Hauck, Ford, and Roberts to represent the Griz at Big Sky Kickoff

The unofficial start to the college football season returns this weekend in Spokane with the annual Big Sky Kickoff media days, slated for July 23-25 at the Davenport Grand hotel.

For Montana, this year's event will celebrate Grizzly greats of the past, present, and future with host of activities added to the lineup.

Representing UM at this year's kickoff is head coach Bobby Hauck, with senior standouts Justin Ford and Mitch Roberts, who will start the weekend inspiring future Grizzlies on Saturday, July 23, at the Big Sky's annual youth clinic.

The league then celebrates legends of the past with the inaugural Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame induction ceremony, featuring Montana icons Dave Dickenson, Shannon (Cate) Schweyen, and Robin Selvig.

Ford and Roberts will then spend Sunday creating content with the league's broadcast partners and while taking part in continuing education programming on topics affecting student-athletes as part of the Big Sky U program.

On Monday, July 25, Hauck, Ford and Roberts will wrap the weekend with a round of media interviews, with a live appearance on ESPN+ at 10:32 a.m. (PT), 11:32 a.m. (MT).

The Big Sky Football Youth Clinic will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. PT at North Central High School. Clinic participants will be instructed by student-athletes from the Big Sky's 12 football teams and will receive a free poster for autographs following the event. The clinic is limited to the first 100 kids to register for the event at BigSkyConf.com/YouthClinic.

THE ATTENDEES

Hauck is set to enter his 11^th season at the helm of the Grizzlies as the program's all-time winningest coach. With an overall record of 108-29 and 63-14 in conference play he is also within striking distance of becoming the winningest coach of all-time in Big Sky history. His Grizzlies are preparing to enter the 2022 season coming off a second-straight appearance in the FCS quarterfinals in 2021.

Ford is coming off one of the most dominant seasons ever by a Grizzly cornerback, tallying nine interceptions to lead the NCAA, earn the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year award, and become a unanimous All-American as a junior. He recorded an interception for eight straight games and returned picks for touchdowns against Southern Utah and Eastern Washington last season, and also returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown against Montana State.

Roberts, a Missoula native out of Sentinel High School, is one of the most sure-handed receivers in this year's WR room. He was an All-Big Sky honorable mention as a junior and was the co-recipient of the team's Terry Dillon Award for outstanding back or receiver. He led the team in catches last year with 55 grabs for 683 yards. That season he caught a 70-yard pass en route to a 145-yard receiving game against Idaho, both career highs. He also registered one touchdown catch against Western Illinois.

HALL OF FAMERS

Saturday evening will feature the first-ever Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame banquet beginning at 6:30 p.m. with a ceremony honoring all 14 inductees of the inaugural class. Tickets for the event are $80 per seat and can be purchased at BigSkyConf.com/HOF. For more information on the event, click here.

Dave Dickenson – Montana, Football, 1992-95
Dickenson, a three-time All-American and Academic All-American, led Montana to the 1995 Division I-AA national championship. That year he was named the Walter Payton Award Winner and the National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete. He was a three-time First Team All-Big Sky honoree and three-time Big Sky Offensive MVP. During Dickenson's historic 1995 campaign, he threw for 5,676 yards and 51 touchdowns with his playoff statistics included. The native of Great Falls, Mont., played 10 seasons in the CFL with Calgary and B.C. He was a member of five Grey Cup championship teams and was named the CFL Most Outstanding Player in 2000, and the Grey Cup MVP in 2006. Dickenson became the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders in 2016, where he has compiled a 61-23-2 record in his first five years, with three trips to the Grey Cup, and a Grey Cup championship in 2018. He was named the 2017 CFL Coach of the Year. One of two Griz football players to have their number retired, Dickenson was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 2015 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Shannon (Cate) Schweyen – Montana, Women's Basketball, 1988-92
Shannon Schweyen, formally Shannon Cate, was one of 10 Kodak All-Americans in 1992. She was the league's first and only player named to an All-America team. The Billings, Mont., native was a Naismith Player of the Year finalist and Wade Trophy nominee. The three-time District VII Kodak All-American was voted the Big Sky MVP during her junior and senior seasons. She ended her career with 2,172 career points, at the time a Big Sky record. She ranks second in league history in field goals made (808). The former Big Sky Freshman of the Year was a four-time All-Big Sky honoree, three-time Big Sky tournament MVP, nine-time Big Sky Player of the Week, and four-time Big Sky All-Academic honoree. She is the only Montana women's basketball player to have her number retired.

Robin Selvig – Montana, Women's Basketball, 1978-2016
As one of just 14 NCAA women's basketball coaches to reach 800 career wins, Robin Selvig guided Montana to 21 NCAA Tournaments and a combined 35 Big Sky Conference titles during his 38-year career. A native of Outlook, Mont., Selvig led the Lady Griz to 20-win seasons 31 times, compiling 865 career victories to rank 10th all-time in the NCAA. In 2006, Street & Smith's named Montana the seventh-best women's basketball program of all-time. The Lady Griz were ranked in the top 25 in the nation in seven of Selvig's seasons, achieving a high of No. 13 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll on March 1, 1988. Montana enjoyed incredible success at home during Selvig's tutelage, compiling a 511-61 record while ranking in the top 15 nationally in attendance 13 times. A 15-time Big Sky Coach of the Year recipient, the Lady Griz won 65-straight contests against Big Sky opponents and six NCAA Tournament games under Selvig's rein.

WHERE TO WATCH

Fans can tune-in to watch the Hall of Fame banquet as well as interviews with coaches and players on ESPN+ and the KPAX Streaming App, part of the Montana Television Network. To learn how to get the KPAX Streaming App for your favorite device, visit kpax.com/streaming.

FULL ESPN+ KICKOFF SCHEDULE
Monday, July 25 (All Times PT)

9:00 a.m. - Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill
9:15 a.m. - Northern Arizona (HC Chris Ball & Jonas Leader/Anthony Sweeney)
9:29 a.m. - Weber State (HC Jay Hill & Noah Atagi/Eddie Heckard)
9:43 a.m. - Northern Colorado (HC Ed McCaffrey & Dylan McCaffrey/David Hoage)
9:57 a.m. - UC Davis (HC Dan Hawkins & Garren O'Keefe/Teddye Buchanan)
10:18 a.m. - Sacramento State (HC Troy Taylor & Jake Dunniway/Marte Mapu)
10:32 a.m. - Montana (HC Bobby Hauck & Mitch Roberts/Justin Ford)
10:46 a.m. - Montana State (HC Brent Vigen & Tommy Mellott/Ty Okada)
11:00 a.m. - Portland State (HC Bruce Barnum & Tyson Pauling/Anthony Adams)
11:40 a.m. - Idaho State (HC Charlie Ragle & Tyler Clemons/Josh Alford)
11:54 a.m. - Idaho (HC Jason Eck & Logan Floyd/Fa'Avae Fa'Avae)
12:08 p.m. - Cal Poly (HC Beau Baldwin & Chris Coleman/Dustin Grein)
12:22 p.m. - Eastern Washington (HC Aaron Best & Freddie Roberson/Anthany Smith)

University of Montana Athletics

Hauck, Ford, and Roberts to represent the Griz at Big Sky Kickoff

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