DILLON — The University of Montana Western football team announced its first singing of the 2014 recruiting year Monday morning, and it is a name that Bulldog fans are quite familiar with.
Bulldog head coach B.J. Robertson said Beaverhead County High School senior M.J. Simkins signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA Letter of intent to play football at Western. Simkins was a star receiver and defensive back for the 2013 state champion Dillon Beavers.
“Signing M.J. is a great start to our 2014 recruiting class,” Robertson said said. “M.J. is a versatile athlete from a state championship team. We were fortunate to be able to get to know him and work with he and his teammates this summer at our football camp.”
Simkins has participated in both football and American Legion baseball the past four years while attending Beaverhead County High School. He is a 5-11, 165-pound athlete who has received second-team all-conference honors on offense following both his junior and senior years. He took home first-team All-State and all-conference honors for his play in the Beavers secondary.
Simkins caught 29 passes for 462 yards and five touchdowns this season. He also completed 19 of 24 passes for three touchdowns. On defense, Simkins registered 40 tackles and three interceptions.
Off the field, Simkins earned Academic All-State honors throughout his four-year career for the Beavers. His intended major is psychology while attending Montana Western. He is the son of Mark and Kathy Simkins.
Robertson said he is happy to keep Simkins in his hometown.
“What coach (Rick) Nordahl and his staff at Beaverhead County High School have instilled in their program and players is exactly what we are looking for at Montana Western,” Robertson said. “We are excited that a local student athlete of M.J.’s caliber has decided to stay local and join the Bulldog football family.”
