Leon Costello - Director of Athletics - Staff Directory - Montana State University Athletics

Staff Directory

Leon Costello

Title:
Director of Athletics
Phone:
406.994.3499

**2024-25 NACDA Athletic Director of the Year for FCS**

As his first decade as Montana State’s Director of Athletics draws to a close, the magnitude of Leon Costello’s impact on Bobcat Athletics comes into focus. The 13^th person to lead Bobcat Athletics has presided over more championships, postseason opportunities, All-America honors and national academic honors than during any similar span in the program’s history.

Since arriving at Montana State in the summer of 2016, Costello has worked with campus and community stakeholders to turn a vision for success into strategic and facilities plans, then built the support to execute those plans to a degree beyond what could have been conceivable a decade ago. That success has drawn national attention, with the National Association for Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) naming him a Director of Athletics of the Year for the FCS level in the spring of 2025.

In that time, Bobcat teams have won 16 Big Sky Conference championships, three Big Sky Conference All-Sports Trophies, and the Big Sky Presidents’ Cup. In addition, Bobcat rodeo teams have won the Big Sky Region and advanced to the College National Finals Rodeo in all five seasons since bringing that program back into Bobcat Athletics.

The last nine years have been rooted in athletic success. Bobcat student-athletes have garnered three national athlete-of-the-year awards (football players Tommy Mellott, 2024, and Troy Andersen, 2021, and Benedicte Lyche, skiing, 2017), two national scholar-athlete of the year awards (Tommy Mellott, 2023 Doris Robinson Award, and Brody Grebe, 2024 FCS ADA Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award), two NFF Scholar-Athletes (Brody Grebe in 2024, Troy Andersen in 2021), four national champions (Anika Miller, Nordic skiing, 2016; Lyche, Alpine, 2017; Paige Rasmussen, CNFR all-around, 2021 and goat tying, 2023; Tayla Moeykens, barrel racing, 2021), a Bowerman Award finalist and two-time NCAA steeplechase runner-up (Duncan Hamilton), the Big Sky Conference’s all-time leading scorer (Tyler Hall, 2016-19), two Elite 90 Award Winners (Tommy Mellott, 2024, and Riley Seger, 2022), a Big Sky Golf Champion and NCAA Championship participant (Maddie Montoya, 2025), and a Big Sky Conference selection for NCAA Woman of the Year (Tori Martell, 2021). Bobcat student-athletes have accumulated 129 All-America honors and 32 Big Sky Conference player of the year honors.

Additionally, four Bobcat coaches have earned Big Sky Coach of the Year honors (Tricia Binford, five times; Brent Vigen, football, twice; Danny Sprinkle, men’s basketball, and Trey Morris, men’s tennis). Vigen also won the 2024 Eddie Robinson Award as National Coach of the Year.

The success enjoyed by Bobcat Athletics since Costello took the helm on June 15, 2016, is unprecedented. The efforts of Bobcat student-athletes have led Montana State to the Big Sky Conference’s President’s Cup in 2022-23 and capturing two Big Sky Conference Men’s All-Sports Trophies (2021-22, 2022-23) and the program’s first Big Sky Women’s All-Sports Trophy (2023-24). The athletic department has won the Brawl of the Wild Series wins against the University of Montana in all nine of Costello’s years leading MSU Athletics. The 2021-22 academic year marked the third time in history an athletic program finished in the top three of the Big Sky standings in every sport in which it participated, and two of those seasons belonged to MSU. Five of Montana State’s 12 programs that compete in the Big Sky Conference have won championships since 2016. In all, ten Bobcat Athletics programs have sent individual student-athletes to NCAA Championship competition.

Several Bobcat teams have reached new heights since Costello’s arrival;

The Bobcat football team has set school and Big Sky records for wins in a season, while advancing to the FCS Playoffs for a school-record six straight seasons and playing for the FCS National Championship twice.
The men’s basketball team became the first Big Sky squad to advance to the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons
Women’s basketball set a school and Big Sky record for wins in a season (30) and have won eight regular season or postseason Big Sky titles, advancing to four NCAA Tournaments
Set school records in volleyball for wins overall and in the Big Sky, and advanced to the postseason for the first time by reaching the semifinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (2023)
Men’s cross country finished a school best 13^th at the 2023 NCAA Championships
Men’s outdoor track and field won the Big Sky Conference Championship in 2024, first time since 2005
Men’s and women’s track and field student-athletes have earned XX all-American honors
Bobcat rodeo teams have won the Big Sky Region in each of the five years since returning to varsity athletics status.
Men’s tennis won the 2022 Big Sky Conference Championship, first time since 2007
Women’s golf had its first Big Sky Champion and NCAA regional qualifier in 2025, Maddie Montoya.
Bobcat Skiing earned two national champions

While the success of Bobcat Athletics in competition has been impressive, it begins in the classroom. The Department has strung 48 consecutive semesters with a combined team grade point average of better than 3.0, with an all-time high of 3.42 in Fall ’24 and Spring ‘25, and in Costello’s time Bobcat student-athletes have earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors 14 times with five student-athletes earning NCAA or NFF Post-Graduate Scholarships. Six Bobcats have earned both All-America and Academic All-America honors (Troy Andersen and Tommy Mellott, football; Lucy Corbett and Duncan Hamilton, track and field; and Riley Seger, skiing).

Montana State Athletics’ path to broad-based success follows a proven formula for Costello, who formulates decisions to enhance the development of MSU’s 350-plus student-athletes thorough planning with the help of the department’s stakeholders. The entire process is rooted in Montana State University’s commitment to excellence, progress and growth. Bobcat Athletics revamped its Strategic Plan, initially established under Costello in 2017, and updated in 2024. This plan also contained the department’s facilities masterplan, which has led to multiple new and enhanced athletic facility projects.

In September 2021 the Bobcat Athletics Complex opened, featuring state-of-the-art strength training, nutrition, and sports medicine facilities to benefit each of the department’s 350-plus student-athletes. That facility also includes a locker room, hydrotherapy area with and treadmill pool, and a fully operational clinic operated by Bozeman Health. On the second floor, the football program enjoys new offices, team and position group meeting spaces. At the same time, Fieldhouse renovations upgraded the department’s Academic Services to include offices, computer labs, and individual and group study spaces. The new Student-Athlete Wellness area, which includes a lounge, meditation room, and office for the athletics certified psychologist, places the MSU program among the most progressive in the nation at its level.

The 2023-24 academic year brought brand new men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms, renovations to the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse weight room and athletic training room spaces. In recent years the MSU Track and Field Complex received a new track surface, grandstand and video board and Bobcat Stadium’s playing surface was replaced and then enhanced. In 2024, Bobcat Stadium unveiled a state-of-the-art scoreboard and sound system. In the summer of 2025, the Kennedy-Stark Indoor Athletics Complex opens to provide practice space for the football team and a training and competition venue for the track and field and cross-country teams. The building also provides space for use by the MSU student and Bozeman communities during allotted times.

The success and growth of Bobcat Athletics under Costello’s direction mirrors that of Montana State University. Bobcat Club giving has nearly tripled, from $1.1 million to nearly $3 million, including $500,000 in one night at the Blue and Gold Gala. Concurrently, more than $50 million has been raised for new or renovated athletic facilities. In addition to the fund-raising efforts, the revenue surge is driven by a sellout of football all football season tickets being sold out in 2023, coming off back-to-back regular seasons in 2021 and 2022 where all home football games were sold out, as well as record sponsorship revenues through the athletic department’s Learfield contract. Enhanced revenue hasn’t ended with fund-raising efforts, as Bobcat Athletics has reached new agreements with Under Armour and Learfield, leading to record revenues from each.

Montana State’s athletic success in Costello’s time centers on developing Bobcat student-athletes in all phases. Since 2017 over twenty full-time positions have been added with many directly supporting the well-being of student-athletes. These positions include a registered dietitian, academic advisors, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and a certified sports psychologist. Furthermore, these specific areas have all undergone facility renovations to support development and foster a first-class student-athlete experience.

Costello came to Montana State after serving six years in roles of progressively increased responsibility at South Dakota State. He rose to the position of Deputy Athletic Director (2014-16) after also serving as Senior Associate AD/External Relations (2010-14). He helped spearhead SDSU’s massive facilities improvement project and was involved in sport oversight of nine Jackrabbit programs while managing the department’s external operations. He managed the department’s digital and sports information operations, served as department liaison with Learfield Sports, and supervised production and distribution of radio and television content. He was also involved in several compliance and student-athlete service initiatives.

Beginning his professional career as a marketing assistant at Northern Iowa in the fall of 2002, he became Director of Athletic Marketing just three months later. In 2005 Costello became Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions, and in 2008 was elevated to Associate Athletic Director for External Relations.

Costello grew up in Fairbank, Iowa, and attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He served as team captain of the DuHawk basketball team and earned Bill Bradley Scholastic All-America honors before graduating in 1998. After two years with the Briggs Corporation in Des Moines (1999-2000), he interned for the John Deere Classic PGA Tournament in 2001 and for the Boston Celtics in marketing and game operations in 2002. He earned his master’s degree from Western Illinois in 2002. Costello and his wife Heather have a daughter, Cailin, and sons Michael and Griffin.

Costello At A Glance
2016-present – Montana State Director of Athletics
2010-16 – South Dakota State (Deputy AD, 2014-16; Senior Associate AD/External Affairs, 2010-14)
2003-10 – Northern Iowa Athletics (Associate AD/External Relations, 2008-10; 2005-08, Asst. AD, Marketing and Promotions; 2003-05, Director of Marketing and Promotions)

Education: Loras, BA in Physical Education and Sport Science, 1998; Western Illinois, MS in Sport Management, 2002
College Athletics: Member, Loras men’s basketball team
Family: Wife Heather, daughter Cailin, sons Michael and Griffin

Timeline of Full-Time Athletic Directors at Montana State
MSU Director of Athletics
2002-16                 Peter Fields
2001-02                 Glenn Lewis (Interim Director)
1995-2001 Chuck Lindemenn
1993-95                 Doug Fullerton (Fullerton was Director of Men's Athletics from 1985 until departments merged in 1993)
1970-77            Tom Parac (the creation of Women's Athletics in 1977 left Parac as Director of Men's Athletics)
1958-70 Gene Bourdet
1956-57 Tony Storti
1944-45, 52-55      Brick Breeden
1928-41, 46-51 Schubert Dyche
1922-28 Ott Romney
1920-22 D.V. Graves
1914-18 Fred Bennion

MSU Directors of Men’s Athletics
1985-93                 Doug Fullerton
1977-85                 Tom Parac

MSU Directors of Women’s Athletics
1977-93                 Dr. Ginny Hunt
With the creation of Women's Athletics in 1977 there were two departments and two Directors. Until then, and since the merger of departments in 1993, Athletics is a single entity.