Montana Athletics

Football By: Big Sky Communications Staff

Weekly Honors Announced for October 13-16

FARMINGTON, Utah (Oct. 13, 2025) – The Big Sky Conference announced its Player of the Week honors, presented by JAMBAR, with soccer, football, volleyball, cross country, women's golf and men's golf all in full swing.

Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Oct. 13, 2025)

Offensive Player of the Week: Caden Pinnick, UC Davis (QB, R-Fr., Loomis, Calif.)
For the second-straight week Caden Pinnick threw for over 300 yards on his way to leading No. 6 UC Davis to a 45-24 victory over No. 14 Northern Arizona, moving the Aggies to 3-0 in Big Sky play. Pinnick finished the night completing 25-of-29 passes for 348 yards and five passing touchdowns. The five passing touchdowns were the most thrown by an Aggie in a single game since 2018. The 86.2% completion percentage marks the second-straight week the freshman has completed at least 80% of his passes in a game. On the national stage, Pinnick’s five passing touchdowns are tied for the second most in the FCS this season. Pinnick’s 243.9 passing efficiency is the highest of the season in the Big Sky for a single game and ranks as the 13th highest of the season in the FCS. Pinnick has now won conference weekly honors three times this season, all coming in consecutive weeks. The three-straight offensive weekly honors are the most for a Big Sky player since Dalton Sneed won three consecutive honors during the 2019 season.

Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Cam Chapa, Northern Colorado (S, So., Aurora, Colo.)
Cam Chapa had 10 tackles, 8 being solos, an interception and tackle for loss to help Northern Colorado upset No. 11 Idaho 49-33 in Moscow. Chapa’s interception in the fourth quarter set up the game-ending drive with 2:32 remaining as the Bears would control the ball and run out the clock for the ranked victory. The home loss was the first for Idaho since 2023. 

Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Kenzel Lawler, Montana (DB, R-Sr., Corona, Calif.)
Trailing 9-0 coming out of halftime, Kenzel Lawler picked off a pass and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown as he flipped momentum for Montana in the 28-9 victory over Cal Poly. Lawler’s interception for a score was the start of 28 unanswered points for the Grizzlies, as the Montana defense shut out the Mustangs in the second half and allowed just 60 yards of offense in the final 30 minutes. Lawler also added in a pair of tackles on the day for Montana. 

Special Teams Player of the Week: Rodney Hammond Jr., Sacramento State (KR/RB, Sr., Norfolk, VA.)
Rodney Hammond, Jr. helped lead Sacramento State to a 55-27 victory at Weber State, as the senior accounted for three total touchdowns, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a score. After Weber State cut Sac State’s lead to two scores, Hammond fielded the kickoff at the 1-yard line and broke free through the middle of the field for the touchdown. The score was the longest kick return by a Sac State player since Tyrone Taylor also went 99 yards against Idaho State in 1996. Hammond's mark is tied for third in program history, trailing only a pair of 100-yard returns. The senior’s other kickoff return in the game went for 42 yards. He also rushed for 106 yards and scored two touchdowns on the ground.

Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Elii Gillman (UM), Justin Lamson (MSU), Eric Gibson (UNC), Cardell Williams (SAC)
Defense: Alex Rocha (SAC), Jacob Psyk (UCD) 
Special Teams: Ty Morrison (UM), Jacob Willig (UNC)


Big Sky Volleyball Players of the Week (Oct. 13, 2025)

Offensive Player of the Week: Madilyn Siebler, Montana State (OH, Sr., Omaha, Neb.)
Siebler recorded a career-high 21 kills to pace Montana State to a 3-2 win over Montana on Saturday night in Missoula. For the match, she averaged 4.20 kills while hitting .276 from the floor. Siebler set the tone for the Bobcats opening the match with six kills in the first set. In addition, she added 15 digs and a block as MSU moved atop the Big Sky standings with its fifth consecutive win over its rival.

Defensive Player of the Week: Lauren Lindseth, Montana State (L, Sr., Great Falls, Mont.)
Lindseth recorded a team-best 27 digs, averaging 5.40 per set as the Bobcats defeated rival Montana 3-2 for the fifth consecutive time and retaining the Main Line Trophy. Lindseth set the tone early for MSU racking up eight saves in the opening set. In addition, the CMR graduate received serve 35 times (the most for either team in the five-set marathon) without a reception error. Lindseth also dished out seven assists and registered one service ace as the Bobcats moved atop of the Big Sky Conference standings.

Others Nominated for Big Sky Volleyball Player of the Week
Offense: Abby McClain (ISU), Delaney Russell (UM), Gigi Greenlee (NAU), Brynn Reines (UNC), Alivia Eikenberg (PSU), Victoria Marthaler (SAC), Kaylie Ray (WSU)
Defense: Jenna Werbelow (ISU), Alexis Batezel (UM), Melia Barlow (NAU), Bella LaPore (UNC), Paige Stepaniuk (PSU), Reese Ampi (SAC)

Big Sky Soccer Players of the Week (Oct. 14, 2025)

Offensive Player of the Week: Maycen Slater, Montana (F, Fr., Coquitlam, BC.)
Maycen Slater led the Grizzly offense this weekend to a pair of wins, scoring three times, including both game-winners, as Montana swept Weber State and Idaho State.
 
Slater accounted for three of the five Montana goals this weekend. The freshman now has four goals on the season. 

Defensive Player of the Week: Ashlyn Dvorak, Montana (GK, R-Jr., Billings, Mont.)
Ashlyn Dvorak played 90 minutes in goal in Montana's 4-0 home shutout of Weber State on Thursday, making three saves. 
 
The Redshirt Junior played the second half in Montana's 1-0 home shutout of Idaho State on Sunday, making two saves.
 
In 135 minutes of action, Dvorak faced 18 shots and posted a pair of shutouts. She now has six on the season. 

Others Nominated for Big Sky Soccer Player of the Week
Offense: Sara Rodgers (UI), Stephanie Roper (ISU), Sayler Schlosser (WSU)
Defense: Hannah Wieler (ISU), Natalie Cunningham (PSU), Lauren Butorac (WSU)

Big Sky Cross Country Athletes of the Week (Oct 14, 2025)

Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week: Peter Visser, Weber State (Sr., Afton, Wyo.)
With a top-five finish at the Bill Dellinger in Oregon, Weber State’s Peter Visser has been named Big Sky Conference Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. He posted a time of 23:17.59, which is believed to be the fastest 8k time in Weber State history. This is Visser’s first Athlete of the Week honor this season, and the second for Weber State.
 
Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week: Alex Terry, Idaho (So., Boise, Idaho)
After finishing as the lowest point scorer at the Lewis and Clark State Invite, Idaho’s Alex Terry has been named Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. Terry finished third in the field with a 5K time of 17:04.0 but was the top finishing active collegiate runner in the field. Her 5K time was the second-fastest in the Big Sky this season, and the best by a sophomore. It was also the fastest 5K time by a Vandal since 2023. Terry is the first athlete from Idaho to win Women’s XC Athlete of the Week honors this season.
 
Others Nominated for Big Sky Cross Country Athlete of Week
Men’s: Kristian Borve (UI), Zachary Giesch (UI), Logan Gullet (UNC)
Women’s: Kayla Ingraham (UM), Audrey Cazier (WSU)

Big Sky Men's Golfer of the Week (Oct. 16, 2025)
 
Co-Men’s Golfer of the Week: Leander Neuhaus, Francis Marion (So., Hamburg, Germany)
Shooting the lowest 54-hole total in program history has earned Francis Marion’s Leander Neuhaus Co-Men’s Golfer of the Week honors. He shot a 7-under 206 at the Phoenix Invitational to end play in a tie for seventh place. His 4-under-par 67 round on Monday was a career low for the sophomore. The 54-hole event was played on the 6,871-yard, par-71 Alamance Country Club, where Neuhaus finished play with 16 birdies. His placement on the individual leaderboard was a career best as well.
 
Co-Men’s Golfer of the Week: Mason Benbrook, Sacramento State (Sr., Carmichael, Calif.)
Shooting 7-under to finish in a tie for fifth at the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational has earned Sacramento State’s Mason Benbrook Co-Men’s Golfer of the Week honors. Benbrook opened up play with a 3-under, and followed that up with a 4-under performance to secure his place on the leaderboard. His second-round score of 4-under matched his career best. Over the course of the three rounds, Benbrook had 15 birdies and 32 pars.
 
Others Nominated for Big Sky Men’s Golfer of the Week
N/A

Big Sky Women's Golfer of the Week (Oct. 16, 2025)

Women’s Golfer of the Week: Timbre Shehee, Northern Colorado (Sr., Mead, Colo.)
Following an individual runner-up finish at the Golf Iconic Classic, Northern Colorado’s Timbre Shehee has been named Women’s Golfer of the Week. Shehee finished the tournament 8-under to finish just one stroke behind the top player on the leaderboard. The tournament also featured Northern Arizona and Sacramento State. This marked her fourth top-10 finish during the fall season. Last season, she was a member of the Big Sky’s All-Conference First Team. This marks her fifth Women’s Golfer of the Week award from the league office.
 
Others Nominated for Big Sky Women’s Golfer of the Week
Nina Lukyanenko (NAU), Ella Kraft (SAC)

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