Griz add transfer outfielder

The Montana softball program added a new weapon to its roster recently with the addition of Cal State Fullerton transfer Briona Ferdman.

Ferdman, a 5-foot-4 slap hitter and high-level outfielder, played two years for the Titans and will arrive next month in Missoula as a junior in eligibility.

The Grizzlies went from eight wins in 2025 to 22 this past season under second-year head coach Stef Ewing, and almost all of the team that came within a game of a Big Sky Conference title returns.

But there has been a missing piece in the Montana lineup for quite some time, the skill set that Ferdman will bring to the Grizzlies.

"When we evaluated the roster at the end of the year, the big thing was finding somebody who can do small-ball stuff from the left side," said Ewing, the Big Sky co-Coach of the Year in 2026.

"I've always had somebody who can slap on my teams and not just small ball but be able to slap, bunt, power slap, swing away. It's a need we had to fill. Briona gives us a tool for our chest we haven't had."

Montana upped its batting average from .227 in 2025 to .294 in 2026, third best in program history. The Grizzlies set program records for home runs (51), doubles (88) and slugging percentage (.482).

"Last year we depended a lot on being able to put multiple hits together or hit a double or home run," said Ewing. "Having someone who can get on the bases and create havoc is something we wanted.

"Every coach in the country says they want their team to get faster, stealing bases, taking bases, going from first to third on hits. Briona makes us faster."

Ferdman, from Simi Valley, Calif., played in 83 games over two seasons for Fullerton, making 18 starts in the outfield. She stole 22 bases over two seasons and scored 30 runs.

Prior to joining the Titans, she played for the highly respected Firecrackers Brashear organization. She was first-team All-Marmonte League as a senior at Agoura High.

"In the outfield, she is someone who can cover a lot of ground and make a lot of plays," said Ewing. "We're going to have a lot of competition in the outfield, and she wants to embrace the competition.

"She comes from a great club team and with the family she comes from and her personality, she is going to be a great addition to our team and our culture and who we are and what we believe in."

University of Montana Athletics

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