuable at the back last year," said Sedgwick.
Danielle McQuinn (Missoula, Mont.) begins her sophomore year as a Griz.
"Danielle demonstrated a great deal of progress in her first year. She is extremely athletic and is developing the tools to be a strong Division I player," Said Sedgwick.
"We are most experienced at the defensive position this year," said Sedgwick. "The returning players at the back have seen a lot since last preseason. They are a sound group."
Freshman goalkeeper Grace Harris |
Goalkeepers
The team will look to a pair of freshmen, Grace Harris and Shay Cardwell, to fill the void left in the net by three-time All-Big Sky goalkeeper Sarah Braseth.
Harris, a local product from Missoula, Mont., returns for her second year in the program after spending last season as a redshirt developing her skills at the position. She also gained valuable experience in goal during the spring season, which included several games during the team's trip to England.
"Grace has tremendous athletic ability, paired with the drive to be the number one keeper," said Sedgwick. "She has played only a single spring but has already developed into a strong leader."
Cardwell an Anchorage, Alaska, native comes to the team with a large amount of club and Olympic Development Program experience.
"Shay has experience in the goal and will quickly adjust to the speed and expectations at the college level," Sedgwick said.
Schedule
The Griz will start the 2006 season in much the same way they started in 2005, on the road. The team will open the season against Utah Valley State and then face a good Wyoming team in Laramie. The following weekend the Griz will take on a pair of familiar foes in Boise State and Idaho in Boise, before the team experiences East Coast soccer as it travels to Delaware for a pair of games. Montana will face Lehigh and the first NCAA tournament team on its schedule, Yale.
"We are unfamiliar with these two teams, but we know they have strong leadership and solid players. It will be an exciting experience for our players to travel to the East Coast to compete," said Sedgwick.
The Griz will play a pair of PAC-10 schools on the road, Washington State and Arizona. "These games will be tough because they are on the road and these are two well coached and successful programs," said Sedgwick.
Sophomore midfielder Rachael Mayer |
The team will make its home debut at South Campus Stadium when it hosts in-state foe MSU-Billings, an NCAA-II program. The following weekend the Griz play host to North Dakota State and South Dakota State in the Montana Nike Cup.
Northern Arizona will come to town to open Big Sky competition, followed by league newcomer Northern Colorado. Sedgwick is familiar with the new competition as he faced the Bears in the North Central Conference while coaching at UND.
The Griz return to the road to face a strong Sacramento State team. "Sac State has made tremendous strides over the past two years and is a difficult road opponent," said Sedgwick. The Griz will also face Portland State before returning home to host Idaho State in their final home game.
The final three games are on the road, with the first two against NCAA tournament teams, Weber State and local competition Gonzaga. The Griz will end the regular season on the road against Eastern Washington.
"Our schedule provides a lot of balance. The goal, of course, is to get back to the Big Sky prominence of years ago and NCAA tournament play," said Sedgwick. "We feel this schedule will prepare us for this."
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
Volleyball finds new direction
by Joel Carlson, UM Sports Information |
Senior middle blocker EvaLyn Whitehead |
First year Montana volleyball coach
Jerry Wagner has big goals and a clear
vision of where he wants to take the
Grizzly program.
“We want to be one of those teams that
has year-in and year-out success,” Wagner
said recently, “and that makes annual runs
at conference championships and the program
that other teams in the conference
look at as the model of how to do things.”
But Wagner also knows that the journey
to that destination won’t be an overnight
process, and that it starts with the first day
of practice of the 2006 season.
“It’s tough to talk about long-term goals
right now, because those long-term goals
start with what we do right now,” he continued.
“We need to restore the confidence
in the players and build that sense of pride
that we’ve had in the past, not only
amongst the players and coaches, but in the
eyes of our fans, the coaches around the
state and prospective student-athletes.”
Few coaches have a better sense of the
pride Griz volleyball enjoyed in the NCAA
tournament days of the early 1990s than
Wagner, who spent three impressionable
seasons as Dick Scott’s top assistant.
Wagner was hired in May to replace
Nikki Best, who spent six years at
Montana, but whose teams missed the Big
Sky Conference tournament the final five
of those seasons. The Grizzlies went 14-15
in 2005, 3-11 in league play, and graduated
starting setter Diana Thompson and middle
blocker Audrey Jensen.
The first step toward reaching Wagner’s
lofty goals is a small one: be one of the six
teams to make the 2006 Big Sky tournament.
“The talent is definitely in place for us
to make a push to get into the tournament,”
Wagner said. “Coming into the program,
one of the things I thought that was needed
was to diversify the offense. I think this
team was a little too predictable in the past,
so we hope to up the tempo and create a
different atmosphere offensively.”
Senior outside hitter Claudia Houle |
As most first-year coaches do, Wagner
will rely heavily on his senior class of outside
hitter Claudia Houle, middle blocker/
outside hitter Emily Sakis and middle
blocker/outside hitter EvaLyn Whitehead.
“The seniors on this team are an
extremely determined and physical group
of players,” Wagner said, “and we’re going
to rely on them heavily. I plan to put them
in positions where they are going to have a
big say in what we do this year. They are
going to be the cornerstone of turning this
thing around.”
In her third season at Montana, Houle,
who has twice earned second team allleague
honors, is one of the Big Sky’s top
outside hitters. She has led the team in kills
the last two years and her 23 double-doubles
in 2005 tied for the conference lead.
Houle was named the Collegiate Volleyball
Update national player of the week last
August after leading the Grizzlies to a title
at Maine’s tournament.
Sakis, one of two team captains, is
entering her second year with the Grizzlies.
One of the most efficient hitters in the Big
Sky, Sakis led the Grizzlies in hitting percentage
in her first season (.301) and her
.293 hitting percentage in Big Sky play
ranked seventh in the league.
Whitehead, the lone senior to have
spent her entire career at Montana, provides
the team with a dominant physical
presence in the front court, where she is
one of the team’s top returning blockers at
6-4. She has played in 215 career games
and recorded 441 kills and 171 blocks.
Montana’s junior class is made up of
setter Shelley Boyd, middle blocker
Jessica Petersen and libero Jackie White.
Boyd, the team’s other captain for 2006
along with Sakis, returns to the court after
redshirting the 2005 season. Boyd, who has
852 career assists, was the Grizzlies’ starting
setter as a freshman in 2003 before
splitting setting duties with Thompson in
2004. She’ll contend for playing time in
2006 with freshman Taryn Wright.
Petersen started 20 matches for UM in
2005 and tied for second on the team in
blocks with 66. She finished sixth on the
team in both kills (1.63 kpg) and hitting
percentage (.162).
Sophomore outside hitter Jade Roskam |
White is one of the Big Sky’s top
liberos and Montana’s most passionate oncourt
player. She led the team in digs (5.19
dpg) as a sophomore, and her average of
6.31 digs per game in league play led the
conference. White’s 46 digs at Weber State
last fall broke the 18-year-old Big Sky
record of 45 and the 14-year-old Montana
record of 43.
UM’s sophomore class includes libero
Julie Faulk, outside hitter/middle blocker
Lauren Gustafson, outside hitter Micaela Parker and outside hitter Jade Roskam.
Faulk and Roskam both played for the
Grizzlies in 2005, with Faulk ranking fifth
on the team in digs (1.92 dpg) and Roskam
finishing as the team’s third leading hitter
at 2.26 kills per game.
Gustafson and Parker join the Griz
under different circumstances. Gustafson, a
Billings, Mont., native, transferred to
Montana after spending the 2005 season at
Louisiana Tech, where she had 78 kills and
36 blocks while playing in 26 matches for
the Lady Techsters.
Parker rejoins the team after electing to
sit out the 2005 season. She is an established
outside hitter who led the team in
service aces and was third in kills as a
freshman in 2004.
Montana has a four-player incoming
freshman class: outside hitter Theresa Bennett from Dillon, Mont., middle blocker
Stephanie Stromath from Manhattan
Beach, Calif., outside hitter Stephanie Turner from Dayton, Wash., and Wright, a
setter from Fair Oaks, Calif.
“(Being hired in May), the freshman
class is still a little bit of an unknown to
me,” Wagner said, “but I see them adding a
lot of energy and athleticism to the team.”
With the addition of Northern Colorado
to the Big Sky in 2006, the Grizzlies will
play a 16-match conference schedule,
which will allow for pre-conference tournaments
at California, Nevada and Portland.
Junior setter Shelley Boyd |
The Big Sky schedule opens Sept. 15,
with a home match against Montana State.
That will also serve as Montana’s home
opener.
“During the non-conference season
we’re hoping to accomplish the goals we
have of remaking ourselves and establishing
a new identity,” Wagner said. “It will
take each one of those matches to tell us
where we’re at in the process.”
After 18 years as an assistant coach at
Montana, Oregon State, Montana State and
Gonzaga, Wagner is ready to not only get
his own head coaching career rolling, but
getting the Griz back to where he remembers
them being on an annual basis: near
the top of the Big Sky standings.
“I’ve been preparing myself 18 years
for the opportunity to come back to Montana
and coach,” Wagner said. “Almost all of
my special volleyball memories were here.
“The success and the pride that were
instilled in me during the time that I was
here have never left me, and we need to
return those things to the program. This is
the team that I want to start establishing
those things with, because I think it’s capable
of achieving many good things.”
[Back to the Grizzly Times] |
Griz runners ready for 2006
by Joel Carlson, UM Sports Information |
Junior Allie Brosh |
The University of Montana women's cross country team exceeded expectations in 2005, placing third at the Big Sky Conference championships. Coach Tom Raunig’s Grizzlies will attempt to remain among the conference's top teams in 2006, and he thinks he has the runners to do it.
"When we look at this team compared to last year's team, we are probably a notch better," Raunig said in early August. "We feel like we've replaced our gaps from graduation and 2006 redshirts with the recruits we have coming in."
Raunig will be without his No. 3 and No. 5 runners from last year – Shannon Johnson graduated and Dominique Colberg will redshirt this fall – but junior Allie Brosh and sophomore Kim Tritz, Montana's No. 1 and No. 2 runners last fall, return, as does sophomore Chelsea Burfeind, last year's No. 4 runner.
Brosh was the Grizzlies' top finisher at all six races in 2005 and earned her second consecutive All-Big Sky honor with a sixth-place finish at the league championships, while Tritz was second among UM finishers four times last fall and third twice.
Among the candidates to fill the gaps will be freshmen Kara DeWalt from Darby, Mont., Brooke Andrus from Bigfork, Mont., and Megan Ravenscraft from Bel Air, Md., as well as sophomore Ashley Colbrese, a Laurel, Mont., native who transferred from the University of Mary.
Raunig's highly decorated recruit, freshman Megan O'Reilly from Colbert, Wash., will redshirt the 2006 cross country season while recovering from some lingering injuries.
"Had we had Megan running this year, we could have challenged for second in the Big Sky," Raunig said, "but we'll still have a solid team that should be very competitive in the league.
"And by redshirting Megan, we'll have her going full bore in 2007 when we host the conference meet and are looking to take a run at the title."
The Montana men finished sixth at the 2005 Big Sky championships and will also have two key gaps to fill in 2006 if they want to improve upon that standing. Unlike the women, who will most likely be using newcomers, the men will use the quality depth of their returners to move people up into the top five.
Creating a hole at the top is the departure of last year's No. 1 runner, Matt Winter, who elected not to return to the Grizzly cross country/track and field teams after the 2005 cross country season.
Junior Dan Bingham |
The likely replacement at the No. 1 spot, Dan Bingham, will redshirt this fall. Bingham, the 2006 Big Sky steeplechase champion, was UM's No. 3 runner last fall.
That makes senior Richie Pemberton Montana's No. 1 runner entering the fall season. Pemberton was UM's top finisher at two meets last fall and its No. 2 runner behind Winter on four other occasions.
Sophomore Eli Hermann was the Grizzlies' No. 4 finisher at all six meets in 2005.
"We're redshirting Dan Bingham, who would probably be our No. 1 runner this fall, but he was in danger of getting a little burned out after running four seasons in a row," Raunig said.
"So we're looking at Richie Pemberton as our No. 1 runner, followed by Eli Hermann, who's been getting stronger each year in the program."
After Pemberton and Hermann is where the depth will come into play.
Junior Duncan Hendrick and sophomores Zach Betz and Jeff Quickel were all key contributors in 2005 in the No. 4 to No. 7 area.
Freshmen Mac Bloom and Jon Metropolous were both Montana state cross country and track champions in high school, but both dealt with injuries in 2005-06 in their first year in the Grizzly program.
"Those two could make a difference," Raunig said, "because they were top-notch high school runners who now have a year under their belts and will be entering the fall in full health."
Incoming freshmen who could make an impact are Steven Gimpel from Spokane, Wash., and Brett Carter from West Des Moines, Iowa.
"On the men's team, it will be a mix of veterans, along with a lot of balance," Raunig said. "It looks to be an interesting season for the men because of the depth. It will be a real battle for those top seven spots."
Montana opens its 2006 season with the Montana Open, which will be held at Lubrecht Forest on Saturday, Sept. 9.
[Back to the Grizzly Times]
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| UM Athletic Department and GSA announcements |
Former Griz safety Tim Hauck |
No. 37 Legacy Jersey Program to benefit student-athletes
The Bookstore at The University of Montana and UM Athletics have once again joined forces to help raise money to purchase lettermen's jackets for all of UM's student-athletes in the 14 sponsored Division I varsity sports ... MORE
Western Montana Wine Festival set for Sept. 8
Summit Beverage and the Grizzly Scholarship Association (GSA) are excited to announce that The Annual Western Montana Wine Festival will be held on Friday, September 8, 2006 at the Hilton Garden Inn Ballroom from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. The Annual Western Montana Wine Festival will consist of fine wine and beer tasting with of fine
... MORE
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.
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
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