University of Montana-Missoula

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The University of Montana
Image:UMLogo.gif
Motto: "Lux Et Veritas" (Light and Truth)
Established: 1893
Type: Coeducational, doctoral university
Endowment: US$8 million
President: George M. Dennison
Faculty: 588 full-time, 221 part-time
Students: 13,961 total (2006)
Undergraduates: 11,841
Location: Missoula, Montana, U.S.
Campus: 156 acres (0.63 km²)
Nickname: Grizzlies (all teams other than women's basketball), Lady Griz (women's basketball)
Website: http://www.umt.edu
The University of Montana campus, 1999.
The University of Montana campus, 1999.

The University of Montana is a state university located in Missoula, Montana, U.S. The school was founded in 1893. It is the largest campus in the five-campus University of Montana System.

The University has five colleges: Arts and Sciences, Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, the Davidson Honors College, Forestry and Conservation, and Technology, and five schools: Business Administration, Education, Fine Arts, Journalism, and Law. The University also has a Continuing Education academic unit.

The University calls itself a city within a city; with its own eateries, stores, medical facilities, banking, postal services, and ZIP Code.

UM ranks 17th in the nation and fifth among public universities in producing Rhodes Scholars, with 28. UM has had 10 Truman Scholars, 14 Goldwater Scholars and 28 Udall Scholars. UM’s Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library houses the earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark journals.

Rolling Stone magazine has called The University the "Most scenic campus in America" [1], while Outside Magazine states "Among the top 10 colleges nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation" [2].

Contents

[edit] Athletics

Main article: Montana Grizzlies
Main article: Montana Grizzlies football

The athletic teams are nicknamed the Grizzlies or Lady Griz (when referring to women's basketball) and have competed in the NCAA's Big Sky Conference since its formation in 1963. UM was a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (precursor to today's Pac-10) from 1924 to 1950.

Since the 1990s, the Grizzlies have established themselves as one of the most dominant football teams in both the Big Sky Conference and in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (known as Division I-AA football before 2006). They have won or shared 11 of the last 16 Big Sky football championships since 1990, and won the I-AA national title in 1995 and 2001. UM also competed in championship games in 1996, 2000, and 2004, for five championship game appearances in the last 11 years.

The men's basketball team has established itself in recent years as a power in the Big Sky, and was the conference representative to the NCAA Division I Men's basketball tournament in 2005 and 2006. At the 2006 tournament, the 12th-seeded Grizzlies upset fifth-seeded University of Nevada, Reno, 87-79, the school's first win in the tournament in 31 years. The Cinderella run would end against the fourth-seeded Boston College Eagles.

The women's basketball team is the most successful team in the Big Sky Conference. The Lady Griz have won 16 conference titles in 24 years, most recently in 2005. The Lady Griz have competed in the NCAA Women's tournament 16 times, with an overall record of six wins and 16 losses. The Lady Griz have been coached since 1978 by Robin Selvig (Montana, 1974), who has an overall record of 645-188 (.774 winning percentage) as head coach of the Lady Griz. Selvig earned his 600th win in just 772 games -- sixth fastest of any NCAA coach (men or women). The Lady Griz are regularly in the top 30 nationally in attendance for NCAA women's basketball.

School-sponsored athletics:

  • Football
  • Men's Basketball
  • Women's Basketball
  • Men's Cross Country
  • Women's Cross Country
  • Men's Tennis
  • Women's Tennis
  • Men's Track & Field
  • Women's Track & Field
  • Women's Soccer
  • Women's Volleyball
  • Women's Golf

Non-school-sponsored athletics:

  • Woodsman Team
  • Rodeo
  • Men's Hockey
  • UM Mens Soccer
  • Missoula Footbag Alliance
  • UM Jesters Rugby
  • UM Betterside Women's Rugby
  • UM Rowing
  • Men's Lacrosse - Won 2007 national championship in their division, MCLA-B.
  • Fencing
  • UM Alpine Ski Team (Went to the national championships in winter 2006)
  • UM Dance and Cheer
  • UM Baseball - Began in 1994. Taken over in 1997 by James R. "Pops" Jones. Jones led the team to three Big Sky Championships in 2003, 2004, and 2005 as a player/coach. The team is currently a member of the NCBA (National Club Baseball Association) and finished 2nd in the National Tournament in 2004.

[edit] Presidents of the school

  • Oscar J. Craig 1895-1908
  • Clyde V. Duniway 1908-1912
  • Edwin B. Craighead 1912-1915
  • Edward O. Sisson 1917-1921
  • Charles H. Clapp 1921-1935
  • George F. Simmons 1936-1941
  • Ernest O. Melby 1941-1945
  • James A. McCain 1945-1950
  • Carl McFarland 1951-1958
  • Harry K. Newburn 1959-1963
  • Robert Johns 1963-1966
  • Robert T. Pantzer 1966-1974
  • Richard C. Bowers 1974-1981
  • Neil S. Bucklew 1981-1986
  • James V. Koch 1986-1990
  • George M. Dennison 1990-Present

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Big Sky Conference