Monday’s regional sports briefs

Holmes named Defensive Player of the Year finalist

University of Montana football’s Tyrone Holmes was selected as a finalist for the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year award, which will be given out in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 8, the night before the FCS national championship game.

The senior defensive end leads the FCS in sacks with 17 on the year and is currently second all-time in school history with 32.5 sacks.

Joining Holmes as finalists are fellow Big Sky conference defenders James Cowser, an end for Southern Utah and Portland State safety Patrick Onwuasor.

Cowser, the conference’s defensive player of the year, boasts 13 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and fumble return for a touchdown on the season. The senior also became the FCS career record for sacks (43) and tackles for loss (80).

Onwuasor is tied for the FCS lead in interceptions with nine and is second on the Vikings in tackles with 75.

Barnum named coach of the year

Portland State football coach Bruce Barnum was selected as the Big Sky coach of the year after leading the Vikings to a 9-2 record and a first-round bye in the FCS playoffs.

Barnum began the year as PSU’s interim coach but has since been given a contract extension.

Barnum, a longtime assistant in the Big Sky with the Vikings and Idaho State, had more than 20 years’ experience under his belt but never as the head coach until this season.

PSU set a record for highest margin of victory over an FBS opponent, a 66-7 drubbing of North Texas, and were 5-0 against ranked FCS opponents.

MSU men on the road

The Montana State men’s basketball team travels to Orem, Utah, to take on Utah Valley University on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Bobcats of head coach Brian Fish are 3-3 on the season.

MSU is led by senior guard Marcus Colbert who is averaging more than 18 points and almost four assists per game, and Tyler Hall, a freshman guard who has poured in just under 15 points per contest this season.

The Cats return home on Dec. 6 when they play host to Omaha.

Frontier basketball players of the week

Montana Tech women’s basketball guard Sammy McGree and Montana State-Northern men’s basketball’s Warren Edmondson were named the Frontier Basketball Players of the Week.

McGree, a freshman from Butte, averaged 17.5 and five rebounds over two Oredigger losses to Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho.

Edmondson had 22 points, two rebounds and three assists in the Lights’ loss to Chadron State College.