Bobcats Land New AD!
By Danny Waldo
Following an about-face from the Montana State University Selection Committee’s first choice for director of athletics, the Bobcats have finally landed their man with the hiring of Leon Costello.
Costello comes to Montana State from South Dakota State University, where he has served in the athletic department since 2010, the past two as senior associate athletic director overseeing the volleyball, men’s basketball and wrestling programs.
Costello, a Fairbank, Iowa native, was one of five original finalists for the top job in the Bobcat athletic department, coming to Bozeman for an on-campus interview the first week of May, but he was passed over for Kyle Brennen, deputy athletic director at the University of Utah who was offered the job on May 2nd. However, Brennen had a change of heart about coming to Bozeman, and Montana State University president, Waded Cruzado, wasted little time in reaching out to Costello to offer him the position.
“When I got the call today (May 10th), it was a little bit like deja vu — it was just surreal. It’s unbelievable the way things kind of work out,” said Costello. “When you don’t get the job the first time around, you’re disappointed because you put yourself in that position a little bit, but you know it’s still an incredible opportunity for whoever was going to get the job.”
Costello brings a wealth of experience at the FCS level with him to Bozeman having served at SDSU for the past six years. The Jackrabbits defeated the Bobcats in the 2014 FCS football playoffs on the snow-covered turf at Bobcat Stadium, so Costello is familiar with what Montana State offers in terms of successes and challenges. “There’s not the Power Five money, the TV money, there’s not any of that, so we’ve got to go out and generate (revenue) on our own … In order to be in a community like this, the size that it is, and in order to move the mountains that we need to, we’ve got to be working together. We’ve got to have community support and the support within our own internal operations.”
Costello has demonstrated an ability to kick-start programs to improve the athletic department, particularly at his last stop, where he oversaw record revenue increases in ticket sales, sponsorships and donations. Costello spearheaded a $57 million dollar campaign which led to the construction of the $32 million Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, and SDSU is nearing completion of a new $63 million dollar Dana J. Dykhouse football stadium.
But aside from his fundraising astuteness, Costello is happy to be coming to Bozeman because of the fit with his family. “The real big thing was … we saw ourselves fitting in there,” Costello said. “For me, there was never a doubt. We felt really good about it two weeks ago, and feel the same way now. It’s a great place with huge potential.”
Costello, who will make $185,000 annually doesn’t officially begin his reign until July 1st (Peter Fields contract expires June 30th), but chances are he will be up and running well before then.
Danny Waldo is a local freelance writer covering MSU and BHS athletics. At this time of year, he can be reached at the local little league baseball fields.
