The Story Behind the "M"

The "M" is 620 feet above the Missoula Valley floor. It is 125' feet long and 100' feet wide. University of Montana forestry students cut the switchbacks into the side of the hill in the early 1900's. The first "M" was assembled out of whitewashed rocks in 1909, and given a fresh coat of paint by freshmen every year, until 1968, when all those rocks were cemented together with concrete.

Photo by Nelson Kenter, kenterphotography.com

Archive for the ‘UM Athletics’ Category

Big Sky Women’s Basketball Tournament Field Set

The seeds for the Big Sky women’s basketball tournament are set. Montana will be the No. 1 seed as the Lady Griz host the No. 8 seeded Idaho State Bengals. Sacramento State locked up the No. 2 seed with a ... more

Griz Remain in Big Sky Title Hunt with 77-76 Win at EWU

By DAVE GUFFEY -The Grizzlies had four of five starters score in double figures and kept their BSC regular-season title hopes alive with a dramatic 77-76 win over Eastern Washington.... more

Lady Griz Clinch Outright Title, Hosting Rights to BSC Tournament

By JOEL CARLSON-With a 69-59 victory over Eastern Washington Saturday afternoon at Dahlberg Arena the Lady Griz earned an outright league championship and hosting rights to the postseason tournament.... more

Gregory’s Career-High 36 Points Not Enough as Griz Lose to Idaho in 2 OT

By DAVE GUFFEY -The Montana Grizzlies men’s basketball team dropped a heart breaker Thursday night in Moscow, Idaho, falling 92-87 in double overtime to the host Vandals.... more

Lady Griz Cinch Share of Big Sky Title

By JOEL CARLSON-Montana won its 20th game of the season and clinched at least a share of the Big Sky Conference championship Thursday night with an 81-68 victory over Idaho at Dahlberg Arena. ... more

Griz at Idaho Thursday, Feb 26th

By DAVE GUFFEY -First place in the Big Sky Conference will be on the line as the Grizzlies begin a three-game road trip against Idaho Vandals on Thurs. Feb. 26, with tip-off at 8:05 p.m.... more

Lady Griz Host Final Regular-Season Home Games

By JOEL CARLSON-The Lady Griz team will play its final regular-season home games this week when it hosts Idaho and Eastern Washington. The Lady Griz will face Idaho Thurs. at 7 p.m. and EWU Sat. at 2 p.m.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Feb 23

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- It will be an extra special senior day on Saturday as the Montana Lady Griz honor Carly Selvig and Kellie Ruble before the game.... more

Breunig Earns League Honor

The Big Sky Conference has selected the University of Montana’s Martin Breunig the co-men’s basketball Player of the Week.... more

Griz Defeat Wildcats 74-63 for Fifth Big Sky Win in a Row

By DAVE GUFFEY -Martin Breunig registered a double-double and Jordan Gregory scored 15 points, as the host University of Montana Grizzlies defeated the Weber State Wildcats Saturday Night.... more

Lady Griz Win 64-60, Complete Two-Game Road Sweep

By JOEL CARLSON-Kayleigh Valley scored 16 points in the second half, a career-high 26 for the game, to lead Montana to a 64-60 victory over Weber State Saturday afternoon.... more

Breunig Scores 22 Points & Griz Defeat Idaho State 88-77

By DAVE GUFFEY -The Grizzlies had five players score in double figures, led by forward Martin Breunig’s 22 points, as they defeated the visiting Idaho State Bengals 88-77 Thursday night.... more

Lady Griz Take Care of Business, Win Road Trip Opener Against ISU

By JOEL CARLSON-Coming off a disheartening home loss last Saturday, the Lady Griz team assumed the look of a champion Thursday night in claiming a 69-51 road victory over Idaho State.... more

My Most Spectacular Failure Was a Gift

By SHELLI JOHNSON - Former Lady Griz hoopster, Shelli Johsnon tells how getting cut from the team and losing her scholarship was a game changer that led her to an Epic Life! ... more

Griz Host Bengals Thursday, Feb 19

By DAVE GUFFEY -The Grizzlies play their final two home games of the regular season at home, beginning with Idaho State, Thurs., Feb. 19, in UM’s Dahlberg Arena, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m. ... more

Lady Griz Facing Important Road Trip at Idaho State and Weber State

By JOEL CARLSON-The Montana women’s basketball team will face its final two-game road trip of the regular season this week with games at Idaho State and Weber State. ... more

Gregory Named Big Sky’s Co-Player of the Week

The University of Montana’s Jordan Gregory has been selected as the Big Sky Conference men’s basketball “Co-Player of the Week,” announced the league today (Monday, Feb. 16, 2015). ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Feb 16

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- Thursday night's matchup of the Oregon State Beavers and the Utah Utes will feature two of UM's top all-time players in Wayne Tinkle and Larry Kryskowiak-now head coaches. ... more

Griz Win an Emotional Triple Overtime Thriller, 83-81 at UNC

By DAVE GUFFEY -Jordan Gregory made two clutch free throws with 2.2 seconds left in the third overtime, and the visiting Griz defeated Northern Colorado 83-81 in a BSC game Saturday evening. ... more

Bears Rally Late, Stun Lady Griz at Dahlberg Arena

By JOEL CARLSON-Northern Colorado trailed by 10 points with eight minutes remaining Saturday afternoon against Montana at Dahlberg Arena, where the Lady Griz had won 23 straight games against Big Sky Conference... more

Lady Griz Remain in First Place with 66-51 Victory

By JOEL CARLSON-Montana shut down one of the Big Sky Conference’s top offensive teams Thursday night at Dahlberg Arena, defeating North Dakota 66-51.... more

Gregory & Breunig Lead the Griz in 65-61 Win at North Dakota

By DAVE GUFFEY - Jordan Gregory and Martin Breunig combined for 33 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting UM Grizzlies to a 65-61 victory over the University of North Dakota.... more

The Griz at University of North Dakota Thursday, Feb 12

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Grizzlies face the University of North Dakota in a Big Sky Conference contest, Thurs., Feb. 12, at UND, with tip-off at 6:05 p.m. ... more

The Stitt Era Begins

By DILLON TABISH - Longtime Division II coach makes the jump to Montana to take over one of the most successful college football teams in the FCS.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Feb 9

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- Thursday night the Lady Griz face maybe their most significant challenge in their drive towards a possible Big Sky title and the right to host the Conference tournament.... more

Gregory Scores a Game-High 17 Points as the Griz Beat Vandals 70-56

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Grizzlies had four starters score in double figures and senior guard Jordan Gregory had a game-high 17 points, as host UM defeated visiting Idaho 70-56 Saturday Night.... more

Lady Griz Stay Atop Big Sky with Second-Half Rally

By JOEL CARLSON-Montana trailed 48-37 at the half and was in a tie game with two minutes remaining, but they scored the final 13 points to pull out an 87-74 victory over Idaho Saturday.... more

Griz Softball Drops Both Games in Season Opener

By SAM WALDORF-The Montana Griz softball team ended a long day on the road with a 0-2 start to its inaugural season. ... more

Eagles Hold On, Snap Lady Griz’ Winning Streak

By JOEL CARLSON-Eastern Washington built a 10-point second-half lead and held on for a 65-64 victory over Montana Thursday night to snap the Lady Griz’ seven-game winning streak.... more

Brandon Leads Eagles to 75-69 Road Victory Over the Grizzlies

By DAVE GUFFEY - Guard Drew Brandon scored 27 points to lead visiting Eastern Washington to a hard-fought 75-69 win over the University of Montana Grizzlies Thursday evening in Missoula.... more

Griz Softball Team Kicks Off Inaugural Season in New Mexico This Week

By SAM WALDORF-The Montana Griz softball team kicks off its inaugural season this Thursday in Las Cruces, N.M. in a six-team tournament at the Hotel Encanto Invitational.... more

Montana Football Class of 2015

By DAVE GUFFEY - UM is pleased to announce its new signees and the class of 2015 Grizzly Football players. ... more

Griz Host Eagles Thursday Feb 5

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Montana Grizzlies host the second-place Eastern Washington Eagles in a crucial BSC game, Thurs., Feb. 5, in UM’s Dahlberg Arena, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m. ... more

Lady Griz Open Second Half on the Road

By JOEL CARLSON-The Montana women’s basketball team will open the second half of the Big Sky Conference schedule with road games this week at Eastern Washington and Idaho.... more

Feller Collects First Big Sky Conference Player of the Week Award

By JOEL CARLSON-The Lady Griz team played its way into first place in the Big Sky Conference last week, and the wins earned McCalle Feller her first career Big Sky Player of the Week award.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Feb 2

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- Fifty years ago this week Montana was rocked by the death of one of its most prominent athletes in the prime of his life. In 1965, Anaconda native Wayne Estes was on a path to be a All-... more

Grizzlies Lose 70-69 Heartbreaker at Sacramento State

By DAVE GUFFEY -In a game showcasing the two best teams in the BSC, it was the Sacramento State Hornets who escaped with a 70-69 victory on a three-pointer with six seconds remaining.... more

Lady Griz Outlast Hornets 94-86

By JOEL CARLSON-Montana had the final surge and gave the Lady Griz a victory over Sacramento State and a two-game lead in league standings at the midpoint of the Big Sky schedule.... more

Grizzlies Defeat Host Portland State University 73-54

By DAVE GUFFEY - Gregory reaches 1,000 points and the Grizzlies defeated Portland State 73-54 in Portland Thurs. evening.... more

Lady Griz Roll On, Move Into First Place

By JOEL CARLSON - McCalle Feller hit seven 3-pointers and scored 25 points to help Montana roll to an easy 72-31 victory over Portland State Thursday night. ... more

Lady Griz Hunting For First Place This Week

By JOEL CARLSON - The Lady Griz will look to play itself into first place in the Big Sky Conference standings this week when it hosts Portland State (TONIGHT) and Sacramento State at Dahlberg Arena. ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Jan 26

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- Apparently Kryskowiak and Wayne Tinkle were paying attention at practice to the teachings of Mike Montgomery and Stew Morrill...... more

Montana Wins at Southern Utah, Sweeps Road Trip

By JOEL CARLSON - The Lady Griz team completed an impressive sweep of the NAU and SUU road trip with a physical 59-37 victory over the Thunderbirds Saturday night.... more

Grizzlies Edge Thunderbirds 58-56 in Tense Big Sky Contest

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Grizzlies had four players score in double figures and narrowly defeated the Southern Utah Thunderbirds 58-56 Saturday evening in UM’s Dahlberg Arena.... more

Griz Host Southern Utah Saturday, Jan 24

By DAVE GUFFEY - TheMontana Grizzlies host Southern Utah in a Big Sky Conference game on Saturday, Jan. 24, in UM’s Dahlberg Arena, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m. ... more

Lady Griz Dismantle the Lumberjacks 69-42

By JOEL CARLSON - Montana opened its road trip to Northern Arizona and Southern Utah with a 69-42 victory over the Lumberjacks Thursday night at Flagstaff, Ariz. ... more

Gregory Scores 31 Points to Lead Griz to a 64-57 Victory Over NAU

By DAVE GUFFEY - Jordan Gregory scored a career-high 31 points to lead theMontana Grizzlies to a hard-fought 64-57 Big Sky Conference victory over NAU.... more

Griz Host NAU Thursday, Jan. 22

By DAVE GUFFEY - Montana hosts Northern Arizona in a Big Sky Conference game on Thursday, Jan. 22, in UM’s Dahlberg Arena, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m. ... more

Life is One Big Adventure

By NADIA WHITE - This last fall, 21 first-semester freshmen joined me at UM's School of Journalism in a class about adventure writing. We defined adventure loosely, and they wrote stories that described who the... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Jan 19

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- The Montana Grizzlies 62-47 win over the MSU Bobcats Saturday marked the ninth straight win in the series for UM.... more