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Seth Amunrud remembers exactly where he was when he got the call from head coach Matt Logie at Montana State. He had a feeling a lifelong dream was about to come true.
Just a few years prior, Amunrud was a young kid in the stands at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse watching his role models in action. He was the kid who’d go home and mimic the highlights in his own driveway with his siblings.
Amunrud comes from a long line of Manhattan Christian alumni on his mom’s side, so entering MCS his freshman year after homeschooling made sense. It didn’t hurt that Manhattan Christian also had a consistent winning boys basketball program.
The lengthy guard helped the Eagles stay on top, leading the team to back-to-back state championships his junior and senior years under head coach Layne Glaus. He was selected to play in the Montana-Wyoming All-Star Game as a senior — an opportunity only 10 players in Montana get each year.
The part where college coaches come calling didn’t happen for Amunrud, though. So, he took his lone offer from Dawson Community College in Glendive, and headed to the eastern side of the state. Seth’s dad, role model, and primary coach in his younger years happened to be from the eastern Montana town of Wibaux.
“The coaching staff believed in me,” Amunrud said. “Coach Joe Petersen thought I was under-recruited out of high school. I liked that it was small and that the coaches really cared about the players and helped them grow both personally and athletically. They had a knack for winning, too.”
He shined in his two years under coach Peterson, earning NJCAA Division I Second-Team All-America honors, Mon-Dak Athletic Conference MVP, NJCAA Region XIII MVP, Region XIII Tournament MVP, and Mon-Dak Tipoff Tournament MVP honors while averaging 21 points per game during his decorated sophomore campaign.
He had already signed with the University of Denver Summit League School before his sophomore season even started. But due to a change in staff, Amunrud entered the portal near the end of his sophomore year.
And this time, the phones were ringing off the hook.
“That time was a bit crazy,” Amunrud said. “I always knew, though, if MSU came calling, that I’d go.”
And they did.
Montana State senior Seth Amunrud is pictured in a game during a game at the Big Sky Conference Tournament, March 8, 2026, in Boise, Idaho.
The 6-foot, 3-inch shooting guard was coming home to the place where his dreams started.
Amunrud had weathered storms and changes with grace up to this point, and he’d be asked to do it again in his first season with the Cats beginning in the fall of 2025.
The culprit this time was a slow-to-heal sprained ankle that turned into a small fracture. During a period when rotations were being set, MSU’s staff decided it was best if the junior took a medical redshirt for the year.
And for just one week, that was the plan.
Because of other injuries on the team, Amunrud was pulled from his redshirt and made his debut against St. Thomas on Dec. 3, 2025, tallying 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting off the bench.
“I was happy to do whatever the team needed me to,” he said.
With his family and friends in the stands, Amunrud never looked back. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game in his first year for the Bobcats. He scored in double figures seven times, including two 20-point games, while adding one double-double.
“To play in front of your hometown is really special,” said Amunrud. “The support from the community in Bozeman is great, and I love how friends and family can come support me. We led the Big Sky Conference in attendance last season, so just an awesome place to play.”
With his Senior year approaching, Amunrud considers himself lucky to be on a team with such depth and talent. They look to build on their 12-6 conference record from last year with their eyes set on a Big Sky Conference title and the opportunity to go dancing in March.
From his “little ballers” team in elementary school to Manhattan Christian, and now the Cats, Amunrud’s motivation has always stemmed from one thing — his faith.
“God has given me some abilities and talents, and I want to use those to glorify him as much as I can. I want to honor him in the way that I work and play,” said Amunrud.
Amunrud knows the value in giving back, too. He still visits Manhattan Christian School from time to time, helping with camps and speaking at high school practices. And with his math education major, he plans to move back to the Glendive area, along with his fiancé, in hopes of finding a teaching and coaching job.
“I love eastern Montana,” Amunrud said with a chuckle. “I want to give back and help other kids like so many have done for me.”
It’s only fitting that one more twist has been added to Amunrud’s winding journey — an opportunity for a 5th year of eligibility. Due to a new rule in college basketball, Amunrud may not have to hang up his shoes in March and is considering playing an additional year.
But with a “one step at a time” attitude, Amunrud is focused on the upcoming season, his wedding, and all the blessings the game of basketball has brought to his life so far.
“I love what basketball has taught me about hard work and discipline,” he said. “I love competing and getting to know my teammates, and all the connections I’ve made have been great. The relationships will last a lifetime, and I don’t take that for granted.”
Montana State hosts Denver in an exhibition game Oct. 18 and then travels to Kansas City on Oct. 24 before officially tipping off the 2026-27 season Nov. 2 at Colorado State.