BOZEMAN — Montana State head men's basketball coach Matt Logie announced the signings of forwards Chris Hodges and Jaden Steppe to the 2025-26 roster on Tuesday.
Hodges comes to Bozeman as a graduate transfer after spending his entire career with the University of Wisconsin.
"Chris Hodges will be an excellent addition to our Bobcat basketball family," Logie said. "Chris brings with him four years of experience at a highly successful program in Wisconsin, and will bring Big Ten-caliber size and athleticism to the frontcourt. He has a level of experience from his time in the Big Ten that will help him maximize his opportunity here at MSU.
"However, it is the attitude, maturity and leadership that Chris provides that is equally as exciting for us to have in our locker room."
The 6-foot-9 forward listed at 257 pounds played in 40 career games for Wisconsin, including 14 this past season for a Badger team that went 27-10 and advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament following a Big Ten championship game appearance.
The native of Schaumburg, Illinois, recorded four career points and nine rebounds while playing for a squad that recorded 94 wins with three NCAA tournament trips over his four years in Madison.
Hodges' best game came in the 2024 Big Ten tournament, when he recorded four rebounds and a point against Maryland in a Wisconsin win.
His last appearance in a Badger uniform came in the NCAA tournament this past season, as Wisconsin defeated Montana 85-66 in the first round in Denver.
The forward did not play in the season opener this past year between Montana State and (rv) Wisconsin on Nov. 7, 2024, a 79-67 win for the Badgers.
In 2024, Hodges was recognized as Wisconsin's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Hodges was a three-star prospect coming out of Schaumburg High School in the class of 2021, and rated a top-six recruit in the state of Illinois by 247Sports and ESPN.
Steppe, meanwhile, will join the Bobcats as a rising sophomore after spending his true freshman season at Colorado State.
"We are very excited to add Jaden Steppe to our basketball family here at Montana State University," Logie said. "Jaden is a young man we have followed as a staff for many years and established a strong foundation with relationship-wise prior to his attending Colorado State.
"Jaden has a combination of size and skill that will fit into our basketball vision extremely well and brings with him a year of Mountain West and NCAA tournament experience that will help him in his next chapter of basketball here at Montana State. We look forward to his immediate impact as well as the opportunity we will have to help him grow as a player and person here at MSU."
"Chris knows what winning looks like because he has experienced it at a high level and now he will get to share those lessons while also having the opportunity to contribute at a high level on a nightly basis," Logie said.
The 6-foot-8 forward listed at 220 pounds appeared in seven games off the bench last year for the Rams, who went 26-10 overall and 16-4 in the Mountain West with a conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance.
Steppe, a native of Tualatin, Oregon, was rated a four-star prospect coming out of high school in the class of 2024 and the top recruit in the state of Oregon according to ESPN.
The now-signed Bobcat was rated the No. 36 power forward in the country by ESPN and the No. 240 overall recruit in the nation by 247Sports after leading Tualatin High School to back-to-back Oregon 6A state championships
Following a stellar senior season, Steppe was selected the 2024 Oregon Basketball Coaches' Association player of the year and 2024 Oregonian 6A player of the year.
During the 2024 Oregon 6A state tournament, Steppe averaged 27.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game on 57.0% shooting from the floor and 48.0% shooting from beyond the arc.
The forwards become the fourth and fifth announced additions from the transfer portal to the 2025-2026 men's basketball roster, joining guard Davian Brown (Biola), forward Christian King (Washington) and guard Cavin Holden (Central Washington).
