BUTTE, Mont.- Montana Tech Athletic Director Matt Stepan announced on Tuesday that the Oredigger football team would be forgoing the Frontier Conference's shortened spring schedule in order to minimize the risks to the student-athletes, the campus, and the community.
 
The Orediggers will delay the start of their full-team activities until after the semester has ended as to minimize the potential impact of quarantines and isolations due to COVID-19 on campus.
 
"After meeting with our seniors with respect to the conference moving to a four-game spring schedule, all those that are graduating this year have chosen to take the skills and knowledge they've gained from Montana Tech and move on to the next chapter of their lives," said  Athletic Director Matt Stepan.
 
Montana Tech's nine seniors were Jase Galt, Justin May, Quade McQueary, Connor Murdock, Tanner Osborne, Braxton Porter, Nate Sander, Paul Sundquist, and Alec Wooley-Steele.
 
"The leadership from these incredible and selfless student-athletes over the last year has been both inspiring and humbling," said Head Coach Kyle Samson. "We wish these nine seniors the best of luck in the next phase of their lives and look forward to honoring them for all that they've done for this program and community. I really want to thank them for helping guide this program through these challenging times. I know these great Orediggers will go on to be extremely successful."
 
Montana Tech joins Southern Oregon University and Montana Western as the three Frontier Conference teams that have announced they are opting out of competing in the modified spring schedule. 
 
"Things are going relatively well with respect to COVID, both on campus and in our community, and we want to continue to work to put these challenges behind us for good," said Stepan. "We have had a few setbacks with quarantines this winter due to position workouts and our players need to be in classes and labs to ensure they receive the educational experiences they expect as a student-athlete here at Montana Tech. Ensuring they can receive that education will continue to be our top priority."
 
The Orediggers were set to begin practice this week and participate in a four-game spring schedule that ran from March to April.
 
"It will be that much more special the next time that our student-athletes can walk the Digger Walk through a full tailgate and play in front of a packed Alumni Coliseum surrounded by their families, supporters, and fellow Montana Tech students," said Stepan. "We truly believe that focusing on a full and healthy spring practice season is what gives us the best chance of making that a reality next fall."
 
"We can't wait to finally get back on the field and start practicing with our team for not only the first time in over a year but also for the first time as a coaching staff," said Samson.
 
Digger Athletics will be contacting season ticket holders throughout the next two weeks with options for rolling over this season's tickets to next fall. For more information, please call 406-496-4105.