BOZEMAN — Blake Glessner, Montana State's placekicker and a major special teams component for the Bobcats, is transferring to UCLA.
Glessner, two days after making it known he was entering the NCAA transfer portal, announced via Twitter that he had committed to UCLA on Monday afternoon. Glessner posted a graphic of himself wearing a Bruins uniform under the statement, "Excited for the next chapter!"
Excited for the next chapter! pic.twitter.com/5DLo9hyZ8d
— Blake Glessner (@blake_glessner) January 2, 2023
As a sophomore in 2022, Glessner was more than a reliable point-scorer for the Bobcats, making a school record 24 field goals on 30 tries, including two from 50 or more yards. He made 71 of 73 point-after kicks. He scored 143 points in 14 games, an MSU single-season record.
Glessner made a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bobcats a 41-38 victory at Northern Arizona on Nov. 5 to become just second MSU kicker to make winning field goal as time expired and the fourth since 2002.
A product of Woodinville, Wash., Glessner went 44 of 55 on field goals and hit 114 PATs in two seasons with the Bobcats. He also averaged better than 60 yards per kickoff with 100 career touchbacks. His 66 touchbacks this past season were tops in the FCS.
Glessner was a third-team All-Big Sky Conference selection as a freshman and an honorable mention choice as a sophomore. He was named the Bobcats' special teams MVP for the 2021 season. Glessner helped Montana State reach the FCS national championship game as a freshman and the semifinal round this past year.
Glessner is the latest Bobcat to announce a transfer destination after Trey Yates, a defensive lineman from Colstrip, posted to social media on Dec. 30 that he will play at Montana Tech in the Frontier Conference.
MSU's most notable transfer announcement came from record-setting running back Isaiah Ifanse, who said he was entering the portal on Dec. 29 for his final season of eligibility. Ifanse is the Bobcats' all-time leading rusher.
