Sports Briefs

Former Griz standout added to coaching staff

Nearly three years after leading the University of Montana football team to the I-AA national championship game, former Griz quarterback Craig Ochs will return to UM as an assistant football coach, the team announced last week.

Ochs, 25, began his duties as a graduate assistant offensive football coach on March 30. He spent last season playing in NFL Europe for the Frankfurt Galaxy but was recently sidelined by an injury.

For his career, Ochs was 17-6 as a starter in Missoula and ranks eighth on UM’s all-time passing list. Ochs led Montana to the 2004 national championship game, which it lost 31-21 to James Madison.

UM track opens up outdoor season in style

The University of Montana outdoor track and field teams had 18 qualifying performances at the season-opening Al Manuel Invitational over the weekend. The UM-hosted event was held at Dornblaser Field on south campus and featured teams from Big Sky rivals Montana State and Eastern Washington universities as well as the University of Mary and Albertson College.

Montana registered 16 athletes in 18 events for the season-ending Big Sky Conference Championships in Pocatello, Idaho on May 9-12. In addition to their 18 qualifiers, the Grizzlies qualified five more athletes for the 10,000 meters because of their times in other events.

Both the UM men and women swept their dual matches with Montana State and Eastern Washington.

Junior Loni Perkins-Judisch and sophomore Ryan Grinnell led the Griz, both qualifying in two events apiece.

Women’s tennis snaps losing streak

The University of Montana women’s tennis team snapped a six-match losing streak on March 29 with a commanding 7-0 road win over Lewis and Clark State.

Against the Warriors, the Griz dropped only one set the entire match as freshman Danni Paulson dropped her opening set in her No. 3 singles match. Junior Mari Castello returned to the line-up after an injury had sidelined her for a month and posted a 6-0, 6-0 victory over LCS’s Jamie Chan.

Montana was unable to put together a winning streak, though, as it dropped a 6-1 match to Idaho the following day. Sophomore Martyna Nowak, playing in the No. 5 singles slot, tallied UM’s lone point with a straight set win over UI’s Lauren Shrubb.

Montana (2-12) is next in action with two home matches against Weber State and Northern Arizona this upcoming weekend.

UM men’s tennis goes 1-4 over spring break

The University of Montana men’s tennis team went 1-2 at the Red Lion Spring Break Tournament hosted by Boise State on March 29-30. The Griz lost 4-3 to Ball State to open the tourney, rebounded with a 7-0 victory over Lewis and Clark State and then lost 6-1 to Cal Poly.

Montana’s 11th place match against Idaho, which was slated for Saturday morning, was cancelled. The Griz and the Vandals will dual in a previously scheduled match in Missoula on Saturday, April 7.

UM’s No. 4-6 singles players, freshmen Raydner Ramos and Mikolaj Borkowski and senior Brady Tommerup, each went 2-1 in singles play to pace the Griz at the tournament.

Montana (6-7) also dropped a 6-1 match to Nevada and a 7-0 match to Sacramento State over the opening weekend of spring break.

Grizzly golfers finish last in California

The University of Montana golf team struggled at the UC-Davis-hosted Anteater Invitational, finishing last out of the 15-team field. The 54-hole tournament was held at the Dove Canyon Country Club in Dove Canyon, Calif., on March 26-27.

Two other Big Sky Conference teams teed of in Dove Canyon as Sacramento State finished seventh and Northern Colorado mustered an 11th place finish.

Senior Jill Walker was the lone Griz to finish in the top 50 on the individual leaderboard, finishing 41st. However, UM freshman Alyssa Williamson, who competed in the tournament unattached, meaning she was not one of the five golfers that Montana registered, finished 23rd.

Lacrosse denied twice on home field

The University of Montana lacrosse team went 0-2 over the weekend, dropping close matches to Utah Valley State and in-state rival Montana State. The Griz (4-4) dropped a 16-13 contest to UVS and then were handed a heartbreaking 11-10 loss by the Bobcats.

Both games were played at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.

Montana, a UM club team that competes in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League’s “B” division, is next in action with a conference road game against Southern Oregon on Saturday.