Top Griz Moments of 2023

It's been a fantastic year to be a Grizzly!

As we close out the final days of 2023, we want to take a look back at some of the many amazing moments and feats from this past year.

Each day through the end of the year, we will highlight a game or moment that stood out from 2023.

January 26 – Women's Basketball vs. Sacramento State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Game Recap

Facing the Big Sky Conference leaders – and the eventual Big Sky tournament champions – the Lady Griz rallied for a huge home win over Sacramento State. Montana trailed by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter but fought back to tie the score at 72-72 and then took the lead, 78-77, on a Gina Marxen and-one. The Lady Griz forced a turnover and miss on the defensive end to earn the memorable win.

AND-ONE FOR MARXEN!! GO LADY GRIZ! pic.twitter.com/wU00PXGu8G
— Montana Lady Griz (@MontanaGrizWBB) January 27, 2023

February 4 – Men's Basketball vs. Northern Arizona
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Game Recap

On a night that was already going to be special because of what the Grizzlies were representing – the Montana men debuted its turquoise N7 uniforms to celebrate the state's Native American communities – the Grizzlies also delivered on the court. More than 4,500 fans watched the back-and-forth game, which ended with Brandon Whitney finishing a put-back attempt with 11.3 seconds to play, giving the Grizzlies a 67-66 victory.

Aanen Moody scored 26 points in the victory, later earning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors. The win was part of a five-game winning streak for Montana, which won seven of its final eight regular-season contests, and then beat Idaho State in the Big Sky tournament quarterfinals.

Off the court, the night was special as the Grizzlies celebrated indigenous communities throughout the night, including pregame with tribal flags and the singing of the honors song, and at halftime with a performance from the Kyiyo dancers.

February 11 – Women's Basketball vs. Weber State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Game Recap

The final result – a 65-48 Lady Griz victory – was nice, but not the story. The highlight from the weekend was Robin Selvig, and the court that was named in his honor.

A ceremony on Friday night officially unveiled the name change – and logo displayed at midcourt. The Lady Griz christened it the next day, putting together a 17-point win as part of National Girls & Women In Sports Day.

Selvig, who won 865 games and 35 Big Sky Conference titles while qualifying for the NCAA tournament 21 times during a Hall-of-Fame career, was recognized at halftime, as more than 50 former players came back to celebrate the honor with their beloved coach.

March 10 – Softball vs. UNLV
Game 1 Recap | Game 2 Recap
The Griz softball team picked up two wins at the Seattle Invitational (March 10-11), defeating UNLV, of the Mountain West, on back-to-back days. The Grizzlies were powered by Kendall Curtis, who drove in both runs of Montana's 2-1 win and was later named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week. Allie Brock threw a complete game in the victory. In the Grizzlies' 5-4 win the next day, Elise Ontiveros scored a run and drove in two more.

April 1 – Track & Field vs. Montana State
Photo Gallery | Recap
Montana's men's track & field team won the Griz-Cat Dual for the first time since 2013. There were several individual highlights from the home meet, including double-event wins for Cooper Hewett (100 meters, 200 meters) and Brooke Stayner (100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles). In total, 15 individuals were victorious, including Jaydon Green (110-meter hurdles), Evan Todd (javelin) and Patrick Kremer (high jump) on the men's side.

Montana's men had a two-point lead entering the final event of the day. Anchored by Paul Johnstone, the Grizzlies came-from-behind to win the 4x400-meter relay by one-hundredth of a second to claim the Griz-Cat victory.

A fantastic finish to the 4x4 from Paul Johnstone clinches the win for Montana! #GoGriz #GrizTF pic.twitter.com/5uvS7ivXTp
— Montana Griz TF & XC (@MontanaGrizTFXC) April 1, 2023

April 8 – Men's Tennis vs. Portland State
Recap
Despite a roster comprised of four freshmen and zero seniors, the Montana men's tennis team swept Portland State, 7-0, to earn a Big Sky Conference tournament spot. On the season, Gustav Theilgaard earned All-Big Sky recognition.

April 9 – Women's Tennis vs. Eastern Washington
Photo Gallery | Recap
On the final day of the regular season, Montana's women's tennis team edged Eastern Washington, 4-3, in thrilling fashion to clinch a Big Sky Conference tournament spot for the first time since 2015. The strong spring season also included wins over regional rivals Idaho and Montana State.

May 13 – Track & Field at Big Sky Championships
Photo Gallery | Recap

The Grizzlies outperformed preseason expectations on the track & field, with several team and individual accomplishments at the Big Sky Conference Championships in Greeley, Colorado. Four individuals won Big Sky titles over the weekend, including Jaydon Green (110-meter hurdles), Holly Sudol (400-meter hurdles), Evan Todd (javelin) and Erin Wilde (high jump).

Those four, along with Matthew Hockett (javelin), Zane Johnson (pole vault) and Shealyne McGee (pole vault) would go on to qualify for NCAA Regionals later that month. Green (60-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles) and McGee (pole vault) would set school records during the spring season.

August 27 – Soccer vs. Ohio State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
The hype kept building throughout the summer, as Montana soccer prepared to host a Big Ten Conference opponent. The goal was to set a school attendance record, which was smashed, as 1,973 fans nearly doubled the previous attendance record (1,093 in 1999) and watched the Grizzlies fight to a 2-2 draw against Ohio State.

Montana scored the game's first goal on a Maysa Walters penalty kick, just 8 minutes into the contest, and after falling behind, tied the score in the 59^th minute. All night, Montana was the dominant team, nearly doubling up the Buckeyes in shots (13 to 7) and controlling the time of possession.

The early-season result was the start of huge things to come for Montana, which one week later earned a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma of the Big 12. Stay tuned for more on Montana's historic soccer season as our countdown continues.

September 16 – Football vs. Ferris State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
Specialty Black Out uniforms in front of an amped up, then-record-crowd. Suga Sean O'Malley pregame. Fireworks postgame. A Griz win. The entire night was electric!

Sept. 26 – Women's Golf at Big Sky Conference 54 for IX Tournament
Recap
For just the second time in program history – and the first time away from Missoula – Montana women's golf shot three sub-300 rounds at a tournament, carding an 895 at the 54-hole tournament in Saratoga Springs, Utah.

Freshman Elle Higgins led the Grizzlies with an even-par 216.

Sept. 29 – Volleyball vs. Montana State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
Playing in front of a record crowd of more than 2,200 fans, Montana Griz volleyball made quick work of rival Montana State, sweeping the Bobcats, including a 25-11 domination in the third set. The Grizzlies allowed just 56 points, the fewest scored by MSU all season.

Paige Clark led the Grizzlies with 14 kills on just 19 swings, as Montana swept MSU for the first time since 2016 and beat the Cats for the fourth straight time.

The Grizzlies again qualified for the Big Sky tournament in 2023, posting their best three-year win total since 2008-10.

Oct. 14 – Football at Idaho
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
In a season-turning win, Montana went to Moscow, Idaho, and earned its second consecutive ranked road win. The Griz dominated the 3rd-ranked Vandals early, held on in dramatic fashion late and came back to Missoula with the Little Brown Stein.

Oct. 19 – Soccer vs. Sacramento State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
A historic season for Griz soccer included Montana's 9th Big Sky Conference title, which the Grizzlies secured with a 2-0 home win over Sacramento State.

Among other things, the 2023 Griz soccer season featured:

A Big Sky Conference regular-season title by going unbeaten in league play (7-0-1).
Five All-Big Sky selections, plus the league's Coach of the Year (Chris Citowicki), Offensive MVP (Skyleigh Thompson), Newcomer of the Year (Abby Gearhart), Freshman of the Year (Ashlyn Dvorak) and Golden Boot award winner (Delaney Lou Schorr).
Four United Soccer Coaches All-Region honorees, including the first player to ever earn first-team honors (Skyleigh Thompson). Thompson also became the first Grizzly to earn Scholar All-America recognition.
The most goals scored and most wins since 2000.
The nation's best save percentage (.903), in addition to the fewest goals allowed in school and Big Sky history.
A 1-0-2 record against Power-5 competition, including a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma of the Big 12.
Single-game and single-season attendance records.

Oct. 27 – Cross Country hosts Big Sky Championships
Photo Gallery | Recap
Montana's men's and women's cross country teams both exceeded preseason expectations while hosting the 2023 Big Sky Championships. On a snowy Friday morning, several nationally ranked teams competed in Missoula, including Northern Arizona, which finished second in the nation on both the men's and women's sides. For Montana, the men had their best finish since 2015, with three individuals in the top 32, while the women had three runners in the top 50.

Nov. 18 – Football vs. Montana State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
In arguably the biggest Griz-Cat game in the storied series history, No. 3 Montana blasted No. 4 Montana State, 37-7. It was the first time in 122 Brawl of the Wild games that both teams were ranked in the top 5, and with the victory, Montana won its first Big Sky Conference championship since 2009.

The Grizzlies scored early and often, taking a 20-0 lead into halftime. After the break, they continued to pour it on, getting a 64-yard touchdown run from Nick Ostmo and a game-sealing interception from Trevin Gradney.

Offensively, Clifton McDowell was 17-of-22 through the air, in addition to rushing for 74 yards. He accounted for two touchdowns and nearly 300 yards. Junior Bergen caught six passes for 91 yards and a score. The Big Sky's leading offense (MSU averaged 43.8 points per game) was held to one score and 1-of-14 on third and fourth downs.

Dec. 2 – Football vs. Delaware
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
Playoff football alone warrants a spot on the countdown, but to post a dominant, 30-point win, in a snow globe? This was one we will definitely remember!

Dec. 6 – Women's Basketball vs. Loyola Marymount
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
Getting to play in front of nearly 6,000 elementary-school students for the annual Lady Griz School Day game, the Lady Griz earned a win on the court and made lifelong fans off of it.

Dec. 8 – Football vs. Furman
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap

It started with a 99-yard kickoff-return touchdown to open the game. Later, Junior Bergen set a school record with his fifth career punt-return score. Montana eventually won the game in overtime, advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2011.

Dec. 16 – Football vs. North Dakota State
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery | Recap
Sold-out crowd. Two overtimes. Knocking off a powerhouse program to book your ticket to the national championship game.

This wasn't just one of the best moments of 2023, but of all-time.

University of Montana Athletics

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