July 15, 2012

The University of Montana's Greg Hardy and Danny Kistler have been named to the 2012 Big Sky Conference preseason all-conference team, the league announced today. The Grizzlies had no players named to the defensive squad.

A 6-5, 245-pound senior from Fairview, Mont., Hardy will be starting at tight end for the third straight season in 2012. Last year he was the Grizzlies' fourth (tie) leading receiver with 22 receptions.

Last season Hardy was a first team All-Big Sky Conference pick, and he started all 14 games for the 11-3 Griz.

Kistler, a 6-8, 315-pound junior from Seattle, Wash., was also recently named a preseason All-American by The Sports Network. He was a second team pick at guard, where he started all 14 games a year ago, but he was moved to tackle this past spring.

Kistler, a second team All-Big Sky selection last season, was one of 14 players from the league named to The Sports Network's first, second, or third team preseason All-America unit.

"That's probably about where we should be," said Griz head coach Mick Delaney. "Greg is coming off a great season last year and was named all-conference a year ago. Andy Danny is an up-and-coming player, and is certainly, I think, as good an offensive lineman as there is not only in the conference, but in the Football Championship Subdivision.

"They are both very, very well-deserving, and now with the four new teams in the league, obviously it's going to be more difficult to place four, five or six guys on that all-league team. In all reality it's a great honor, but you've still got to play and do what you have to do to be a good football player.

"It really matters more at the end of the season where you are at, both in individual honors and in the team situation," he said. "It's important obviously where you're at in December when it's time for the playoffs.

"I am very happy where we are with two all-conference players," Delaney said. "I think we will surprise a lot of people with our defense. There are a lot of unknowns on that defense. We have (junior linebacker) Jordy Tripp back, who certainly would have been a first team all-conference player had he not been injured in the third game (last season). I think (senior defensive end) Josh Harris is another guy who deserves some recognition. From there on we've got a great linebacking core, and our guys up front and in the back end are going to surprise some people."