Fans Are Buzzing For Griz Soccer. Catch Them At Two Awesome Events

After last year's marvelous season, there's a lot to live up to for Montana Grizzly Soccer. Montana is fresh off a Big Sky Conference Regular Season Championship, a 13-win season, a 10-match unbeaten streak and a top-3 finish in the NCAA in goals-against average. Fans are excited because of the talent returning for Head Coach Chris Citowicki's team, but they're also excited for a pair of awesome events to kick off the season.

August 11 Scrimmage VS Gonzaga in Columbia Falls

The Griz will begin with an exhibition against the Gonzaga Bulldogs this Sunday. It's no ordinary exhibition as the two teams will play in Columbia Falls in front of over 1,500 fans. 1,500... for an exhibition? GoGriz.com is reporting extra seating has to be wheeled in to accommodate. Citowicki said the idea came together from O'Brien Byrd, the boys high school coach at C Falls. Byrd continued to ask Citowicki to play a match in the Flathead and finally came together to provide some relief to the area.

"Timing couldn't be any better, because I feel like there's been a lot of pain with that boys soccer program. A lot of deaths in that program. For us to be able to go up there and provide some life and some enthusiasm and some joy back into that community that has suffered so much. Again, makes it so much more than a regular exhibition."

Citowicki is referring to the deaths of former Columbia Falls Wildcats Josiah Kilman, Winslow Nichols and Paxton Fisher. Byrd told gogriz.com "Sunday will be a tribute to our fallen young men."

Road-tripping to Columbia Falls is hopefully just the start for these unique exhibitions. I asked Citowicki if he could envision the Griz replicating what Griz Football did by traveling around the state. He responded with "What a beautiful question."

"That's one of the things that was going through my mind as we were planning this. Because I remember football doing it years ago, I'm like 'God, I wish I could do that.' If I could do this every year I would."

The defending Big Sky champs and WCC Champs play at 8 pm this Sunday at Flip Darling Memorial Field.

August 15, 18 Rumble In The Rockies

Speaking of champions, the defending Big 10 Tournament champion Iowa Hawkeyes come to Missoula for the return of the Rumble in the Rockies. Iowa is joined by 2-Pac (Pac-2) representative Oregon State (playing in the West Coast Conference this season) and Mountain West rep Colorado College. Griz Soccer has aimed at bringing back the Rumble in the Rockies for some time now.

"We did the first one and I thought it worked really well with Pitt here and Gonzaga and Creighton. I'm like 'I just want to do this again.' Because Missoula is clearly a soccer city. It's got a good underground current of soccer fans," said Citowicki

The stages are set for some epic soccer in the opening week of the season. And by the way, Cito has one last thing to say before we go.

"If we can get as many fans as possible out to that Oregon State game the way that we did to Ohio State, that's what we're aiming for."

You heard the man. Be there or be square.