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The Bulldogs open their 2026 season Saturday on the road against MSU-Northern in Havre. The Dawgs have been fine tuning ...
09/03/2026

The Bulldogs open their 2026 season Saturday on the road against MSU-Northern in Havre. The Dawgs have been fine tuning their gridiron machine since early August. That long preparation time is commonplace in today’s college world but not always.

Today on Throwback Thursday, a fun look back at the opening of four Bulldog football seasons. And my, my, my, how times have changed and how college football has evolved at our little school on the hill!

On Sept. 28, 1931, coach Brick Breeden (yes, that Brick Breeden) opened fall practice at the Montana State Normal College. After an open campus casting call Breen assembled 33 players, eight of which were returning lettermen, began practice.

The Dillon Tribune noted the short period from the beginning of practice to their first game.

“A green team will go into the fray for the Normal, with only two weeks of practice behind them. Coach Brick Breeden has been working the squad hard, but two weeks is hardly a sufficient period to get even a team of veterans into shape, while the Bulldog squad is composed mainly of new men who have never played together before.”

The 1931 team suffered through a one-win season. Their lone victory was 25-0 shutout of Intermountain Union College on Armistice Day. And a side note to that season, Breeden was also coaching the Beaver high school team,

�The 1949 Bulldogs opened practice on Sept. 13 with a whopping 17 days to get ready for their season opener against Montana Mines on Sept. 30. Bill Straugh and assistant coach Carl Davis were fortunate that their 33 players was stocked with experience.

That season opener against Mines was also the first game ever played at Vigilante. The 13-0 shutout propelled the Bulldogs to their second ever conference crown in program history.

Let’s jump to Sept. 17, 1962. First year head-coach Frank Hoey and assistant Cecil Kent welcomed 43 players of the defending conference champions. The ’62 Bulldogs hit the ground running in preparation for their season opening game just 11 days away against the Idaho State J.V’s in Pocatello.

Western tied the Idaho State College J.V.’s in their first game and then thumped them 18-0 a week later in Dillon. The Bulldogs then rolled through conference play unbeaten to win their second straight title.

It seems that, that roughly two-week span between the first practice and the first game was very common. And maybe there were rules dictating when you could start practice like there are now. And then again…maybe how much or how little time is more of an excuse than a reason.

Let’s take a giant leap from 1962 to 2026. Head coach Ryan Nourse welcomed 126 players to the 2026 Bulldog fall camp. The team reported in early August and will play their first game this Saturday (Sept.5) at MSU-Northern.

As long as we are talking numbers, when you add the rosters of the 1931, 1949 and 1962 Bulldog teams together, you will still be short by about 40 players compared to the 2026 Bulldog roster.

Go Dawgs!

Another member of the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬! 🐾🏈Today we’re highlighting 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐦 – 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥, whose...
08/31/2026

Another member of the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬! 🐾🏈

Today we’re highlighting 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐦 – 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥, whose time as a Bulldog earned him a place among Montana Western Athletics’ best.

We’re looking forward to celebrating Josh and the entire Class of 2026 at this year’s Hall of Fame Brunch & Induction Ceremony.

Take a look back at Josh’s Bulldog career below! ⬇️

🎟️ 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗: https://tinyurl.com/BulldogHOF26

Josh Shrum ’06 built an impressive career with Montana Western football from 2001–2004, helping the Bulldogs capture two Frontier Conference co-championships while earning numerous individual honors along the way. Shrum earned First Team All-Conference honors as both a running back and kick returner in 2003 and 2004. He was also named a First Team All-American kick returner in 2003 and earned Third Team All-American honors as an athlete in 2004.

Shrum’s career also earned him a place in the Montana Western record books. In 2003, he scored four touchdowns in a single game, finished the season with 110 points and 18 touchdowns, and averaged 32.4 yards per kick return. He finished his Western career with 31 touchdowns and served as team captain during his senior season.
Some of Shrum’s favorite memories came from memorable road victories, including wins over Carroll College in 2002 and 2004 and a 2003 win over Whitworth during its homecoming game in Spokane. He also remembers a 2002 game against Montana Tech that ended with Craig LaCoure delivering a big hit along the Western sideline. For Shrum, those games and friendships he formed with teammates and coaches remain some of his favorite memories from his time at Montana Western.

After earning his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Montana Western in 2006, Shrum built a career as an independent contractor in the oil and gas industry, specializing in title, mineral, and lease brokerage. He and his wife, Lacey, have four children and enjoy watching them grow up and participate in sports. The family also enjoys returning to Idaho and Montana to spend time outdoors and with family.

Flashback to April 17, 1970, the Montana Board of Regents approved Liberal Arts degrees in history and English for Weste...
08/28/2026

Flashback to April 17, 1970, the Montana Board of Regents approved Liberal Arts degrees in history and English for Western Montana College (WMC).

This was a monumental victory after nearly 13 years of trying and setting in motion “a historic new era in education” for WMC.

Plain and simple, as one article stated, “it frees Western from the strict confines of “teacher education” and, at the same time, presages innumerable benefits and opportunities for staff and student alike.”

It became official in the fall of 1971 when the first students in the new programs began their course studies.

In the fall of 1971, the final building of a mini building boom on the Western Montana College campus opened its doors f...
08/27/2026

In the fall of 1971, the final building of a mini building boom on the Western Montana College campus opened its doors for the first time.

Today on Throwback Thursday (TBT) a look back 55 years and the campus debut of the Faculty-Classroom Office Building, today know as Block Hall.

Before we get to Block Hall, a little back story. Beginning in the post-World War II era, Western Montana College (WMC) had shown a steady growth in enrollment. As WMC rolled into the 1960’s, it was very evident that there wasn’t enough space to accommodate that growth, there was no wiggle room anywhere.

Western was bursting at the seams. Not enough classroom space, not enough dorm space, the library was having trouble finding space for all the new books and the Bulldogs had outgrown their gym. It was a good problem to have. Expansion of the physical campus was needed. The powers that be found the funding and the WMC physical campus slowly began to grow.

The latest building boom included; dorms, married student housing, a library office complex, a P.E. complex and last but certainly not least, the faculty-classroom building.

Built at a cost of $900,ooo, the 42,500 square feet building would house the school’s science and math departments. The layout included 11 special-purpose labs, six general classrooms, 17 offices, two conference rooms, a large seminar room, specialized storage areas and a spacious full basement.

Almost from the minute the doors opened, the building’s name was unofficially shortened to the O.C. building. I guess it just rolled off the tongue with ease vs saying the Office Classroom building.

For 54 years, the O.C./Block Hall was centered around the science and math departments but as the years rolled by, the building was home to other campus entities. With computers and the internet, a newly created Information Technology department found a home in the O.C.

In 1975, a rotating dome observatory was constructed on the roof of the O.C. building. The telescope was a 10-inch Newtonian reflector with the power to see over 13,000,000 stars

The roof also held a special place for now retired chemistry professor Steve Mock. Mock, a world-class climber, used the roof to teach Western students and brave staff members how to repel off the side of the building.

It stayed the O.C. building until October of 2004 when it was formally rededicated as the Daniel G. Block Hall. Block was a professor at Western from 1961 to 1985. It was a no-brainer to name the science and math building after Block. Long-time colleague Ken Bandelier was the force behind the name change.

Among his many accomplishments during his tenure were many firsts including his pioneering of outdoor education and the first drug education class on campus. He was integral in the growth of programs utilizing the Birch Creek Outdoor Education Center. Plain and simple, Dan Block was a true WMC superstar who rates his own TBT at another time.

Many years, many classes, many students and many memories. Block Hall has served the Western Montana College/Montana Western campus with distinction. But, like everything else, time can wear a building thin.

Last year, the doors to Block Hall were closed. Not permanently, but closed for a year to receive a complete makeover from the basement to the top floor. That year is over and Block Hall was ready for another generation of Montana Western students when classes began on August 17.

If you haven’t been on campus for while, you will be amazed by the physical growth of our campus. See you soon!

Our 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞 introductions continue!Next up is 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 ’𝟏𝟐 – 𝐌𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥. 🏀From hi...
08/26/2026

Our 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞 introductions continue!

Next up is 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 ’𝟏𝟐 – 𝐌𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥. 🏀

From his time in a Bulldog uniform to a 13-year professional basketball career, Brandon’s journey has taken him well beyond Montana Western, and this September, we’re excited to welcome him back as a member of the 2026 Hall of Fame Class.

Read more about Brandon’s career and accomplishments below. ⬇️

🎟️ Join us for the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame Brunch & Induction Ceremony on Saturday, September 19. 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://tinyurl.com/BulldogHOF26

A standout on the Montana Western men's basketball team from 2009–2012, Brandon Brown helped lead the Bulldogs to three consecutive NAIA National Tournament appearances while establishing himself as one of the most accomplished players in program history. His success at Montana Western launched a basketball career that would take him around the world.

During his three-year career, Brown helped the Bulldogs advance to the NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 in both 2009–10 and 2011–12 and was a key member of the Frontier Conference championship team. Individually, he earned Frontier Conference Player of the Year honors twice, was named a First Team NAIA All-American, and earned NAIA All-Tournament Team recognition. He finished his career as the second-leading scorer in Montana Western history.

Beyond the awards and records, Brown’s favorite memories come from the time spent with his teammates and coaches. Playing in the NAIA National Tournaments remains among his favorite memory. He is also grateful to have been a part of a group that helped build the foundation and culture for the continued success of Montana Western basketball.
After earning his business degree from Montana Western in 2012, Brown began a professional basketball career that spanned 13 years. The game took him to Australia, South America, and throughout Europe, allowing him to compete internationally while experiencing different cultures along the way.

Today, Brown and his wife, Amanda, live in Washington with their three children, Luka, Lincoln, and Leylah. He is the founder of PNW Legacy Sports, where he serves as a player representative and consultant, helping athletes navigate their collegiate and professional careers by drawing on the experiences that began during his time as a Bulldog.

📍𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒!Please take note of a couple of location changes for our upcoming events on September 18 and 19:🐾 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢 ...
08/25/2026

📍𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒!

Please take note of a couple of location changes for our upcoming events on September 18 and 19:

🐾 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢 & 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥
Now at 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲'𝐬 - the corner of Montana St.

🏆 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 & 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲
Now at the 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐳 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚 - BARC, Montana Western campus

The dates and times remain the same - just new locations!

Please help us spread the word, and we look forward to seeing everyone! 🖤❤️

🐾 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔!Today we’re highlighting Ben Snipes, one of this year’s Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame inductee...
08/24/2026

🐾 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔!

Today we’re highlighting Ben Snipes, one of this year’s Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame inductees.

A standout for Bulldog Football from 2001–2004, Ben left his mark on Montana Western both on and off the field. We’re proud to welcome him back to Dillon this September as a member of the 2026 Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame Class.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄.⬇️

🎟️ Join us for the Hall of Fame Brunch & Induction Ceremony on Saturday, September 19. https://tinyurl.com/BulldogHOF26

𝐁𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 ’𝟎𝟓
During his career from 2001–2004, Ben Snipes established himself as one of the Bulldog football program’s most accomplished student-athletes. A two-time Frontier Conference Champion (2002, 2004), Snipes was a two-time First Team All-Frontier Conference selection (2003, 2004), a two-time team captain (2003, 2004), and a two-time NAIA All-American Honorable Mention (2003, 2004). In 2004, he was recognized as the Montana Chapter College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete of the Year, highlighting his excellence both on the field and in the classroom.

Some of Snipes’ favorite Bulldog memories include Montana Western’s 2002 victory over Carroll College in Helena to clinch a share of the Frontier Conference Championship and earn a playoff berth, as well as competing in the NAIA playoffs. He credits coaches Tommy Lee and Keith Handlos, along with teammates Josh Shrum, Craig LeCoure, Nick Rewerts, Mike Schmidt, Dallas Mock, Cole Van Heel, Eric Stoverud, and Nick Prinzing, for making his Bulldog experience unforgettable.

After earning his Bachelor of Science in Business from Montana Western in 2005, Snipes received his Juris Doctor from the University of Montana and returned to Great Falls to begin practicing law. He is a founding partner at Kovacich, Snipes, Johnson and has established himself as one of Montana’s most respected trial attorneys. His many professional honors include being named Montana Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2019 and 2023, recognition in The Best Lawyers in America since 2024, selection to Super Lawyers since 2018, inclusion among the Top 500 Lawyers in America by Law Dragon, and being named the 2027 Top Plaintiffs’ Attorney in Montana by Best Lawyers. He also serves as Montana’s State Delegate to the American Association for Justice.

Beyond his legal career, Snipes is deeply committed to serving his community. He serves on the UM-Western Foundation Board of Directors, is President of the West Side Little League, and founded the Great Falls Youth Tackle Football League. Above all, he is most proud of his family, his wife, Tori, and their three children, Jack, Elizabeth, and Calvin.

In today’s academic world, the beginning of a new academic year and classes is a pretty seamless process compared to pas...
08/21/2026

In today’s academic world, the beginning of a new academic year and classes is a pretty seamless process compared to past years, The digital process has really help ease the stress of students. I know there are still a few lines of student waiting for books or something…but, in the good “old” days, the process for more painful than painless!

Flashback to Wednesday, Sept. 21,1966 and the beginning of the fall quarter of the 1965-66 year at Western Montana College (WMC). Students arrived on campus on that Wednesday but classes didn’t begin until the following.

It was all an in-person experience or nightmare might be a better description. It seemed like it was one, long endless meeting and of course there was the joy of waiting in line! The daily schedule of “FUN” from Wednesday through Friday was packed.

The long days of registration and intro to college process were capped by a dance on Wednesday and Friday, and the freshmen stunt show Thursday. On Saturday, the only activity was a dance. The students were now properly ready for WMC, maybe!

If you look really close at accompanying photos, you will see what a pleasant experience it was for all involved!

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59725

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Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
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