Treasure State teams and athletes delivered many memorable moments in 2024. From championships to record-setting performances to historic achievements, 2024 was a Montana sports year to remember.
Some of our favorite stories of the year took place outside the sidelines, but the biggest stories of the year? Those took place inside the athletic arena.
The MTN Sports staff voted on the 10 biggest stories of 2024. A first-place vote garnered 10 points, a second-place vote got nine points and on down to a 10th-place vote being worth one point. Below is our list of the biggest sports stories of 2024:
It's hard to believe in Billings West's storied athletic history that the Golden Bears never had a four-time state wrestling champion until February. Keyan Hernandez became the program's first — and the 41st in Montana history — when he earned a 4-1 decision over Mason Gutenberger of Belgrade in the Class AA 126-pound final. With Hernandez leading the way, the Bears also won the Class AA team title.
9. Libby's Ryggs Johnston earns DP World Tour card and wins ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
Ryggs Johnston, a former four-time high school golf state champion at Libby, started his pro career in 2024, first qualifying for the PGA Tours America and then securing a DP World Tour card for 2025. He capped 2024 with a win at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, which earned him an invitation to the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland July 17-20, 2025.
8. Billings Scarlets become first Montana team to make Legion World Series in 62 years.
The Billings Scarlets won five elimination games at the Class AA Northwest Regional tournament, including two over Eugene, Ore., in the championship round, to punch their ticket to the Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C. It was the first time a Montana team reached the World Series since Post #4 from Billings did it in 1962.
7. Providence defeats Carroll in NAIA women's basketball semifinals.
For the first time in Frontier Conference history, two league teams met in the semifinal round of the NAIA women's basketball tournament. Providence defeated Carroll 58-53 in the semifinal matchup to advanced to the national championship game, where the Argos ultimately came up short in a 57-53 loss to Dordt (Iowa).
6. Washington Commanders memorialize Walter "Blackie" Wetzel.
In the first public step in the warming relationship between the Washington Commanders and the Wetzel family of Montana, the late Walter "Blackie" Wetzel was commemorated by the NFL franchise on Sept. 15 with a memorial at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. Wetzel was a member of the Blackfeet tribe who designed a now-iconic warrior logo for use for the Washington franchise — previously known as the Redskins — in the early 1970s.
5. Montana State wins third consecutive Big Sky Conference men's basketball championship.
Montana State used a huge second-half run to pull away from rival Montana for an 85-70 win in the Big Sky Conference tournament championship game. The Bobcats were just the fifth seed for the conference tournament but won three games to clinch their third consecutive tournament title and trip to the NCAA tournament. It's the first time since 1981-83 a team has won three straight Big Sky tournament championships.
4. Montana plays for the FCS national championship.
The bulk of Montana's storybook 2023-24 football season took place in 2023, but the Grizzlies actually played for the FCS national championship on Jan. 7, 2024. Montana fell to South Dakota State 23-3 in the title game. It was the Grizzlies' eighth all-time trip to the title game and their fourth in separate stints under head coach Bobby Hauck.
3. Helena native Sean O'Malley defends UFC bantamweight title at UFC 299, headlines UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Sean O'Malley is one of the biggest superstars in the UFC. After winning the bantamweight championship in 2023, the Helena native successfully defended his title against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 in March. O'Malley then headlined September's UFC 306 at Sphere, where he lost to challenger Merab Dvalishvili.
2. Montana State goes 15-0, advances to FCS national championship game.
It's been a historic football season for Montana State, which won the Big Sky Conference championship, defeated rival Montana, earned the No. 1 seed for the FCS playoffs, set the program record for single-season wins and advanced to the FCS national championship game on Jan. 6. Coach Brent Vigen is the FCS coach of the year, and quarterback Tommy Mellott is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which recognizes the FCS offensive player of the year.
1. Missoula's Katharine Berkoff wins two medals at 2024 Paris Olympics.
Katharine Berkoff solidified her place among the best swimmers in the world this year, becoming just the second American woman to break the 58-second barrier in the 100-meter backstroke and claiming a bronze medal in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Missoula native also helped the United States women's 4x100-meter medley relay team to the gold medal.
Honorable mentions
Box Elder wins boys basketball and first-ever football championships; Billings resident Brady Ellison medals at 2024 Paris Olympics; Whitefish native Nicole Heavirland, USA rugby earn first Olympic medal; Montana Tech football scores program-record 97 points against Simpson University; High school athletes set 10 all-class, 13 class records at state track and field meets; Montana State captures first Big Sky Conference men's track and field championship since 2005;
MSU Billings women's basketball wins 28 games, reaches West Regional Final; University of Montana hosts three sold-out concerts ahead of Grizzlies' football opener; Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale girls basketball extends winning streak to 60 games; Bozeman's Nathan Neil and Billings Skyview's Ryan Dierenfield run among fastest times in the nation; Missoula Loyola wins back-to-back Class B boys basketball state championships; Montana Tech wins third consecutive Frontier Conference men's basketball championship, starts 2024-25 season 10-0 for first time in program history;
Great Falls native Kai Stewart defends Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship title, headlines event in Billings; Breanna Williams wins second straight Montana Gatorade girls basketball player of the year award, leads Billings Skyview to undefeated season; Eight with Montana ties compete at Wrangler National Finals Rodeo; Manhattan rallies to win Class B/C state softball tournament; Gallatin wins program's first Class AA boys basketball state championship.
