MONTANA GRIZZLIES • Big Sky Conference
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MONTANA GRIZZLIES • Big Sky Conference he Big Sky Conference enters its 43rd of Great Falls, Mont., in 1947 entitled “The • Doug Fullerton, the fifth commissioner year of athletic competition in 2005-06 pre Big Sky.” Jack Hollowell, a former Montana of the Big Sky Conference, will enter his paring to expand its footprint across the advertising director, promoted the Big Sky 11th year at the helm. Fullerton took over West. theme for the Treasure State, and Harry the Big Sky on July 1,1995, replacing long- The University of Northern Colorado ac Missildine of the Spokane Spokesman-Re- time commissioner Ron Stephenson. cepted an invitation to join the Sky in July of view called for the newly formed league to Stephenson served the league for 14 years. 2005 and will officially become a member be named the Big Sky Conference in his Steve Belko was the commissioner from in July of 2006. column dated Feb. 20, 1963. 1977-81 while John Roning held the post The Big Sky is an NCAA Division I mem from 1971-77. The first league commis • The Big Sky sponsors championships ber in all sports, with member institutions sioner was Jack Friel, who served from in 14 sports, including men’s and women’s classified as l-AA in football. The Big Sky 1963-71. cross country, indoor and outdoor track and will be in its fifth and final year with the cur field, basketball and tennis. In addition, there rent eight-team membership of Eastern are also championships in football, and Washington, Idaho State, Montana, Montana 2003 Big Sky Conference women’s volleyball, golf and soccer. State, Northern Arizona, Portland State, Sac Football Standings ramento State and Weber State. The league • The 2005-06 season will mark the 18th Big Sky Games has become one of the strongest Division I year that the Big Sky Conference will spon W L PCT PF PA conferences in the West and is a national sor championships in women’s sports. The Montana*# 6 1 .857 253 171 leader in l-AA football. former Mountain West Conference existed Eastern Washington* 6 1 .857 .308 149 from 1982-88, sponsoring championships • The Big Sky Conference was estab Portland State 4 3 .571 207 161 for women’s sports at the same institutions lished in 1963 by six charter members - Montana State 4 3 .571 222 195 the Big Sky had men’s programs. The Big Idaho, Idaho State, Gonzaga, Montana, Northern Arizona 3 4 .429 169 210 Sky merged with the Mountain West in Montana State and Weber State. Those six Idaho State 2 5 .286 145 197 1988, forming one league for both men and schools formed the foundation of the Big Sacramento State 2 5 .286 124 223 women. Sky before the league expanded in 1970 Weber State 1 6 .143 125 247 by adding Boise State and Northern Ari Big Sky Conference *Clinched share of regular-season title zona. Gonzaga left the Sky in 1979 and was # Earned automatic bid to l-AA playoffs replaced by Nevada, which gave the league eight members. The conference grew to All Games nine schools in 1987 with the addition of W L PCT PF PA Eastern Washington. Montana 12 3 .800 353 339 Eastern Washington 9 4 .692 488 323 • The 1990s saw change in the makeup Portland State 7 4 .636 335 223 of the league, beginning in 1992 when Ne Montana State 6 5 .545 296 285 vada departed and put the Big Sky back at Northern Arizona 4 7 .364 244 314 eight teams. In 1996 Boise State and Idaho Idaho State 3 8 .273 266 357 left and at the same time the conference slflWg Sacramento State 3 8 .273 190 415 added Portland State, Sacramento State Weber State 1 10 .091 202 375 and Cal State Northridge. The Big Sky maintained nine teams for five years be 2004 Montana fore Cal State Northridge departed in the spring of 2001, giving the Big Sky its cur Conference Players of the Week rent makeup. • Sept. 6 - Craig Ochs, Offense - Dan Carpenter, Special Teams • With the addition of Northern Colo • Sept. 13 - Craig Ochs, Offense rado, the Big Sky will spread across seven - Jefferson Heidelberger, Spec. Teams states spanning from the Pacific Ocean to • Sept. 27 - Dan Carpenter, Special Teams the Rocky Mountain Front. The Big Sky is * Schools of the Conference • Oct. 18 - Shane MacIntyre, Defense represented along the entire west coast Eastern Washington • Nov. 8 - Dan Carpenter, Special Teams with schools in Washington, Oregon and Idaho State • Nov. 22 - Jefferson Heidelberger, Spec. Teams California. League schools also range up Montana and down the Rocky Mountains with insti Montana State tutions in Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona Northern Arizona Big Sky School Web Sites and in 2006, Colorado. Portland State www.bigskyconf.com Of the eight western-most states in the Sacramento State Eastern Washington - www.goeags.com contiguous United States only one, Ne Weber State Idaho State - www.isubengals.com vada, is not represented in the Big Sky. Montana - www.montanagrizzlies.com On Feb 25,1963, the name Big Sky was Montana State - www.msubobcats.com adopted by the six presidents of the char Northern Arizona - www.nauathletics.com ter members as the name of the new con Portland State - www.goviks.com ference. The name Big Sky originated in a Sacramento State - www.hornetsports.com novel written by the late A.B. (Bud) Guthrie Weber State - www.weber.edu/ahtletics 2005 FOOTBALL • Big Sky Conference Past Big Sky Champs. ................................ 196 3 Idaho State (3-1) ........................................ ............................. Montana State (2-1) 196 4 Montana State (3-0) .................................. ................................... Idaho State(2-1) 1965 Weber State, Idaho (3-1) .......................... ......................................Montana (2-2) 1966 Montana State (4-0) .................................. .............................................Idaho (3-1) 19 67 Montana State (4-0) .................................. Montana, Weber State, Idaho (2-2) 1968 Weber State, Idaho, Montana State (3-1) 1969 MONTANA (4-0)....................................... ................................. Weber State (3-1) 1970 MONTANA (6-0) ....................................... .................................. Idaho State (4-2) 1971 Idaho (4-1) ................................................. .................................. Boise State (4-2) 1972 Montana State (5-1) .................................. .................................. Idaho State (4-1) 1973 Boise State (6-0) ........................................ ............................. Montana State (5-1) 197 4 Boise State (6-0) ........................................ ............................. Montana State (5-1) 197 5 Boise State (5-0-1) .................................... ....... Idaho State, Montana State (4-2) 197 6 Montana State (6-0) .................................. .............................................Idaho (5-1) 197 7 Boise State (6-0) ........................................ ........................Northern Arizona (5-1) 197 8 Northern Arizona ....................................... .......... Montana, Montana State (4-2) 197 9 Montana State (6-1) .................................. .........................................Nevada (5-2) 1980 Boise State (6-1) ........................................ .............................................Idaho (4-3) 1981 Idaho State, Boise State (6-1) .................. .......................................Montana (5-2) 1982 MONTANA, Idaho, Montana State (5-2) 1983 Nevada (6-1).............................................. .................................. Idaho State (5-2) 1984 Montana State (6-1) .................................. .........................................Nevada (5-2) 1985 Idaho (6-1) ................................................. .........................................Nevada (6-1) 198 6 Nevada (7-0).............................................. .................................. NAU, Idaho (5-2) 1987 Idaho (7-1) ................................................. ................................. Weber State (7-1) 1988 Idaho (7-1) ................................................. ......................................Montana (6-2) 1989 Idaho (8-0) ................................................. ......................................Montana (7-1) 1990 Nevada (7-1).............................................. ......................Idaho, Boise State (6-2) 1991 Nevada (8-0) .............................................. ......................................Montana (6-2) Jefferson Heidelberger, along with Portland 1992 Idaho (6-1) ................................................. ...................Eastern Washington (6-1) State’s Jordan Senn, were honored in a new 1993 MONTANA (7-0) ....................................... Idaho, Eastern Washington (5-2) category on the first team Special Teams 1994 Boise State (6-1) ........................................ .......................... Montana, Idaho (5-2) All-Conference in 2004. 1995 MONTANA (6-1) ....................................... .. Boise State, Idaho, NAU, WSU (4-3) 1996 MONTANA (8-0)....................................... ........................Northern Arizona (7-1) 199 7 Eastern Washington (7-1) ........................ ......................................Montana (6-2) 1998 MONTANA (6 -2 ).............................. Cal State Northridge, Montana State (5-3) 1999 MONTANA (7-1) ....................................... .......................... PSU, NAU, EWU (6-2) 2000 MONTANA (8-0)............ Portland State, Sacramento State, Weber State (5-3) 2001 MONTANA (7-0) ....................................