Letter from the AD: August 2025 Edition
8/6/2025 10:00:00 AM | General
Dear Bobcats,
With the new academic year quickly approaching, and the surge of energy we all feel knowing that Bobcat Athletics and the new academic year are just days away, I had the opportunity to give statewide media members a tour of our new Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center. During that time, I addressed that group about the amazing year we experienced in 2024-25 and previewed what is to come. Watch Here
The old adage that it's more difficult to understand where you are going without knowing where you have been has never been more relevant than in these uncertain times. Over the years, Bobcat Athletics has been a source of unmistakable pride for Bobcat fans far and wide. This year was no different as our teams and individual athletes accomplished incredible and in some cases historical feats. During this past year our football and women's basketball teams made history, setting records for victories at MSU and in the Big Sky Conference while each winning Big Sky championships and advancing to NCAA post-season action.
When student-athletes and the staff that supports them focus on working as a team, individual accolades follow. Our track and field teams set 25 school records and sent 11 student-athletes to the NCAA Championships, Tommy Mellott won the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the FCS, Brody Grebe was named the top student-athlete in the FCS, Maddie Montoya won the Big Sky Golf Championship and became the first Bobcat to advance to the NCAA Tournament, and the Bobcat rodeo team had the second-most CNFR qualifiers in the nation. In all, 32 Bobcats were named all-Americans. Amidst all this success, our student-athletes compiled a 3.42 grade point average in each semester and three of them named academic all-American.
One transition in particular emphasized our gratitude to represent Montana State University. We had the opportunity to celebrate the legendary tenure of President Waded Cruzado during the 2024-25 academic year, honoring her extreme dedication and superior leadership in boosting MSU to among the nation's elite public universities. While saying so long to this incredible leader, who we will honor with induction into the Bobcat Athletics Hall of Fame in January, we began welcoming President Brock Tessman to our campus. His ability to take the baton in full sprint has been impressive, and we can't wait to work together to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
The trajectory of our university remains incredible, and the same is true for Bobcat Athletics. In opening the KSAC on Monday, August 18 at 4:00pm, we punctuate our continued growth with a structure that will benefit not just our student-athletes and coaches but the entire community. The turf field and six-lane track offers our football team a beautiful practice venue, our track and field squad a training and competition site, and residents of Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley the opportunity to utilize an indoor space when weather conditions prohibit outside activities.
I can't help but be grateful for the support that Bobcat Athletics has received from Montana State University and our generous supporters as we continue working diligently to move our program forward. In the last decade we've added the Bobcat Athletics Complex and now the KSAC, we've renovated spaces inside Brick Breeden Fieldhouse to enhance strength training, sports medicine, equipment, and locker spaces that benefit every MSU student-athlete for years to come.
We also continue to make our venues more accessible and enjoyable for Bobcat fans. Last season, a new video board in Bobcat Stadium made a dramatic impact on the game day experience and this year's north end zone structure offers additional opportunities to experience a Bobcat home football game. Our fans continue to respond as you all pour into Bobcat Stadium in record numbers while helping us lead the Big Sky in women's and men's basketball attendance during the past season.
As you might know by now, MSU has opted into the House settlement that affects all Division I athletic program in a profound way. No one knows for certain how the landscape of college athletics will look in the months, year or a decade ahead, but we know that right now, in Bobcat Athletics, we continue to position the athletic department in a way to create opportunities for our athletes and coaches to achieve their goals while generating excitement and pride in our fans.
We operate in a challenging time, an unprecedented time, but also, an exciting time. And today and every day, is a GREAT DAY TO BE A BOBCAT!
Go Cats!
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Leon Costello |
