Former Gatorade Player of the Year Sulser transferring from Montana

One of Montana’s most promising stars is on the move.

Gabe Sulser, the 2017 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year and a three-time first-team all-state selection during his decorated career at Billings Senior High, has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Thursday night, Sulser confirmed he entered the portal on Tuesday. He said he did not make an announcement via his own personal social media as to not draw attention to himself, another sign of the humility shown by the second-generation Griz during a relatively brief, yet undeniably electric Griz career.

“I am extremely thankful for the all relationships I made here at the University of Montana,” Sulser said on Thursday night. “I have amazing friends and teammates and I wish them nothing but the best. It was just time for a fresh start.”

Sulser helped lead the Senior Broncs to three state title games and a pair of Class AA state titles. His father Mark played for the Grizzlies in the late 1980s and his sister, Morgan, had been a champion sprinter for the UM track team. He arrived on campus in Missoula four years ago with much fanfare.

Sulser’s first day of fall camp as a freshman was Bobby Hauck’s first fall camp back as the Griz head coach after a nine-year hiatus in the Mountain West.

“I’m also real anxious to see how far along Gabe Sulser is just because he’s the Montana Gatorade Player of the Year, a local guy and I’m anxious to see him today,” Hauck said ahead of his first practice back at his alma mater ahead of the 2018 season.

Sulser was not only one of the dominant two-way football players in recent history in the Treasure State — he was a two-time first-team all-state selection as a cornerback as well — he was also a state champion sprinter. He helped lead Senior to a 43-7 record by scoring 80 career touchdowns, including catching an all-class record 50 scores. His 4,007 career receiver yards are also a Montana all-class record, as are his 261 receptions.

He also was a multiple-time champion in the 110-meter hurdles. Sulser’s winning time of 14.24 seconds at the Swede Dahlberg Invite in 2016 was just 0.1 seconds off of Montana’s all-class state record. He ran 14.40 at the state championship meet shortly after.

The all-class hurdles mark is a mark he certainly would’ve attained if not for a tender hamstring his senior year. He still ran 14.22 in the state championship heat to win his second consecutive gold medal.

Sulser’s Griz career got off to as explosive a start as any in recent memory. He ripped off a 53-yard touchdown on the first touch of his career in a homecoming win over Sac State in which Montana fittingly wore its old Copper and Gold jerseys.

He ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run a few weeks later against North Dakota. His true freshman year ended with Sulser averaging 19 yards per touch, including 33.3 yards per rush. He scored three touchdowns among his nine receptions, including two plays of more than 50 yards.

Over the last two seasons plus two spring games, Sulser showed flashes of his budding stardom but also struggled to stay healthy. Head and leg injuries held him to six games and 15 offensive touches (for 107 yards) in 2019.

Sulser looked like a go-to option in the spring of 2021, catching eight passes for 145 yards and scoring two touchdowns in two spring games against Central Washington and Portland State, respectively.

But a torn ACL in UM’s fourth game of the season last fall ended Sulser’s season, and ultimately, his Griz career. He finished 2021 with nine catches for 73 yards and no scores.

Sulser ends his Griz career with 35 catches for 414 yards and five touchdowns plus 11 carries for 65 yards and another score. Sulser’s father, Mark, played for the Grizzlies from 1988 to 1991 while Hauck’s brother, Tim Hauck, was starring for the Griz. Sulser’s sister, Morgan, was a record-setting track athlete in high school and champion in the Big Sky while running at UM.

Sulser enters the portal as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining. His bio on the Montana football website indicated that he is studying physical therapy at Montana.

Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.