Citowicki signs three-year contract

Montana soccer coach Chris Citowicki, who has led the Grizzlies to four Big Sky Conference titles in his first three seasons leading the program, has signed a three-year contract.

Hired in May 2018, Citowicki's new contract locks him in through the 2023-24 season.

"Chris has done an outstanding job both on and off the field as head coach of our soccer program," said Director of Athletics Kent Haslam.

"He is a great asset for the department and the university, and we are excited to have him guide Grizzly soccer for the next three years."

Citowicki coached Montana to the Big Sky tournament championship in 2018 in his first season in Missoula. The Grizzlies won the league's regular-season title in 2019, going unbeaten at 6-0-3.

After navigating his program through the COVID disruptions of 2020, Citowicki led his team to the Big Sky Northwest Division title in the spring of 2021 with a 7-1-0 mark.

The Grizzlies won the Big Sky tournament championship with an overtime victory over Northern Colorado before losing 1-0 to South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Montana ended the spring season with an RPI of 74. It was the program's highest season-ending RPI since Betsy Duerksen's 2000 team finished No. 60.

"I'm extremely appreciative," said Citowicki. "I took the job understanding it's a year-by-year contract, so to be in this position is pretty amazing.

"My family loves living in Missoula and everything about it, so why would I not want to stay here longer? There is just a lot of happiness that goes with this."

Citowicki's teams have gone 16-3-7 in league matches, 20-4-7 overall against Big Sky opponents over his first three seasons.

"We're developing the players who choose to come here, we're closing the gap on the Power 5 programs we're chasing, and we're going to the NCAA tournament and competing at the highest level possible," Citowicki added.

"This is just the beginning of what I hope is a long, successful time here. For the administration to support me with a three-year contract means they see the same thing I'm seeing and that they believe in me."

University of Montana Athletics

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