June 18, 2025
HELENA, Mont. – The Frontier Conference announced the recipients for the 2024-25 Distinguished Service awards Wednesday. They are Lowell Peterson from Carroll, Jim Croft from Providence, and the members of the University of Montana Western football chain gang.
Lowell Peterson – Carroll
Peterson has served the conference in a variety of roles. He was a color commentator for Carroll basketball on the radio for twenty years. He followed that by serving as an assistant men’s basketball coach and part-time Sports Information Director at Montana Western from 2010-12.
Peterson moved back to Helena and started serving as the public announcer for Carroll’s volleyball and basketball teams in 2013, where he has been doing since.
Jim Croft – Providence
Croft has been the Faculty Athletics Representative at the University of Providence for the past ten years. He assists in all video streaming as well as being the point person for the Frontier Conference Tournament’s stream this past season.
Croft was recently named to the 2024-25 Frontier Conference FAR of the Year. He served as the Argos’ FAR since 2012.
Montana Western Football Chain Gang
The University of Montana Western football chain gang is a shining example of long-standing dedication and excellence. This outstanding crew was formed twenty years ago and has been under the leadership of Donnie Keltz since its inception.
For two decades, Keltz has organized the same core group of volunteers for every home football game—an extraordinary accomplishment in today’s climate, where finding and retaining game day help continues to be a growing challenge across college athletics.
What sets the UMW Chain Gang apart is not just their longevity, but their unwavering professionalism, accuracy, and commitment to the role. They are always courteous, dependable, and take pride in representing Montana Western with class.
Their respective interactions and friendly demeanor have made them a favorite among Frontier Conference officials, and they consistently leave a positive impression on visiting coaches and players. In a time when volunteer consistency is increasingly rare, the UMW Chain Gan has exemplified what it means to serve with pride and purpose.
Their twenty years of dedicated service are a true reflection of the spirit of this award.