BILLINGS, Mont. – Among the top honorees at the fifth annual Buzzie Awards ceremony Thursday night at Petro Theater were Female Athlete of the Year Heather Tracy of the Montana State University Billings softball team, male Athlete of the Year Sam Zook of the Yellowjacket track and field squad, and the MSUB men's soccer team as the Team of the Year.
 
A total of 30 awards were handed out by the athletic department, commemorating the best individual and team performances and memorable moments from the 2016-17 academic year.
 
MSUB interim chancellor Dr. Ron Larsen presented the top awards for individuals, and MSUB foundation director Bill Kennedy presented this year's Coach of the Year honor.
 
Tracy became the first softball player to win the top award among female athletes, while Zook made it two wins in-a-row for track and field as he followed 2015-16 winner Robert Peterson. The men's soccer team also won its first-ever Team of the Year award, and head coach Alex Balog was selected as the athletic department's Coach of the Year. 

Dave Coppock, who announced his retirement at the end of the track and field season, was presented with the Yellowjacket Award commemorating his 28 years of service to Yellowjacket athletics.

 
Tiana Hanson of MSUB's women's basketball team was presented with the Scholar Athlete award, which is given to the individual in the department who holds the top grade point average and has exhausted her eligibility. Hanson has a perfect 4.00 GPA as an education major.
 
Other major awards included Breakout Player of the Year Kamal Tall of MSUB's men's basketball team, Freshman of the Year Maddy Lincoln of the softball squad, and Newcomer of the Year Julien Dragomir of the men's soccer team.
 
Starting all 29 games the season after suffering a devastating knee injury, Jace Anderson earned the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
 
Bella Rovens recently became the all-time hits leader for the MSUB softball program, and was recognized with the Career Achievement Award. She enters her final home series this weekend No. 1 in five different major offensive categories for the 'Jackets.
 
The Buzzies all-time winners can be found online here.
 
Overall Awards
Team of the Year
Men's Soccer
 
Coach of the Year
Alex Balog
 
Female Athlete of the Year
Heather Tracy – Softball
 
Male Athlete of the Year
Sam Zook – Men's Track & Field
 
Yellowjacket Award For Service
Dave Coppock
 
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Tiana Hanson
 
Career Achievement Award
Bella Rovens
 
Student Support Staff Worker of the Year
Josie Smart
 
Male SAAC Award Winner
Jacob Marshall
 
Female SAAC Award Winner
Dana Lubieniecki
 
Freshman of the Year
Maddy Lincoln – Softball
 
Newcomer of the Year
Julien Dragomir – Men's Soccer
 
Breakout Player of the Year
Kamal Tall – Men's Basketball
 
Comeback Player of the Year
Jace Anderson – Men's Basketball
 
Game/Event of the Year
Men's Basketball – 100-93 road win over No. 19 Western Washington (12/31/16)
 
Moment/Play of the Year
Men's Basketball – Marc Matthews last-second, game-winning 3-pointer at home vs. Alaska Anchorage (1/12/17)
 
 
Individual Team Player of the Year Awards
Baseball
Casey Merritt
 
Men's Basketball
Marc Matthews
 
Men's Cross Country
Jorey Egeland
 
Men's Golf
Caleb Stetzner
 
Men's Soccer
Julien Dragomir
 
Men's Track & Field
Sam Zook
 
Softball
Heather Tracy
 
Volleyball
Stormy Siemion
 
Women's Basketbal
Tiana Hanson
 
Women's Cross Country
Rio Frame
 
Women's Golf
Bailee Dexter
 
Women's Soccer
Dana Lubieniecki
 
Women's Track & Field
Josey Smiedala