Impressive individuals: Bittner and Wilde named Grizzly Cup winners

If Vegas put odds on student-athletes going on to be successful in life after finishing their college careers, bet the house on Tom Bittner and Erin Wilde.

Bittner and Wilde, champions on the tennis court and track with the academic chops to match, represent everything good about the student-athlete experience at the University of Montana. Examples, almost without peer, of the notion that, if you put in the time, do the work, and dedicate yourself to the pursuit of greatness, that experience will set you up for success in your chosen profession, your family life, and will make you a better citizen of this world.

"Anima sana in corpore sano" – "a sound mind in a sound body" – a Latin phrase at the heart of that notion, and one that sums up the 2026 Grizzly Cup winners: Bittner and Wilde.

Bittner and Wilde were named this year's winners of the award for UM's top overall student-athlete at the annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet in the UC Ballroom on Tuesday evening. It's an annual event acknowledging the over 250 student-athletes who have achieved at least a 3.0 GPA over the last year and highlights the very best among them with the Grizzly Cup and President's Award for the top GPAs in the athletic department.

The Grizzly Cup has been recognizing Montana's best student-athletes for their success in competition and in the classroom for over a century, with the first award presented to three-sport star Larry Higbee in 1921. After a hiatus from 1988 to 2008 the award was reinstated to honor Montana's top male and female athletes in 2009.

In all those years Bittner's selection marks just the second time a tennis player has won the award, while Montana's track & field program continues to produce outstanding individuals with its 26^th overall selection and Wilde becoming the fifth recipient in the last decade.

Bittner recently completed his final season at UM as the highest ranked player in Griz tennis history, the 2026 Big Sky Conference Regular Season MVP, and a three-time unanimous first team all-conference selection, among his long list of accolades.

Perhaps more impressive: as of Tuesday evening, he's also now a three-time winner of the President's Award, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA while taking classes in his second language of English, instead of his native German tongue.

Wilde is in the final weeks of an equally dominant career on the track that has seen the Whitefish native become a six-time Big Sky champion with the opportunity to become the first Grizzly in league history to become a seven-time high jump champion at the upcoming conference meet in May.

She's already a school record holder in both indoor and outdoor events and is currently one of the top 13 high jumpers in the nation, all while remaining on pace to become an eight-time Academic All-Big Sky pick.

You'd be hard pressed to find two more accomplished and deserving individuals (let alone athletes) in their respective sports for an award like this on any division one campus in America.

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Bittner is set to graduate in May with a major in Management and Information Systems as the most decorated Grizzly in both athletic and academic pursuits to ever pick up a racquet at UM.

The native of Neusaess, Germany, came to Missoula as a lanky freshman in 2022 and grew into the highest ranked regional player (Montana to New Mexico) in Grizzly history twice over.

After a breakout sophomore season, he led UM to its first Big Sky championship in over a decade as a junior and went on to become league MVP and a three-time unanimous first team all-conference selection as a senior, all while battling injury and surgery rehab.

"I think Tom has an ability that will continue to make him incredibly successful in life, and that's being so process focused. He's always looking forward. He knows what he does on a Tuesday morning is what's going to allow him to shine on a Sunday afternoon at the Peak," said head tennis coach Jason Brown.

"That's why he deserves every single ounce of success he's had. He's earned it. Especially considering the fact he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet."

In his first season in Missoula Bittner played a supporting role as he adapted to college life in the U.S. as an also-ran on the court, going 7-10 in singles but earning an All-Big Sky honorable mention in doubles, a (literal) sign of bigger things to come.

"He put on probably 30 pounds of pure muscle in those first two years. He's always the hardest worker in the gym, had attention to detail, and is dedicated," said Brown of Bittner's early years.

"He set a standard for what you can do here. We've had freshmen come through that have had much, much better first seasons, but will they be able to replicate a career like Tom's? That's really something special."

As a sophomore Bittner had climbed to a No. 10 Mountain Region ranking, becoming the highest-ranked Grizzly player in program history at that point. He went 16-2 overall in singles that season, 7-1 in Big Sky play on the No. 1 court, and collected Unanimous first team All-Big Sky honors. He also won the President's Award for the first time, and his teammates voted him co-recipient of the Kris Nord Grizzly Grit Award, their version of the most valuable player.

"He had a moment his sophomore year, after a rough freshman campaign, where he was in a pressure situation and told me he wants to be there. He was backing himself. 'I've done the work', is what he said," added Brown.

"'I've done the work' might be the key to Tom Bittner's success here. He made me a better coach in knowing I need to do the work as well. Anytime a guy's pushing things forward like that, I'm just thrilled."

In 2025 Montana won the Big Sky championship tournament and made just the second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. Bittner was at the center of it, playing No. 1 singles and earning Big Sky Tournament MVP in the process, a program first.

His regional ranking climbed again, this time to No. 9, a new high-water mark for the program that made him the only player in UM history to earn a Mountain Region year-end ranking twice. The ITA took notice, naming him a Mountain Region "Player to Watch," making him one of just three Grizzlies and four Big Sky players ever to receive a regional year-end award.

He took home unanimous first team All-Big Sky honors and earned his second straight President's Award with another 4.0 GPA. Again, the academics, and now a title and an MVP. This was not a fluke. This is who Tom Bittner is.

"In his funny, dry, German sense of humor he's occasionally made the joke, 'oh I don't think I'm going to get an A in this class.' And I'm like, really? And he says, 'oh just kidding. Of course I'm going to get an A,' because that's the standard he sets for himself," laughed Brown.

"He knows his attention to detail, thorough preparation, willingness to be process driven is what's going to allow the outcomes," added Brown.

His senior season in 2026 was a fitting conclusion to everything that came before it, even as he battled physical ailments.

In the fall he was the conference's lone representative at the ITA Conference Masters Tournament, a preseason event that draws the best players from every league in the region. There he beat the No. 1 player from TCU (the 2024 national champion) and then beat the 2024 Big East Player of the Year for good measure. He closed his career as the Big Sky Regular Season MVP and six consecutive singles victories.

When you add it all up — and it's worth adding up — Bittner finished with a 45-24 overall dual singles record, a 20-10 record in Big Sky play, and a remarkable 20-3 record at home. He was a four-time All-Big Sky honoree and was three-time unanimous first team in singles. He won Big Sky Player of the Week three times across his career, the Tournament MVP, the Regular Season MVP, and will have four ITA Scholar Athlete awards, four Academic All-Big Sky honors, and three President's Awards to his name.

"He's done all the things you want to do in a career, but for me, the Grizzly Cup is bigger than any MVP. I think sometimes these awards – especially when you get a lot of them – they get lost in the shuffle," said Brown.

"But the Grizzly Cup is the real pinnacle. Especially coming from a smaller sport. This is the one. I hope, however many years from now, when he hopefully gets into our Hall of Fame, this is the one he's extra proud of, because that's the way I feel about it.

"I couldn't be more proud of getting to coach a guy like him. He's made the university proud in his career here, and he's going to continue to do so. If you bet on someone to be successful, I'd put it all on Tom Bittner."

Wilde still has the chance to add to what has been a legendary career at Montana with her season continuing until at least late May, and possibly early June. There is plenty of history on the line for her during what has been her best season yet.

But even without predicting any more accolades, she stands among Montana legends as one of the very best to ever wear the maroon and silver.

Wilde has six individual Big Sky Championships in the women's high jump, winning the event at every conference meet since 2023 outdoors. She is one of just seven women in program history with at least six titles, and one of two to win them all in the same event.

The school records, both indoors and outdoors, belong to Wilde. The Whitefish product doesn't just have the best jump all-time, but the top five indoor marks and the top five outdoor marks. She's the only Grizzly to ever jump over 5-10 and she has done it at 10 career meets.

Wilde not only has the program record outdoors, but she also claimed the Dornblaser Field record earlier this season at the Al Manuel Invitational by clearing 6-feet. In the 58 years of track meets at the field, Wilde is the only woman to ever jump six feet.

"It has been an amazing four years with Erin. What she has accomplished has been epic not only for our program, but for this University," head track and field coach Doug Fraley said. "For her to win the highest award that you can as a Grizzly is fantastic for her and for our program. We are just so proud of everything that she's accomplished thus far."

Her first career victory came back in March of 2023 when she was just a freshman. She showed promise during her first indoor season with two second place finishes but left her debut at the Big Sky Championships with an 8th place finish.

The Grizzlies opened her freshman season at home with the Al Manuel Invitational that year and since besting the field there, Wilde has done a whole lot of winning. She has 27 career victories in 49 meets. She has jumped against 915 women in her career and beaten 752 of them.

Wilde has reached the NCAA First Round every single year of her career with her best finish coming in 2024. She was 27th in the West that season, but is poised to make a run at her first National Championship berth this season.

The senior currently ranks 10th in the west and 13th in the entire NCAA in the high jump this season with her mark of 6-0. She's already booked her spot in the First Round this season with the top 12 jumpers in Fayetteville, Ark. advancing to the National Championship.

If she is able to win the Big Sky Championship in Portland in a few weeks, Wilde will enter some very rare air. She would be the first 7-time champion in the women's high jump in conference history and just the second Grizzly to ever win seven titles in the same event, joining Loni Perkins-Judisch who claimed seven 400m titles from 2005-08.

In fact, only two other women outside of Perkins-Judsich in the entire history of the Big Sky Conference have won seven titles in the same event. Brandi Pietro claimed seven gold medals in the triple jump from 1997-2000 and Elouise Rudy won the women's pole vault a record eight times.

If she can win, it would make her just the 8th woman in league history to be a four-time champion in the same event and the first since Rudy did it in the pole vault from 2005-09.

There is a lot on the line as Wilde looks to go from all-time great to legend of the Big Sky Conference.

It may be hard to tell that there is so much history in the air if you watch Wilde jump. The senior is incredibly focused on her craft, but at the same time there is a simple joy to what she does.

Wilde can often be seen smiling and dancing during meets with her teammate Jaidyn Pevey. She always makes it a point to thank those that help to put on the meet, and there is a sense of joy every time that she clears the bar.

Her drive has also allowed her to succeed in the classroom, where she has earned a place on every single Academic All-Big Sky team in her career.

Wilde's story hasn't been completed yet, but even without the final chapters it's a tale that is more than worthy of the Grizzly Cup.

Grizzly Cup winner history
1921: Larry Higbee (football/basketball/baseball)
1922: Gil Porter (football/basketball/track)
1923: Gil Porter (football/basketball/baseball/track)
1924: Angus "Cammie" Meagher (football/baseball)
1925: Russ Sweet (football/basketball/track)
1926: Ted "Chief" Illman (football/basketball/baseball)
1927: Clarence Coyle (football/basketball/track)
1928: Ed Chinske (football/basketball/baseball)
1929: Tom Davis (football/track)
1930: Ray Lewis (football)
1931: Glenn Lockwood (basketball/track)
1932: Lowell Dailey (football)
1933: Dale Hinman (football/basketball)
1934: Al Dahlberg (football/basketball/track)
1935: Naseby Rhinehart Sr. (football/basketball/track)
1936: Henry Blastic (football/basketball)
1938: Bill Lazetich (football/basketball/track)
1940: Bob Thornally (football)
1941: Tom O'Donnell (football)
1942: Bill Jones (football/basketball)
1943: Henry Dahmer (football)
1948: Charles "Timer" Moses (basketball)
1949: John Helding (football/basketball/baseball)
1950: Jack O'Loughlin (football/baseball)
1951: Ray Bauer (football)
1952: Robert "Lefty" Byrne (football/basketball/baseball)
1953: Jack Luckman (basketball/track)
1954: Ed Anderson (football/basketball/baseball)
1955: Murdo Campbell (football/baseball)
1956: Dale Shupe (football/track)
1957: Don Williamson (football/baseball)
1958: Naseby Rhinehart Jr. (football/track)
1959: Mike Granbois (track)
1960: Rudy Ruana (skiing)
1961-62: Bob O'Billovich (football/basketball/baseball)
1963: Paul D. Miller (football)
1964: Tim Aldrich (basketball)
1965: William M. Rice (basketball/track)
1966: Gary B. Peck (basketball/baseball)
1967: Greg Hanson (basketball)
1968: Willie Jones (football/track)
1969: Mick Harrington (track)
1970: Roy Robinson (football/track)
1971: Lonzo Lewis (football/basketball)
1972: Steve Okoniewski (football)
1973: Earl Tye (basketball)
1974: Robin Selvig (basketball)
1975: Rock Svennungsen (football)
1976: Dean Erhard (track/cross country)
1977: Marsha Hamilton (gymnastics/track)
1978: Tim Kerr (football)
1979: Ed Cerkovnik (football)
1980: Craig Zanon (basketball)
1981: Rocky Klever (football)
1982: Greg Iseman (football)
1983: Brian Salonen (football)
1984-86: Larry Krystkowiak (basketball)
1987: Scott Zanon (basketball/track/football)

1988-2008: No Grizzly Cup awarded

2009: Jordan Hasquet (basketball), Jade Roskam (volleyball)
2010: Anthony Johnson (basketball), Lauren Beck (basketball)
2011: Erik Stoll (football), Jaimie Thibeault (volleyball)
2012: Bryan Waldhauser (football), Katrina Drennen (cross country/track and field)
2013: Mathias Ward (basketball), Olivia Weber (golf)
2014: Brock Coyle (football), Jordan Sullivan (basketball)
2015: Jordan Gregory (basketball), Brooke Moody (soccer)
2016: Tyrone Holmes (football), McCalle Feller (basketball)
2017: Brandon Gfeller (basketball), Sammy Evans (track and field)
2018: Fabijan Krslovic (basketball), Delene Colburn (softball)
2019: Michael Oguine (basketball), Erika McLeod (track and field)
2020: Dante Olson (football), McKenzie Johnston (basketball)

2021: No Grizzly Cup Awarded due to pandemic

2022: Oisin Shaffrey (men's tennis), Taylor Hansen (soccer)
2023: Robby Hauck (football), Holly Sudol (track and field)
2024: Jaydon Green (track), Carmen Gfeller (women's basketball)
2025: Brandon Whitney (men's basketball), Dani Bartsch (women's basketball)
2026: Tom Bittner (men's tennis), Erin Wilde (track and field)

University of Montana Athletics

Impressive individuals: Bittner and Wilde named Grizzly Cup winners

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