BILLINGS, Mont. – Bringing home the second NCAA D2 West Region Championship title in program history, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team was named the 2017-18 Team of the Year at the Sixth Annual Buzzie Awards show Wednesday evening at Petro Theater.
 
The Yellowjackets tied the school record for wins, going 25-12 and 12-8 in league play en route to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and NCAA regional titles. This is the third time in the six-year history of The Buzzies that women's basketball has claimed the top team award, also winning in 2014 and 2016.
 
MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin was named the Coach of the Year, and senior first-team All-American Alisha Breen won the athletic department's Female Athlete of the Year award for the second time in her career. The Yellowjacket women's basketball team also claimed the awards for Game/Event of the Year and Moment/Play of the Year, both for their historic 71-70 win over No. 13 University of Alaska Anchorage in the NCAA West Region title game.
 
Men's soccer junior Guillaume Kremer, who led his team in goals and was an all-region selection last fall, was picked as the athletic department's Male Athlete of the Year. Kremer, who was also named the Men's Soccer Player of the Year, scored nine times out of MSUB's midfield and served as team captain last fall for the 'Jackets. 
 
On his way to an appearance at the 2018 NCAA Track & Field Championships, junior javelin thrower Beau Ackerman was named the Breakout Player of the Year. The Glendive, Mont., native currently ranks No. 11 in the NCAA and has already posted a provisional national qualifying mark.
 
The department's Freshman of the Year award went to all-GNAC volleyball star Izela Alvarez, who broke the Yellowjacket single-season record for digs (622) in her first year with the team. A Dumas, Texas, native, Alvarez was also named the Volleyball Player of the Year after playing all 108 sets during the 2017 fall season.
 
The current GNAC leader in batting average and slugging percentage, baseball junior Kaleo Johnson was recognized as the Newcomer of the Year. Bursting onto the scene this spring, the transfer from Laney College (Calif.) is batting .388 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs for the first-place Yellowjackets.
 
After being named the Women's Basketball Player of the Year, Breen also collected the Comeback Player of the Year award as she broke 21 GNAC and MSUB single-season and career records in 2017-18 despite suffering a torn ACL the year before. Teammate Rylee Kane earned the Career Achievement Award, after starting 125 consecutive games and finishing her career No. 2 in MSUB history with 563 assists. 
Senior Bailee Dexter won the Women's Golf Player of the Year award for the second straight season, and was also named the athletic department's Scholar Athlete of the Year as she will graduate this spring with a cumulative grade point average of 3.97.
 
The Yellowjacket men's basketball team became the third MSUB squad to partner with the Team IMPACT program, and earned the Yellowjacket Award for Service. On Oct. 31, 2017, the men's basketball team signed Elijah Salley as a ceremonial team member, and has since been dedicated to helping the seven-year-old in his battle against cancer.
 
For a complete list of award winners, as well as historic winners, nominees, and all-time standings, visit The Buzzies webpage online here.