BILLINGS, Mont. – The week-long virtual ceremony for The Buzzies concluded on Friday with the announcement of the Montana State University Billings athletic department major award winners.
 
2021 Buzzies Major Award Winners

Award	Winner	Sport	Year
Male Athlete of the Year	Beau Ackerman	Men's Track & Field	Senior
Female Athlete of the Year	Brittanee Fisher	Softball	Senior
Team of the Year	Men's Golf	Men's Golf	--
Coach of the Year	Jeff Allen	Men's Golf	3rd
Career Achievement Award	Daniel Cipriano	Baseball	Senior
Yellowjacket Award	Krista Montague	Athletic Director	25th

2021 Buzzies Release Schedule
Tuesday, June 8 – Women's Team Player of the Year awards
Wednesday, June 9 – Men's Team Player of the Year awards
Thursday, June 10 – Department-wide awards
Friday, June 11 – Male & Female Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year
 

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Male Athlete of the Year: Beau Ackerman, Men's Track & Field
Nominees: Beau Ackerman, Men's Track & Field; Will Riley, Baseball; Garrett Woodin, Men's Golf
 
About the award: The Buzzie for Male Athlete of the Year is awarded to the male athlete adjudged to have had the most impactful and significant performance during the course of the academic year. Major awards garnered from voting organizations, achievement within the context of regional and national competition, and historical significance of performance are all factors considered when evaluating nominees.
 
Completing one of the greatest athletic careers in school history, Beau Ackerman claimed the athletic department's top award after an unprecedented season throwing the javelin. Ackerman was a first-team All-American in the event, placing fourth at the NCAA D2 Championships to solidify his second All-American finish in his career. Ackerman broke his own school record in the javelin at the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, throwing 233-7 feet which was the second longest throw in conference history and broke the GNAC Championships meet record.
 
Ackerman became the first athlete in school history to be named the GNAC Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year and the first to earn the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association West Region Athlete of the Year. His performance at the conference meet earned him the GNAC Performance of the Meet award, and he was a three-time GNAC Athlete of the Week winner during the 2021 spring season.


 
Ackerman was also a four-time academic all-GNAC selection, and was the 2021 Buzzie winner for both Comeback Athlete of the Year and Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year. In winning the Male Athlete of the Year award, Ackerman became the first athlete in school history to win three different major awards at the Buzzies, after he claimed the Breakout Athlete of the Year award in 2018. He has four total Buzzies wins, placing him among the most decorated athletes in school history. Ackerman will be MSUB's finalist for the prestigious GNAC Male Athlete of the Year award for 2020-21.
 
MSUB Athletics All-Time Buzzies Points Leaders

Name	Major Nominations	Team Nominations	Total Nominations	Major Wins	Team Wins	Total Wins	Total Points
Peterson, Robert	6	7	13	2	5	7	9
Breen, Alisha	5	3	8	3	2	5	8
Ackerman, Beau	3	1	4	3	1	4	7
Knudsen, Bobbi	2	2	4	2	2	4	6
Cipriano, Daniel	2	3	5	2	1	3	5
Green, Tyler	3	2	5	2	1	3	5
Tracy, Heather	3	3	6	1	3	4	5

*2 points awarded for a major award, 1 point awarded for a team award.
 
Other Nominees: MSUB's other two finalists for the Male Athlete of the Year award each etched their names into the school record books with historic senior campaigns.
 
Garrett Woodin, Men's Golf – Woodin made history individually and also helped the men's golf program to unprecedented success during his historic season. The Billings native placed third at the GNAC Championships, and then took third at the NCAA West/South Central Regional Championships to become the first men's golf player in school history to qualify for the national tournament. On the top stage in the country, Woodin tied for 23rd place among a field of 84 of the top golfers in the country.
 
Woodin led the team with a scoring average of 74.7 strokes per round, which ranked him fifth in the conference as he was a first-team all-GNAC selection. Woodin finished his career as MSUB's all-time leader in rounds played with 116, and his career scoring average of 75.57 ranked him eighth in program history. Woodin also became the first athlete in school history to win his team's Buzzie award for Player of the Year four times.
 
Will Riley, Baseball – MSUB's leadoff hitter became the fourth player in program history to achieve All-American status, earning honorable mention recognition from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Riley became the third player in school history to eclipse a .400 batting average in a single season, hitting .401 throughout the 2021 season.
 
The first-team all-GNAC and first-team all-region selection led the league in doubles with 16, hits with 63, and total bases with 104. He slugged .662 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs, and reached base at a clip of .484 while starting all 40 games for the Yellowjackets. Riley received the Buzzie for the MSUB Baseball Player of the Year.
 
History: Ackerman is the eighth athlete in school history to earn the athletic department's top award, and this was his first nomination. Half of the selections have been from the men's track and field team, as he joins 2017 winner Sam Zook and two-time Male Athlete of the Year Robert Peterson (2014, 2016). Peterson's two wins and three nominations are most ever for this award.

All-Time Male Athlete of the Year

Year	Winner	Sport	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Thomas Chameraud	Men's Soccer	Senior	Poitiers, France	None
2014	Robert Peterson	Men's XC/Track	Sophomore	Billings, MT	Kavindu Gamage, Kalob Hatcher, Gage Huft, Brody Miller
2015	Brody Miller	Baseball	Senior	Missoula, MT	Jake Hedge, Rhys Lambert, Robert Peterson
2016	Robert Peterson	Men's XC/Track	Senior	Billings, MT	Ricardo Palomino, Luke Reinschmidt
2017	Sam Zook	Men's Track	Junior	Casper, WY	Julien Dragomir, Casey Merrittt, Caleb Stetzner
2018	Guillaume Kremer	Men's Soccer	Junior	Metz, France	Kade Hall, Sam Zook
2019	Steen Fredrickson	Baseball	Senior	Ashland, OR	Guillaume Kremer, Zack Rollins
2020	Not Awarded (COVID-19)
2021	Beau Ackerman	Men's Track	Senior	Glendive, MT	Will Riley, Garrett Woodin

Most Wins: 2, Robert Peterson | Most Nominations: 3, Robert Peterson
 

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Female Athlete of the Year: Brittanee Fisher, Softball
Nominees: Brittanee Fisher, Softball; Bayli Monck, Volleyball; Taylor Stringari, Women's Track & Field
 
About the award: The Buzzie for Female Athlete of the Year is awarded to the female athlete adjudged to have had the most impactful and significant performance during the course of the academic year. Major awards garnered from voting organizations, achievement within the context of regional and national competition, and historical significance of performance are all factors considered when evaluating nominees.
 
Fisher's season was one for the books, as she matched her personal best with 11 home runs to lead the team and rank second in the GNAC. The first-team all-GNAC and second-team all-region first baseman slugged .705, which was the sixth-highest mark in program history. Fisher led the team in hitting at .337, RBIs with 29, and OPS at 1.118. She was also the team's top defender, posting a nearly flawless .995 fielding percentage with just one error in a team-high 200 chances.
 
Not only was Fisher's campaign as a whole an historic one, but she came through with some of the team's most important and timely moments. Her walk-off home run on March 2 helped MSUB complete a comeback win over Carroll College, and her three-run home run on March 22 against Central Washington helped the 'Jackets rally to a 13-12, extra-inning victory. Fisher's stellar season moved her to No. 3 on the all-time home run list, as she has hit 31 in her career as a Yellowjacket. She was also selected academic all-GNAC for the third time in her career this spring.


 
Other Nominees: The other two nominees for this award each put together landmark campaigns within their sport and stood out as their team's top performer.
 
Taylor Stringari, Women's Track & Field – Stringari ended her career by breaking the school record in the hammer throw and taking second place at the GNAC Championships to earn all-conference honors. Stringari broke her own school record on the final throw of her career, with a toss of 164-11 feet to place second at the GNAC meet, and it was good enough for her to make all-region selection by the USTFCCCA as well.
 
Stringari's standout spring season included three individual victories in the hammer throw, as she claimed the title at both of MSUB's home meets as well as the Dickinson State Last Chance meet. Stringari also participated in the discus, where her season-best throw of 115-6 feet led the team and was just two feet away from her personal best mark of 117-5 feet.
 
Bayli Monck, Volleyball – The Yellowjackets were limited to just six counting contests during the abbreviated 2021 spring season, but Monck picked up right where she left off after her first-team all-GNAC 2019 fall season. The senior lefty ranked second on the team with 3.29 kills per set, third with 3.07 digs per set, and third with 0.57 blocks per set. Monck's four double-doubles were most on the team during the spring season, and she started all six matches.
 
The Yellowjackets will look to the senior right-side to lead the way during the 2021 fall season, as she needs 27 more kills to break into MSUB's all-time top-10.
 
History: Fisher is the seventh woman in school history and second softball player to win the athletic department's top award as she joined 2017 All-American Heather Tracy. Women's basketball All-Americans Bobbi Knudsen and Alisha Breen are tied for the most all-time wins with two each.

All-Time Female Athlete of the Year

Year	Winner	Sport	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Bobbi Knudsen	Women's Basketball	Junior	Malta, MT	None
2014	Bobbi Knudsen	Women's Basketball	Senior	Malta, MT	Aubrey Conceicao, Monica Grimsrud, Emily Paffhausen
2015	Kayleen Goggins	Women's Basketball	Senior	Shepherd, MT	Taylor Hoke, Corrie Holm, Chelsey Walter
2016	Alisha Breen	Women's Basketball	Junior	Choteau, MT	Katlyn Lokay, Della Lyle, Kortney McNeil, Kyndal Williams
2017	Heather Tracy	Softball	Junior	Boise, ID	Tiana Hanson, Ashlynn Ward, Dana Lubieniecki
2018	Alisha Breen	Women's Basketball	Senior	Choteau, MT	Bailee Dexter, Heather Tracy
2019	Shealyn Hafer	Women's Golf	Senior	Butte, MT	Rylan Austin, Hannah Collins
2020	Not Awarded (COVID-19)
2021	Brittanee Fisher	Softball	Senior	Billings, MT	Bayli Monck, Taylor Stringari

Most Wins: 2, Bobbi Knudsen, Alisha Breen | Most Nominations: 2, Three With.
 

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Coach of the Year: Jeff Allen, Men's Golf
Nominees: Jeff Allen, Men's Golf; Casey Williams, Volleyball; Kevin Woodin, Women's Basketball
 
About the award: The Buzzie for Coach of the Year is awarded to the coach adjudged to have had the most impactful and significant performance during the course of the academic year. Team record, individual award winners, team and individual performance, and advancement to postseason play are all factors considered when evaluating nominees.
 
Allen's final season in charge of his alma mater turned into the most successful in program history, as he led the men's golf team into unchartered territory. The Yellowjackets qualified for the NCAA D2 West/South Central Regional Championships for the first time in school history, and came one stroke shy of extending their season to the national tournament.
 
While the team placed fifth at regionals, Woodin took third and was the top individual to earn a berth into the national championships. In addition to team and individual firsts, Allen's coaching work included leading both the men's and women's programs to team victories at the South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Invitational, and helping both teams claim the Mike Grob Cup and Leslie Spalding Cup with wins over rival Rocky Mountain College in match play.
 
Allen, who competed in men's golf at MSUB from 2006-2010, completed his third season in charge of the program in the spring of 2021.
 
Other Nominees: While the success of the men's golf program under Allen's tutelage was unmatched during the season, winning records earned two other coaches nomination for the top coaching award.
 
Casey Williams, Volleyball – Williams and the Yellowjackets made the most of their brief spring schedule, going 7-1 including exhibition matches and finishing the year on a six-game winning streak. The Yellowjackets went 4-0 in five-set affairs, and had a perfect 3-0 record against NCAA Division II opponents.
 
This is the second award nomination for the fifth-year head coach, who loses just one senior from her roster as the 'Jackets prepare to hit the ground running in the fall of 2021.
 
Kevin Woodin, Women's Basketball – Similar to Williams, Woodin navigated his women's basketball team through an abbreviated, 10-game schedule during the 2021 spring season. He carried the 'Jackets to a 6-4 record, including a series sweep of rival Rocky Mountain College and a four-game split against fellow GNAC opponent Northwest Nazarene University.
 
A three-time Buzzie winner for Coach of the Year, this was Woodin's sixth nomination for the award with both figures being the most in school history.
 
History: Allen is the sixth different head coach to claim the top coaching honor from the athletic department and the first golf coach to win the honor. Woodin's three wins and six nominations are most all-time.

All-Time Coach of the Year

Year	Winner	Sport	Season	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Dave Coppock	Cross Country/Track	23rd	Cedar Falls, IA	Wojtek Krakowiak, Kevin Woodin
2014	Kevin Woodin	Women's Basketball	10th	Libby, MT	None
2015	Rob Bishop	Baseball	4th	Miles City, MT	Lisa Allen, Wojtek Krakowiak
2016	Kevin Woodin	Women's Basketball	12th	Libby, MT	Alex Balog, Rob Bishop, Wojtek Krakowiak
2017	Alex Balog	Men's Soccer	5th	Leuven, Belgium	Dave Coppock, Kevin Woodin
2018	Kevin Woodin	Women's Basketball/Golf	14th	Libby, MT	Alex Balog, Aaron Sutton
2019	Aaron Sutton	Baseball	3rd	Fruitland, ID	Mick Durham, Casey Williams
2020	Not Awarded (COVID-19)
2021	Jeff Allen	Men's Golf	3rd	Dillon, MT	Casey Williams, Kevin Woodin

Most Wins: 3, Kevin Woodin | Most Nominations: 6, Kevin Woodin
 

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Team of the Year: Men's Golf
Nominees: Men's Golf; Men's Track & Field; Volleyball; Women's Basketball
 
About the award: The Buzzie for Team of the Year is awarded to the team adjudged to have had the greatest success during the course of an academic year. Advancement to the postseason, individual awards and achievement, and historical significance of achievement are all factors considered during evaluation of nominees.
 
One stroke was the only thing that prevented the men's golf team from making it to the NCAA D2 Championships, but even without a national berth the Yellowjackets reached unprecedented heights. A fifth-place finish at the regionals earned the team the Buzzie award for Game/Event of the Year, as the 'Jacket men rallied to play their best golf of the year on the largest stage.
 
Woodin, the team's first-team all-GNAC selection, was the standout individual with his performance at the national tournament and taking third at both the conference and regional events. Redshirt freshman Kevin Kolb was a second-team all-GNAC pick, after winning the Hardrocker Invitational and helping lift the 'Jackets to the postseason.
 
Along with the two all-conference selections, juniors Riley Kaercher and Caleb Trost and redshirt freshman Paul O'Neil comprised the group of five that made up the most successful team in program history. Each individual contributed at different times, turning in important rounds to help boost the 'Jackets up the leaderboard at the regional championship.
 
Other Nominees: MSUB's other programs nominated for the team of the year award each enjoyed notable campaigns during modified 2020-21 seasons.
 
Men's Track & Field – The Yellowjackets saw numerous personal bests and school records broken during the 2021 spring season, which was highlighted by the performances of Ackerman and fellow senior Isaiah Girard. The latter also won his second GNAC title – in the high jump – and Payden Lynn joined the duo to give the men's track & field team three all-region selections.
 
Volleyball – Going 7-1, the volleyball squad had the best win-loss record of any team at MSUB during the 2021 spring season. The 'Jackets were perfect in five-set affairs, and got their talented cast of newcomers some valuable collegiate playing experience heading into what figures to be a strong 2021 fall season.
 
Women's Basketball – Ending the year with a positive 6-4 record helped the women's basketball team gain confidence going into what should be a back-to-normal 2021-22 full season. Buzzie winner for Newcomer of the Year and team Player of the Year Cariann Kunkel highlighted the squad individually, and the Yellowjackets will have their full roster back at the outset of the winter season.
 
History: This is the first Team of the Year award won by the men's golf program, and it is the sixth different MSUB team to claim the top honor. MSUB's women's basketball team has the most wins with three and nominations with five.

All-Time Team of the Year

Year	Winner	Other Nominees
2013	Men's Cross Country	Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer
2014	Women's Basketball	None
2015	Softball	Baseball, Women's Soccer
2016	Women's Basketball	Baseball, Men's Soccer, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer
2017	Men's Soccer	Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Track, Women's Golf, Women's Track
2018	Women's Basketball	Baseball, Men's Soccer, Softball
2019	Baseball	Men's Basketball
2020	Not Awarded (COVID-19)
2021	Men's Golf	Men's Track & Field, Volleyball, Women's Basketball

Most Wins: 3, Women's Basketball | Most Nominations: 5, Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer
 

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Career Achievement Award: Daniel Cipriano, Baseball
 
About the award: The Career Achievement Buzzie award is a special award presented to one athlete in recognition of significant and historic achievement within the context of his or her program. Statistical ranking on team, conference, and national lists are all factors considered in awarding this honor.
 
In less than three full seasons in the Yellowjacket baseball program, Cipriano broke the all-time home run record with 39 long balls. His .366 career batting average and .765 career slugging percentage are the highest in school history, with the latter mark also being the highest in GNAC history. Cipriano's other top-10 marks in MSUB career history include first in hit by pitch with 50, second in on-base percentage at .483, and RBIs at 128, fourth in runs at 116, and total bases at 286, and ninth in hits at 137, and doubles at 30. He also became the first player in school history to hit three home runs in a game, achieving that feat on March 19, 2021 against Saint Martin's.
 
Cipriano's six GNAC Player of the Week awards and five NCBWA West Region Player of the Week awards were both the most in GNAC history. He was a two-time first-team all-GNAC pick, a two-time consensus all-region selection, and in 2019 was the second consensus All-American in program history.


 
History: Cipriano is the fourth player in school history to win the award and is the second baseball player joining current Billings Mustangs teammate Jalen Garcia. The award may only be won once during a career.

All-Time Career Achievement Award

Year	Winner	Sport	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2017	Bella Rovens	Softball	Senior	Sparks, NV	None
2018	Rylee Kane	Women's Basketball	Senior	Red Lodge, MT	None
2019	Jalen Garcia	Baseball	Senior	Billings, MT	None
2020	Not Awarded (COVID-19)
2021	Daniel Cipriano	Baseball	Senior	Aguora Hills, CA	None

Most Wins: 1, Four With | Most Nominations: 1, Four With
 

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Yellowjacket Award For Service: Krista Montague, Athletic Director
 
About the award: The Yellowjacket Award for Service is presented to an individual or group deemed to have made a significant and unmatched contribution to Yellowjacket Athletics as a whole, during the course of a year or a career. Factors considered in naming this award winner include overall contribution to the program, commitment to teams and student-athletes, and service to the athletic department.
 
After 25 years in the MSUB community, director of athletics Krista Montague announced that the 2021 spring semester would be her final year in charge of the department. Montague spent nine years as athletic director and played a monumental role in growing the department and facilitating academic and athletic success for MSUB's 250-plus student-athletes.
 
MSUB won nine GNAC titles during Montague's tenure, which was highlighted by the women's basketball team's trip to the 2018 NCAA D2 Elite Eight. She oversaw facility improvements and renovations, the addition of MSUB's 16th varsity sport in women's triathlon, and the implementation of a comprehensive and continually growing community engagement initiative.
 
From her contributions as a player on the 1999 women's basketball Elite Eight team, to serving in a wide variety of capacities in the athletic department throughout her career, Montague has been perhaps the most influential individual figure on Yellowjacket Athletics over the last quarter century.
 
History: Montague is the sixth recipient of the Yellowjacket Award for Service and is the third individual as she joins former head cross country and track & field coach Dave Coppock and former faculty athletic representative Dr. Scott Harris. MSUB's women's basketball team has won the award on two different occasions for its community engagement, marking the most wins in this category.

All-Time Yellowjacket Award For Service

Year	Winner	Other Nominees	Description
2015	Men's Soccer	None	For their work adopting Sebastien Easton through the Team IMPACT program.
2016	Women's Basketball	None	Commemorating 10 years of 'Think Pink' Night.
2017	Dave Coppock	None	Commemorating 28 years of service to Yellowjacket Athletics
2018	Men's Basketball	None	For their work adopting Elijah Salley through the Team IMPACT program
2019	Dr. Scott Harris	None	For 15 years of dedication and service to Yellowjacket Athletics
2020	Women's Basketball	None	For hosting the Elementary School Game
2021	Krista Montague	None	Commemorating 25 years of service to Yellowjacket Athletics

Most Wins: 2, Women's Basketball | Most Nominations: 2, Women's Basketball
 

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BUZZIES SELECTED LATER THAN EVER BEFORE: The Buzzies award ceremony typically takes place in mid-April, allowing for maximum attendance at the ceremony on campus among student-athletes and coaches before departure at the end of the semester. The downside to selecting the award winners in April is that MSUB's spring sports are in the midst of competing and awards are given out without seasons being completed. With the absence of an in-person ceremony this spring, it allowed for the 2021 awards to be selected after all spring seasons were completed.
 
BUZZIES HISTORY: The Buzzies was established during the 2012-13 academic year and was designed to honor the athletic department's top performers during each school year. A full listing of previous award winners and nominees can be found online here.