HELENA -- The reigning Frontier Conference men's basketball defensive player of the year is at it again. 

Montana Tech senior Hayden Diekhans garnered the Erck Hotels/Frontier Conference defensive player of the week award, the conference office announced Tuesday morning, after leading the No. 11-ranked Orediggers to a pair of victories. 

Diekhans averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in Montana Tech's wins over No. 15 Southern Oregon and Warner Pacific over the weekend at the Montana Western Classic in Dillon. 

He began the week with six points, nine rebounds, four assists, and a blocked shot in Friday's 84-65 victory over 15th-ranked Southern Oregon. Saturday, Diekhans followed that performance with 15 points, six boards, three assists, and three steals as Tech cruised past WPU, 84-58. 

Diekhans, the Frontier's player of the year in 2024-25 and two-time defensive player of the year, has won four conference defensive player of the week awards in his career. Montana Western's Kyle Gruhler won the offensive player of the week honor. 

Diekhans and Montana Tech (3-0) look to continue their season-opening winning streak at home this weekend in the 10th-annual Best Western Plus Tip Off Classic. The Orediggers play Ottawa (Ariz.) and Lewis-Clark State at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively. 

Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.

###