Walk into Dahlberg Arena on a snowy Thursday night and you’ll feel it immediately. It’s not just the smell of popcorn or the squeak of sneakers on hardwood. It’s the weight of a legacy that most mid-major programs would kill for. University of Montana women’s basketball isn’t just a team; for people in Western Montana, it’s a multi-generational obsession.
Honestly, if you aren't from around here, you might not get it. You see a school in the Big Sky Conference and assume it’s just another college program. You’d be wrong.
The Lady Griz have a history that rivals the blue-bloods of the sport. We are talking about a program that, for decades, didn’t just win—they dominated. Under the legendary Robin Selvig, who steered the ship for 38 seasons, this team became a symbol of Montana pride. Selvig didn't just coach; he built a culture where 865 wins became the standard. He retired in 2016, but his shadow still looms large over the Maroon and Silver. It’s a lot to live up to.
The Selvig Era: Where the Legend Started
You can't talk about University of Montana women’s basketball without talking about Robin. He was a local guy from Outlook, Montana, who took over a fledgling program in the late 70s and turned it into a powerhouse.
Think about this: between 1983 and 1998, the Lady Griz made the NCAA Tournament almost every single year. They weren't just happy to be there, either. They were dangerous. They played a brand of fundamental, tough-nosed basketball that reflected the state itself. It was about grit. It was about out-working the high-major schools that had more money and better facilities.
During that stretch, names like Shannon Cate (now Shannon Schweyen) became household names. Cate remains arguably the greatest player to ever wear the jersey. She was the first Lady Griz to have her number retired, and for good reason. She was a scoring machine who led the team to some of its most iconic victories. When people talk about the "glory days," her name is usually the first one out of their mouths.
Life After a Legend is Hard
Transitions are brutal. Just ask any blue-blood program that lost a Hall of Fame coach. After Selvig stepped down, Shannon Schweyen took over. It made sense. She was the star player, a long-time assistant, and she knew the DNA of the program better than anyone.
But the landscape of women’s college basketball was changing fast. The transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals started to shift the ground under everyone's feet.
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The university eventually moved in a different direction, which led to the hiring of Brian Holsinger. Holsinger came in with a specific vision: return to the defensive identity that made the program famous while modernizing the offense. He’s been vocal about the "Process." It’s a word coaches love, but in Missoula, fans are less interested in the process and more interested in the results. They want to be back at the top of the Big Sky. They want to see those banners flying again.
The Current State of the Lady Griz
So, where do they stand right now?
It’s a mix of veteran leadership and young talent trying to find their footing in an increasingly competitive Big Sky Conference. The league isn't just Montana and Montana State anymore. You’ve got programs like Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington putting together serious rosters.
The 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons showed flashes of that old brilliance. Players like Carmen Gfeller and Mack Konig have carried the torch, showing that you can still find elite talent that wants to play in the mountains. Gfeller, specifically, has been a rock for this program—a versatile forward who can score inside and out, echoing some of the great Lady Griz players of the 90s.
But let’s be real: the pressure is high.
The attendance at Dahlberg remains among the best in the nation for mid-major schools. Fans here don't just show up; they know the stats. They know the officiating tendencies. They know the history of every rivalry. When Montana State comes to town for the Brawl of the Wild, the energy is electric. It’s more than a game; it’s a referendum on who owns the state for the next 365 days.
Why the Big Sky Conference is a Gauntlet
People sleep on Big Sky basketball. That’s a mistake. It’s a physical league. The travel is grueling—long bus rides, high altitudes, and gyms where the fans are right on top of you.
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- The Elevation Factor: Playing in Missoula at 3,200 feet is one thing, but then you have to go to Flagstaff or Laramie. It drains you.
- The Rivalries: It’s not just the Cats. The games against Idaho and Weber State are always grinders.
- The Coaching: This league is a farm system for high-major coaches. The tactical battles are high-level.
University of Montana women’s basketball has to recruit differently now. You can't just rely on being "The Griz." You have to sell the community. You have to sell the fact that in Missoula, a women’s basketball player is a local celebrity. That doesn’t happen at a lot of Power 5 schools where the football team sucks up all the oxygen.
The Impact of NIL and the Portal in Missoula
Money matters. In 2026, if you aren't talking about NIL, you aren't talking about college sports.
The Montana Grizzlies have the "Up with Montana" collective, which helps support student-athletes. For the women's basketball team, this is crucial. It helps keep local talent home. Why go to a big school in the Midwest to sit on the bench when you can be a star in your home state and make some money doing it?
The transfer portal has been a double-edged sword. The Lady Griz have lost some good pieces to it, but they’ve also gained veterans who wanted a change of pace. Holsinger has had to be a GM as much as a coach. It’s a constant balancing act of keeping the locker room culture intact while bringing in new faces who can contribute immediately.
What Makes a Lady Griz Player?
If you ask the boosters at the Quarterback Club or the fans hanging out at the Iron Horse downtown, they’ll tell you that a Lady Griz player has to have a "chip on her shoulder."
Montana is an isolated place. To play here, you have to love the cold, love the community, and love the grind. It’s about diving for loose balls when you’re up by twenty. It’s about that "tougher than you" Montana mentality.
We’ve seen it in players like Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw, who brought a veteran toughness to the perimeter. We see it in the way the team defends. Holsinger has prioritized "kills"—three defensive stops in a row—as a key metric. It’s a gritty way to play, but it’s the only way to win in the Big Sky.
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The Future: Can They Return to the Big Dance?
The goal is always the NCAA Tournament. For a long time, that was a given. Now, it’s a mountain to climb.
To get back there, the University of Montana women’s basketball program needs to solve a few things:
- Consistency on the Road: Winning at home is easy when 4,000 people are screaming for you. Winning in Greeley, Colorado, on a Tuesday is where championships are decided.
- Developing Post Depth: The Big Sky has become a league of size. You need more than one reliable big to survive the conference tournament in Boise.
- The "Cat" Problem: Montana State has been very good lately. To be the best, you have to beat your rival, and the Bobcats have made that difficult over the last few seasons.
How to Follow the Team Like a Pro
If you’re just getting into Lady Griz basketball, don't just check the scores. You’ve got to immerse yourself in it.
First, get to a game. There is no substitute for being in Dahlberg Arena. The Lady Griz tunnel walk is one of the coolest traditions in sports.
Second, follow the local media. The Missoulian and the 406 MT Sports crew provide some of the best beat coverage in the country. They aren't just reporting scores; they’re telling the stories of these athletes.
Third, watch the Big Sky on ESPN+. Every game is streamed there. You can see the tactical adjustments and the growth of the freshmen in real-time.
Final Thoughts on the Legacy
University of Montana women’s basketball is in a period of evolution. The ghosts of the past are always there, cheering from the rafters, but this current era is carving its own path. It’s a program built on the idea that Montana girls can play with anyone, anywhere.
Whether they are winning titles or rebuilding the roster, the connection between the city of Missoula and this team remains unbreakable. It’s a rare thing in modern sports. Enjoy it.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts
- Audit the Roster: Go to the official Griz Athletics website and look at the eligibility of the current starting five. Identify who is graduating and where the team has "scholarship holes" to fill in the next recruiting cycle.
- Study the Big Sky Standings: Don't just look at the win-loss column. Look at the "Points Against" category. This is the best indicator of whether Brian Holsinger’s defensive system is actually taking hold compared to the rest of the league.
- Support via NIL: If you’re a booster or a fan, look into the "Up with Montana" collective. Even small contributions help provide the resources necessary to keep the program competitive against schools with larger budgets.
- Attend the Big Sky Tournament: Plan a trip to Boise in March. The atmosphere at the Idaho Central Arena is the best way to see how the Lady Griz stack up when the pressure is at its absolute peak.