September 21, 2018
The University of Montana Western has announced its Hall of Fame, Alumni Weekend, and Homecoming activities for Oct. 4-6, 2018. This festive time for alumni, friends, students and community members is an exciting opportunity to gather and enjoy a series of events hosted by Montana Western Alumni and Friends, Bulldog Athletics and the Associated Students of the University of Montana Western.
Schedule of Events:
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018
5:30 p.m.
Campus & Community Homecoming Color Run at Vigilante Field (Registration begins at 5 p.m.)
6:45 p.m.
Campus & Community Pep Rally and Student Barbeque at the UMW Campus Tundra
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018
5:30 p.m.
Montana Western Alumni & Friends no-host social at The Den
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2018
8:30 a.m.
Hall of Fame Brunch Induction Ceremony in the Lewis & Clark Room, Mathews Hall on the UMW Campus
11 a.m.
Tailgating at Vigilante Stadium
1 p.m.
Bulldog Football vs. Montana Tech at Vigilante Stadium
Halftime
Introduction of 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees and Homecoming royalty announcement
7 p.m.
Montana Western Volleyball vs. MSU-Northern at the BARC
For more information, visit https://www.umwestern.edu/events-all/ and https://umwbulldogs.com/.
The 2018 Hall of Fame individual inductees are: Brian Armstrong, football, Julie Shoen Huston, volleyball, and the 1967 baseball team.
Brian Armstrong is a 1998 graduate of the University of Montana Western. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education as well as competed on the football team at Montana Western from 1992-1995. Armstrong was a member of the Bulldog teams that won three straight Frontier Conference championships making it to the second round of play-offs in 1995 and finishing seventh in the nation. Armstrong was named to the All-Frontier Conference Team in both 1994 and 1995. For his outstanding play in 1995, Armstrong was named first team All-American. His fondest memories of Montana Western were beating Glenville State in 1994 and “lots and lots of bus trips.”
Armstrong began his coaching career serving as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs from 1996-1997. Armstrong went on to become a high school football coach in Florida where he was named Tampa Tribune Coach of the Year, Lakeland Ledger Coach of the Year, and Polk County Coach of the Year. Armstrong served as the head coach at Rocky Mountain College for seven seasons. He was named Frontier Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2013. He currently ranks second on the Rocky Mountain College all-time wins list. Armstrong is currently the Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach for the Montana State University Bobcats. He and his wife, Julie, have two children, Michael (14) and Alissa (11).
Julie Shoen Huston is a 1998 graduate of the University of Montana Western where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Communications. Huston was a member of the volleyball team from 1995-1998, winning a Frontier Conference championship in 1998. During her sophomore season, Huston set the school record for single season solo and assisted blocks. She was named All-Frontier Conference honorable mention for both her sophomore and junior seasons. During her senior season she broke her assisted blocks record, was named Frontier Conference Player of the Week and was named to the All-Frontier Conference 1st team as well as the All-Academic team. Her senior season was capped off with a Frontier Conference championship and selection to the All-Pacific Northwest Region 2nd team.
Julie’s fondest memory as a student-athlete was the championship match against Carroll College that was held in the Straugh gymnasium. Huston remembers the entire town filling the gym, making it “seem like an Olympic event.” After winning all three games and the Frontier Conference title, Huston felt as though the volleyball team were treated like legends around Dillon.
Huston is currently a regional sales director with Paychex Inc., managing the Mid-Atlantic region of the Retirement Plan Sales Division in Pennsylvania. She was the first female director and helped spearhead the company’s “Women in Leadership” council, which has provided professional development opportunities and helped to promote many women across the organization. She and her husband Sam have three children, Brandt (19), Alyssa (16) and Jake (6).
The 1967 Montana Western Baseball team finished the season with a record of 8-1, garnering them a Frontier Conference championship. The team defeated both Black Hills State (South Dakota) and Minot State (North Dakota) for the NAIA District 5 championship. The district championship games were played in Billings and the win against Minot State ended a Minot 20 game winning streak. The team was coached by Bob Jesse and assistant coach George Nelson with additional support provided by student-athlete Don Poole.
Student-athletes on the 1967 baseball team included Don Poole, Darrell Torgrimson, Glen Larum, Dave Dayton, Dave Bro, Bob Thomas, Terry Schultz, Bob McChesney, Jim Lodge, Larry Moore, Steve Valentine, Jim Lots, Don Campbell, Mike Griffin, Carl Ryan, Jerry Smith, Mick Hanley, and Hugh Sager.
Please call the Montana Western Alumni Office at 406-683-7306 or visit https://www.umwfoundation.org/ for more information and to reserve tickets for the Hall of Fame brunch and induction ceremony. Tickets are available for $15 for adults, $7 for ages 6 – 17 and admission is free for ages 5 and under.
For more information about the 2018 Homecoming Events, please contact ASUMW Office Manager Keeley Fitzgerald at [email protected] or call 406-683-7211.
