Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
Bobcat Athletics Welcomes New Members to Full-Time Staff
10/30/2019 12:29:00 PM | General, Student Services, Student-Athletes
The Montana State University Athletics Department has added several new faces to its full-time staff and announced the most recent additions on Wednesday
The Montana State University Athletics Department has added several new faces to its full-time staff and announced the most recent additions on Wednesday. The new appointments will make significant impacts to their specific areas of focus.
"The strength of any organization are its people and I am excited about our staff additions and the experience they bring to Bobcat Athletics," said Leon Costello, Montana State's Director of Athletics. "I'm looking forward to our new staff contributing to the overall success of our department."
The Montana State Strength and Conditioning staff has been boosted by the additions of John Sauer and Ryan Hartsell.
Sauer joined the Bobcat strength and conditioning staff in July after spending the previous 31 years at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He began his stint with the Tribe as their first full-time strength and conditioning coach in 1988. He worked with all aspects of strength and conditioning for the Tribe's 23 varsity sports during his career. In July of 2010, Sauer was recognized for his efforts with the Tribe when William & Mary named its training area in his honor. Sauer is a native of Libby, Montana, and serves as MSU's Olympic Sports Director in strength and conditioning.
Ryan Hartsell began his tenure at MSU in August as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. Hartsell graduated from Appalachian State in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science with a concentration in strength and condition. He also attended Northern Illinois and worked as a graduate assistant for the Huskies. Prior to his arrival in Bozeman, Hartsell worked at Eastern Kentucky as an associate director of sports performance.
Aaron Grusonik, Psy.D, joined MSU Athletics as its Director of Student-Athlete Wellness in August of 2019. His primary responsibilities focus on helping Bobcat student-athletes with mental performance including goal setting, visualization, self-talk and referral for clinical consultation and services. Grusonik obtained his PhD in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute Berkeley, Calif. He holds a master's degree from San Francisco and a bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's. He most recent served as the Associate Dean of Students/Director of Safety and Welfare at Montana State. Grusonik was a water-polo student-athlete at Saint Mary's.
The MSU Athletic Department also added Jack Murrey and Rainey Peuse to its staff over the summer. Murrey serves as MSU's assistant director of creative services, helping build the Bobcats' brand through creative content creation. He's a graduate of Montana State and previously worked on the video staff as an undergraduate student. Peuse is a member of the Bobcat Club staff and serves as the director of athletic development/special events. Peuse is a graduate of Montana State and is responsible for working with the state's Bobcat Clubs and manages events held by Bobcat Athletics.
Dustin Cichosz, a former Bobcat track and field standout, was added to the program's full-time staff this summer. Cichosz originally joined the staff as a part-time coach in 2018 and primarily works with the development of the Bobcats' long jumpers and triple jumpers. Cichosz was a member of the MSU squad from 2005-10, claiming the Big Sky Conference indoor triple jump championships in 2010. He was a two-time all-Big Sky performer and was an all-academic team selection five times.
MSU's Academic Services added Sierra Fredricksen and Emily Keller to its team this month, while Ben Huver recently joined the Bobcats' athletic training staff.
Fredricksen and Keller serve as academic coordinators for Bobcat student-athletes, with Fredricksen specializing as the staff's learning specialist and Keller heading student-athlete affairs. Fredricksen holds master's and bachelor's degrees in English. Fredricksen most recently worked at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, and had a previous stint at the University of Providence in Great Falls. Keller served as an academic advisor for the MSU College of Business beginning in 2016. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Southern Nazarene where she competed in track and field. She is currently pursuing her master's in the adult and higher education graduate program at Montana State.
Huver most recently worked at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He served the Jaguars as their assistant director of sports medicine, primarily working with Southern's football and women's basketball teams. Huver obtained a master's degree from Colorado Christian in 2017 and spent two years as a graduate assistant primarily working with volleyball and baseball. Huver is a native of Riverton, Wyoming, and earned his bachelor's degree in athletic training from Colorado Mesa.
"The strength of any organization are its people and I am excited about our staff additions and the experience they bring to Bobcat Athletics," said Leon Costello, Montana State's Director of Athletics. "I'm looking forward to our new staff contributing to the overall success of our department."
The Montana State Strength and Conditioning staff has been boosted by the additions of John Sauer and Ryan Hartsell.
Sauer joined the Bobcat strength and conditioning staff in July after spending the previous 31 years at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He began his stint with the Tribe as their first full-time strength and conditioning coach in 1988. He worked with all aspects of strength and conditioning for the Tribe's 23 varsity sports during his career. In July of 2010, Sauer was recognized for his efforts with the Tribe when William & Mary named its training area in his honor. Sauer is a native of Libby, Montana, and serves as MSU's Olympic Sports Director in strength and conditioning.
Ryan Hartsell began his tenure at MSU in August as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. Hartsell graduated from Appalachian State in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science with a concentration in strength and condition. He also attended Northern Illinois and worked as a graduate assistant for the Huskies. Prior to his arrival in Bozeman, Hartsell worked at Eastern Kentucky as an associate director of sports performance.
Aaron Grusonik, Psy.D, joined MSU Athletics as its Director of Student-Athlete Wellness in August of 2019. His primary responsibilities focus on helping Bobcat student-athletes with mental performance including goal setting, visualization, self-talk and referral for clinical consultation and services. Grusonik obtained his PhD in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute Berkeley, Calif. He holds a master's degree from San Francisco and a bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's. He most recent served as the Associate Dean of Students/Director of Safety and Welfare at Montana State. Grusonik was a water-polo student-athlete at Saint Mary's.
The MSU Athletic Department also added Jack Murrey and Rainey Peuse to its staff over the summer. Murrey serves as MSU's assistant director of creative services, helping build the Bobcats' brand through creative content creation. He's a graduate of Montana State and previously worked on the video staff as an undergraduate student. Peuse is a member of the Bobcat Club staff and serves as the director of athletic development/special events. Peuse is a graduate of Montana State and is responsible for working with the state's Bobcat Clubs and manages events held by Bobcat Athletics.
Dustin Cichosz, a former Bobcat track and field standout, was added to the program's full-time staff this summer. Cichosz originally joined the staff as a part-time coach in 2018 and primarily works with the development of the Bobcats' long jumpers and triple jumpers. Cichosz was a member of the MSU squad from 2005-10, claiming the Big Sky Conference indoor triple jump championships in 2010. He was a two-time all-Big Sky performer and was an all-academic team selection five times.
MSU's Academic Services added Sierra Fredricksen and Emily Keller to its team this month, while Ben Huver recently joined the Bobcats' athletic training staff.
Fredricksen and Keller serve as academic coordinators for Bobcat student-athletes, with Fredricksen specializing as the staff's learning specialist and Keller heading student-athlete affairs. Fredricksen holds master's and bachelor's degrees in English. Fredricksen most recently worked at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, and had a previous stint at the University of Providence in Great Falls. Keller served as an academic advisor for the MSU College of Business beginning in 2016. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Southern Nazarene where she competed in track and field. She is currently pursuing her master's in the adult and higher education graduate program at Montana State.
Huver most recently worked at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He served the Jaguars as their assistant director of sports medicine, primarily working with Southern's football and women's basketball teams. Huver obtained a master's degree from Colorado Christian in 2017 and spent two years as a graduate assistant primarily working with volleyball and baseball. Huver is a native of Riverton, Wyoming, and earned his bachelor's degree in athletic training from Colorado Mesa.
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