Letter From The AD: January 2020 Edition
1/9/2020 12:07:00 PM | General, Student Services, Student-Athletes
Dear Bobcats,
Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season treated you well and you were able to spend precious time with family and friends. It is hard to believe 2019 has come to an end, but we had plenty of accomplishments to celebrate and are ready for an even better 2020.
I need to start off by thanking all our fans for the support given to our student-athletes and programs this year. Shroyer Gymnasium and Bobcat Stadium provided home environments we should all be proud of. I also must give a special THANK YOU for the electric and awesome atmosphere inside Bobcat Stadium during the 119thBrawl of the Wild and our two home football playoff games. We needed you and you delivered in a big way. I am looking forward to carrying this momentum into Brick Breeden Fieldhouse for the conference basketball season.
It is imperative for Bobcat Athletics to continue to focus on the academic mission of our university. Since my first day on campus, I have been impressed with the academic accomplishments by our Bobcat student-athletes and this year was the best yet. MSU student-athletes closed the 2019 year with a Fall cumulative GPA of 3.27! That is the highest GPA for a semester on record. The average team GPA was 3.38 and 68% of Bobcat student-athletes earned a 3.0 or higher. I couldn't be prouder of our student-athletes, coaches and academic staff for this incredible accomplishment.
The football team capped a historic season with a semifinal berth in the 2019 FCS Playoffs, the first in 35 years. The year also included 11 wins for the fourth time in program history and a fourth consecutive Cat/Griz victory for the first time in 42 years. Troy Andersen, Mitch Brott, Brayden Konkol and Bryce Sterk were named All-Americans, while five individuals (Andersen, Brott, Konkol, Josh Hill and Travis Jonsen) were First Team All-Big Sky selections. Those honorees were the most for the program in a single season since 2012. Kyle Finch was also chosen as a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American which was the first since 2013.
With the 2019 season fresh in our minds, football season tickets will go on sale at the end of January. Get your tickets and help us continue to make Bobcat Stadium the best home field advantage in the FCS during the 2020 season.
MSU volleyball continued to "Build the Legacy" as they reached the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time in 14 years, tallied 15 wins – the most since 2012 – and won 10 Big Sky Conference matches, the most since 2004. Three Bobcats – Allyssa Rizzo, Hannah Scott and Evi Wilson – were named First Team All-Big Sky Conference for the first time in program history and Rizzo was named the Libero of the Year.
MSU cross country was highlighted by Camila Noe's Big Sky Conference Championship, Montana State's first individual women's champion in 27 years. She also placed 30th at the NCAA Championships to become the first women's cross country All-American in program history. The men's team finished third at the Big Sky Conference Championships which was their best finish in seven years.
So many great things are happening following a historic fall, including the completion of fundraising for Phase One of our Facilities Master Plan. The Bobcat Athletic Complex and new Academic Excellence Center will each provide our department a great resource for our student-athletes. We are eager to break ground this spring on the Bobcat Athletic Complex and begin the initial steps of our Phase One projects. Detailed information for the groundbreaking event will be forthcoming.
As the men's and women's basketball seasons enter conference play, the excitement in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse is real and the crowds have grown as both teams compete for a Big Sky Conference championship. Get your tickets now and avoid the lines at the door. Click here to purchase your basketball tickets today. Also, join us in Boise, Idaho, for the Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships as both teams try to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Click here to purchase tickets today.
Don't forget that MSU, along with Bridger Bowl and Crosscut Mountain Sports Center, will host the 2020 NCAA Skiing National Championships March 11-14. This is a great event to showcase our athletic department, MSU campus and Bozeman community and to witness the best skiing in the country. For more information on the 2020 NCAA Skiing Championships, click here.
Spring sports are gearing up for exciting seasons. Check out MSUBobcats.com for schedules and news related to the Bobcat track and field, golf and tennis teams.
Our MSU student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff are accomplishing great things in the classroom, competition and community. However, we can't do it without you. Support these outstanding programs by joining the Bobcat Club, increasing your donation, and buying season or individual game tickets. All revenue generated from these sources supports student-athlete scholarships and operations of our entire athletic department.
Thank you again for an outstanding 2019, and together, we can make 2020 even better.
Go Cats!
Leon Costello
Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season treated you well and you were able to spend precious time with family and friends. It is hard to believe 2019 has come to an end, but we had plenty of accomplishments to celebrate and are ready for an even better 2020.
I need to start off by thanking all our fans for the support given to our student-athletes and programs this year. Shroyer Gymnasium and Bobcat Stadium provided home environments we should all be proud of. I also must give a special THANK YOU for the electric and awesome atmosphere inside Bobcat Stadium during the 119thBrawl of the Wild and our two home football playoff games. We needed you and you delivered in a big way. I am looking forward to carrying this momentum into Brick Breeden Fieldhouse for the conference basketball season.
It is imperative for Bobcat Athletics to continue to focus on the academic mission of our university. Since my first day on campus, I have been impressed with the academic accomplishments by our Bobcat student-athletes and this year was the best yet. MSU student-athletes closed the 2019 year with a Fall cumulative GPA of 3.27! That is the highest GPA for a semester on record. The average team GPA was 3.38 and 68% of Bobcat student-athletes earned a 3.0 or higher. I couldn't be prouder of our student-athletes, coaches and academic staff for this incredible accomplishment.
The football team capped a historic season with a semifinal berth in the 2019 FCS Playoffs, the first in 35 years. The year also included 11 wins for the fourth time in program history and a fourth consecutive Cat/Griz victory for the first time in 42 years. Troy Andersen, Mitch Brott, Brayden Konkol and Bryce Sterk were named All-Americans, while five individuals (Andersen, Brott, Konkol, Josh Hill and Travis Jonsen) were First Team All-Big Sky selections. Those honorees were the most for the program in a single season since 2012. Kyle Finch was also chosen as a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American which was the first since 2013.
With the 2019 season fresh in our minds, football season tickets will go on sale at the end of January. Get your tickets and help us continue to make Bobcat Stadium the best home field advantage in the FCS during the 2020 season.
MSU volleyball continued to "Build the Legacy" as they reached the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time in 14 years, tallied 15 wins – the most since 2012 – and won 10 Big Sky Conference matches, the most since 2004. Three Bobcats – Allyssa Rizzo, Hannah Scott and Evi Wilson – were named First Team All-Big Sky Conference for the first time in program history and Rizzo was named the Libero of the Year.
MSU cross country was highlighted by Camila Noe's Big Sky Conference Championship, Montana State's first individual women's champion in 27 years. She also placed 30th at the NCAA Championships to become the first women's cross country All-American in program history. The men's team finished third at the Big Sky Conference Championships which was their best finish in seven years.
So many great things are happening following a historic fall, including the completion of fundraising for Phase One of our Facilities Master Plan. The Bobcat Athletic Complex and new Academic Excellence Center will each provide our department a great resource for our student-athletes. We are eager to break ground this spring on the Bobcat Athletic Complex and begin the initial steps of our Phase One projects. Detailed information for the groundbreaking event will be forthcoming.
As the men's and women's basketball seasons enter conference play, the excitement in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse is real and the crowds have grown as both teams compete for a Big Sky Conference championship. Get your tickets now and avoid the lines at the door. Click here to purchase your basketball tickets today. Also, join us in Boise, Idaho, for the Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships as both teams try to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Click here to purchase tickets today.
Don't forget that MSU, along with Bridger Bowl and Crosscut Mountain Sports Center, will host the 2020 NCAA Skiing National Championships March 11-14. This is a great event to showcase our athletic department, MSU campus and Bozeman community and to witness the best skiing in the country. For more information on the 2020 NCAA Skiing Championships, click here.
Spring sports are gearing up for exciting seasons. Check out MSUBobcats.com for schedules and news related to the Bobcat track and field, golf and tennis teams.
Our MSU student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff are accomplishing great things in the classroom, competition and community. However, we can't do it without you. Support these outstanding programs by joining the Bobcat Club, increasing your donation, and buying season or individual game tickets. All revenue generated from these sources supports student-athlete scholarships and operations of our entire athletic department.
Thank you again for an outstanding 2019, and together, we can make 2020 even better.
Go Cats!
Leon Costello
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