BILLINGS, Mont. — Former Billings West High standout Matt Ludwig, better known as “Moose,” only spent three years with the Golden Bears, but he left a lasting impact in a short amount of time.
Now, Ludwig is continuing his football career at Texas Tech University, where he has gotten his first taste of football at the next level.
“It’s been awesome, I have been loving it,” Ludwig said. “I’ve been learning everything I can from these older guys just to adapt my game and help my game grow. College football has been so much fun, and the people down in Lubbock have been treating me so well.”
While enjoying life at Texas Tech, Ludwig has not forgotten the impact Billings West High had on him after he moved to Montana following a difficult chapter in his life.
“They took me in like brothers and loved me the second I got in, they had super open arms,” he added. “I had a serious issue at the time. I had just lost my brother, and they brought me in.”
Ludwig is referring to his younger brother, Nicko, who sadly passed away in 2023 at the young age of 12 following a heart transplant.
Back in Billings this past weekend, Ludwig honored his brother’s memory by hosting the first of many 5 Beats for Nicko football camp, an event designed to give back to the community while also raising awareness about the medical challenges Nicko faced.
“Me and my mom got together, and we wanted to think of a way to give back to the community while also spreading awareness for what my brother went through and some of the issues that he dealt with growing up,” Ludwig said.
Shortly after Nicko passed away in 2023, Ludwig’s family moved from Idaho to Billings, where he quickly became one of the top athletes, and one of the top football recruits in the state during his time at Billings West.
Ludwig earned all-state honors in football during all three of his seasons with the Golden Bears. He also earned all-state recognition in basketball as a junior and won a state championship in discus that same year.
“My favorite memories were either in the weight room or during football games,” he said. “Postgame dances in the locker room and all of the things you could do to bond with your brothers.”
Although Ludwig enrolled early at Texas Tech and has been in Lubbock since January, he says he is still excited about what the future holds.
“I’m super excited to see what’s in store for me and what I can learn later down the road.”
The 2026 Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year Banquet will take place Wednesday, May 20, at 7 p.m. at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.
Ticket prices are $50 per individual and $400 for a table of eight. For ticket information, contact Kory Loberg at koryl@universalawards.net. The event is sponsored Athletic Medicine and Performance (AMP).
The four other male finalists aside from Ludwig are Billings West’s Makael Aguayo, and Billings Central’s Greyson Piseno, William Snell and Howie Martin.
The five female finalists are Billings Skyview’s Tenley Leffler, Billings Senior’s Eva Blatchford, Billings West’s Brooklyn Pierce, and Billings Central’s Annika Stergar and Kamryn Reinker.