The Official Site of the Fighting Saints

An All-American fullback from Notre Dame, Ed Simonich coached the Saints to a total of five Montana College Conference championships in five years, two each in football and basketball, and one in track & field. He directed the gridders from 1939-41, the cagers from 1939-44 and the tracksters from 1940-42. After going 3-4 as a rookie skipper in 1939, the Hilltoppers won the program’s first MCC football title since 1931 the next year, at 5-2 overall, 2-0 in league play. 

In 1941, Simonich’s gridders retained their Conference crown with an undefeated, unscored upon 5-0-1 record. They outscored the opposition 50-0, the only blemish being a 0-0 tie with South Dakota Mines in Rapid City. After two subpar seasons with the round-ballers, coach Simonich’s charges captured back-to-back Conference basketball crowns, with a two-year record of 24-5. His final season in 1944 was a team comprised of naval officer physical education trainees under his supervision, known as the Flying Saints. On the track, Simonich directed his thinclads to the 1940 T&F league co-championship with Dillon Normal (Western).