Friday, September 8
All Day
Montana State University
vs
Northwest College Rodeo #1 (Cody, Wyoming)
Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
Bobcat Rodeo Opens Fall Season at Cody, Wyoming
9/8/2023 8:21:00 AM | Men's Rodeo, Women's Rodeo
MSU looks to defend Big Sky Region crowns
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State opens its 2023-24 college rodeo season this weekend, traveling to Cody, Wyoming, for a pair of events hosted by Northwest (Wyoming) College.
The Bobcat men's and women's teams open the new school year with the first two of 10 regular season rodeos in the Big Sky Region split evenly between the fall and spring. Both squads won the region a year ago, the men's team in dramatic fashion in the season's last rodeo, coming from behind to beat UM Western.
"We're excited," said third-year head coach Kyle Whitaker. "We have a lot of newcomers, and we're taking everyone on the trip. I'm hoping the veterans compete the way they've proven they can. We have some high hopes for some of the new people."
This weekend's event, which runs Friday and Saturday, is comprised of two rodeos in which each competitor gets one head rather than the normal two. The format, Cody's large outdoor arena, and the normal adjustment from summer or high school competition back to the college season always provides challenges.
"The adjustments are mental more than anything," Whitaker said. "Two one-head rodeos is a little different element. There's a little more luck of the draw when they only compete once. I'll put a few more people on the points team that work three or four events because it's so easy to draw bad and that gives them more opportunities to help the team score."
The Bobcats got bad news this week when senior Mike Nannini, one of the nation's top steer wrestlers, suffered a season-ending knee injury. While his absence certainly affects the team, Whitaker feels terrible for Nannini. "It's really a tough break for him. He's a great competitor who had a legitimate chance to win it all."
Whitaker said excitement is high for the new season. "There's a ton of great energy," he said. "Everyone on the team is ready to go."
#GoCatsGo
The Bobcat men's and women's teams open the new school year with the first two of 10 regular season rodeos in the Big Sky Region split evenly between the fall and spring. Both squads won the region a year ago, the men's team in dramatic fashion in the season's last rodeo, coming from behind to beat UM Western.
"We're excited," said third-year head coach Kyle Whitaker. "We have a lot of newcomers, and we're taking everyone on the trip. I'm hoping the veterans compete the way they've proven they can. We have some high hopes for some of the new people."
This weekend's event, which runs Friday and Saturday, is comprised of two rodeos in which each competitor gets one head rather than the normal two. The format, Cody's large outdoor arena, and the normal adjustment from summer or high school competition back to the college season always provides challenges.
"The adjustments are mental more than anything," Whitaker said. "Two one-head rodeos is a little different element. There's a little more luck of the draw when they only compete once. I'll put a few more people on the points team that work three or four events because it's so easy to draw bad and that gives them more opportunities to help the team score."
The Bobcats got bad news this week when senior Mike Nannini, one of the nation's top steer wrestlers, suffered a season-ending knee injury. While his absence certainly affects the team, Whitaker feels terrible for Nannini. "It's really a tough break for him. He's a great competitor who had a legitimate chance to win it all."
Whitaker said excitement is high for the new season. "There's a ton of great energy," he said. "Everyone on the team is ready to go."
#GoCatsGo
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