Ahead of this weekend’s Brawl of the Wild basketball games, the University of Montana will host its annual Grizzly Winter Pep Rally from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, on the UM Oval. 

The celebration of Griz spirit will feature a bonfire, fireworks show, speeches from Griz athletes, fire pits and hot cocoa. 

The pep rally is free thanks to support from Dairy Farmers of Montana and the Associated Students of UM (ASUM).  Four Griz football tickets for the next season will be raffled off by UM Admissions along with ASUM Griz gear. Attendees can stop by tables at the rally for a chance to win both prizes.

In addition to speeches from the Lady Griz and men’s basketball teams, Montana’s spirit squads, Monte and students from the Zoo Crew – UM’s famed student section – will be in attendance.

 “Last year's bonfire and fireworks were sweet. I'm excited to do it again this year, and on the Oval!” said Kyle Wonders, a UM senior and Zoo Crew member. “It's a great way to support our Griz teams off the court.”

Parking is free after 5 p.m. on UM’s campus. Tickets for the basketball games on Saturday, Feb. 17, can be found online at GrizTix.com.

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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu