BILLINGS, Mont. – Eight award winners were revealed on Tuesday as The Buzzies were handed out for Montana State University Billings women's sports players of the year.
 
2021 Buzzies Women's Sports Team Player of the Year Awards

Sport	Player of the Year	Other Nominees
Softball	Brittanee Fisher	Allie Hughes, Sidney Pollard
Volleyball	Bayli Monck	Skylar Reed, Maddi Vigil
Women's Basketball	Cariann Kunkel	Addison Gardner, Taryn Shelley
Women's Cross Country	Kailee Stoppel	Sierra Durbin, Ally Whitmer
Women's Golf	Tierney Messmer	Avery Gill, Kinsey Irvin
Women's Soccer	Haylee Gunter	Lexie Bloyder, Taylor Gertsch
Women's Track & Field	Taylor Stringari	Kendall Lynn, Kailee Stoppel
Women's Triathlon	Journey Erickson	Madisan Chavez

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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Softball Player of the Year: Brittanee Fisher
Nominees: Brittanee Fisher, Allie Hughes, Sidney Pollard
 
Matching her highest career single-season home run total, senior Brittanee Fisher led the team and ranked second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with 11 long balls during a standout 2021 campaign. The Billings native had a team-high 29 RBIs, while slugging .705 which ranked her third in the conference.
 
Fisher's standout performance earned her first-team all-GNAC and second-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association all-west region honors. Perhaps Fisher's top moment of the season came on March 2 when she launched a walk-off home run to give the Yellowjackets a 7-6 win over Carroll College. Fisher is 1 of 3 finalists for the athletic department's overall Female Athlete of the Year award.


 
Other Nominees: Fellow senior Allie Hughes and junior Sidney Pollard were also nominated for the Softball Player of the Year award. Hughes ranked second on the team with eight home runs and 24 RBIs, putting together her most powerful season yet as a Yellowjacket with a .547 slugging percentage. Pollard meanwhile posted a career-high .329 batting average while reaching base at a clip of .433 and fielding .907 at shortstop.
 
The good news for the Yellowjackets? All three players will be back in the lineup during 2022.
 
Softball Major Award Nominees: After completing its full spring schedule, MSUB's softball team yielded a handful of nominees for the athletic department's top overall awards as well.
 
Female Athlete of the Year – Brittanee Fisher
Freshman of the Year – Brie Frazier
Breakout Player of the Year – Hailee Gregerson
Game/Event of the Year – 'Jackets completed a comeback w/6-run seventh inning (April 11, 2021)
Moment/Play of the Year – Brittanee Fisher hit a walk-off home run to complete a doubleheader sweep (March 2, 2021)
 
History: Fisher is the seventh different player in program history to win the Softball Player of the Year award at The Buzzies. Last year's winner was junior Skyler Jenkins and Heather Tracy has the most wins being selected as the player of the year three times from 2016-18. It was the second-career nomination for Hughes and the first for both Fisher and Pollard. Tracy and Cameron Cassinelli are tied for the most-ever nominations with three each.

All-Time Softball Player of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Aubrey Conceicao	Second Base	Sophomore	Temecula, CA	Amanda Todd, Nicole Wilkerson
2014	Aubrey Conceicao	Second Base	Junior	Temecula, CA	Jessyka MacDonald, Breanna Wilson
2015	Taylor Hoke/Jessyka MacDonald	Shortstop/RHP	Seniors	Adna, WA/Billings, MT	Emily Osborn
2016	Heather Tracy	Right Field	Sophomore	Boise, ID	Cameron Cassinelli, Cori Gammon
2017	Heather Tracy	Right Field	Junior	Boise, ID	Cameron Cassinelli, Megan Dettling
2018	Heather Tracy	Right Field	Senior	Boise, ID	Cameron Cassinelli, Megan Dettling
2019	Madison Kelly	Catcher	Senior	Phoenix, AZ	Rylan Austin, Alyssa Etheridge
2020	Skyler Jenkins	Utility	Sophomore	San Tan Valley, AZ	Payton Reynolds, Allie Hughes
2021	Brittanee Fisher	First Baseman	Senior	Billings, MT	Allie Hughes, Sidney Pollard

Most Wins: 3, Heather Tracy | Most Nominations: 3, Heather Tracy, Cameron Cassinelli.
 

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Volleyball Player of the Year: Bayli Monck
Nominees: Bayli Monck, Skylar Reed, Maddi Vigil
 
A first-team all-GNAC pick in 2019, Monck once again stood out as the team's top performer during the abbreviated 2021 spring season. The senior – who is back next fall for her fifth and final year of eligibility – 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 had a team-high four double-doubles, providing the Yellowjackets with an unmatched combination of offensive and defensive production.
 
While postseason awards were not handed out by the GNAC, Monck's 10-game figures extrapolated out over the course of a normal 30-game season would have made her all but a certain repeat first-team selection. Her kills-per-set figure was more than 0.5 kills higher than her 2019 mark, and her 3.82 total points per set were the highest of her career as well. Monck joins Fisher as one of the three finalists for the 2021 MSUB Female Athlete of the Year award.


 
Other Nominees: Both Reed and Vigil made compelling cases to be in the Volleyball Player of the Year discussion as well. Reed enjoyed a breakout campaign with a team-best 3.32 kills per set, leaving the 'Jackets eager to watch the trajectory of her final two years in an MSUB uniform. Vigil meanwhile closed a memorable four-year career in style, standing out as one of the team's top defensive players at the libero position. Vigil had 4.78 digs per set, and finished her career in MSUB's top-10 in both kills and digs.
 
Including exhibition affairs, MSUB went 7-1 this spring and finished the shortened campaign on a six-game winning streak. MSUB was a perfect 4-0 in five-set matches, and is set to hit the ground running in the 2021 fall season.
 
Volleyball Major Award Nominees: Up for the three biggest award categories, the volleyball team's success led to candidates for Female Athlete of the Year, Team of the Year, and Coach of the Year among seven total major award nominations.
 
Female Athlete of the Year – Bayli Monck
Coach of the Year – Casey Williams
Team of the Year – Volleyball
Freshman of the Year – Kennedy Juranek
Breakout Player of the Year – Skylar Reed
Game/Event of the Year – 'Jackets beat Rocky in a 5-set thriller (March 10, 2021)
Moment/Play of the Year – Vigil had a career-high 33 digs in season-closing 5-set win over Carroll (March 30, 2021)
 
History: Monck repeated as volleyball player of the year, becoming the first player in program history to win the award multiple times. She and Vigil, along with former winners Monica Grimsrud and Kyndal Williams, are tied for the most-ever nominations with three, while this was Reed's second nomination.

All-Time Volleyball Player of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Erin Compton	DS/LIB	Junior	Billings, MT	Monica Grimsrud, Jody Lutz
2014	Monica Grimsrud	OH	Junior	Montana City, MT	Chelsey Walter, Kyndal Williams
2015	Chelsey Walter	OH	Senior	Billings, MT	Monica Grimsrud, Kyndal Williams
2016	Kyndal Williams	S	Senior	Helena, MT	Audri Marrs, Ashlynn Ward
2017	Stormy Siemion	OH	Senior	Huntley, MT	Kylee Cornelio, Ashlynn Ward
2018	Izela Alvarez	LIB	Freshman	Dumas, TX	Bayli Monck, Maddi Vigil
2019	Maddi Vigil	OH	Sophomore	Ogden, UT	Miranda McConnell, Skylar Reed
2020	Bayli Monck	RS	Junior	Colorado Springs, CO	Maddi Vigil, Joelle Mahowald
2021	Bayli Monck	RS	Senior	Colorado Springs, CO	Skylar Reed, Maddi Vigil

Most Wins: 2, Bayli Monck | Most Nominations: 3, Monica Grimsrud, Maddi Vigil, Kyndal Williams
 

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Women's Basketball Player of the Year: Cariann Kunkel
Nominees: Addison Gardner, Cariann Kunkel, Taryn Shelley
 
Making an immediate impact in her first year in the program, MSUB Newcomer of the Year nominee Cariann Kunkel was tabbed as the Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Kunkel averaged 14.0 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds, helping lead the Yellowjackets to a positive 5-3 record in their eight total counting games played during the shortened 2021 season.
 
Kunkel's top producing game of the season was a 23-point effort in MSUB's victory over Rocky Mountain College on Feb. 17, and she followed with her lone double-double of the year in a 16-point, 11-rebound effort against Northwest Nazarene. Kunkel also led the team with 33 assists and 13 steals, while starting all eight games and averaging a team-high 32.8 minutes on the court.


 
Other Nominees: Junior Taryn Shelley once again led the team in scoring with 17.9 points, and matched Kunkel with 7.5 rebounds per game. Shelley's 12 blocks were a team high, and she also started all eight games. Addison Gardner's eight-game sample in 2021 was enough to earn her nominations for both this award and the Breakout Player of the Year honor, as she chipped in 6.6 points and 4.0 rebounds and reached double figures in scoring three times. Gardner's incredible buzzer-beating 3-pointer in an 82-81 overtime win at Lewis-Clark State is also up for the Moment/Play of the Year award.
 
Women's Basketball Major Award Nominees: By virtue of their winning record, women's basketball qualified among the 2021 Team of the Year nominees. Along with Kunkel for Newcomer of the Year and Gardner for Breakout Player of the Year, Kortney Nelson was nominated for Freshman of the Year.
 
Team of the Year – Women's Basketball
Freshman of the Year – Kortney Nelson
Newcomer of the Year – Cariann Kunkel
Breakout Player of the Year – Addison Gardner
Game/Event of the Year – 'Jackets topped Warriors 82-81 in overtime thriller (February 13, 2021)
Moment/Play of the Year – Addison Gardner hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for OT victory (February 13, 2021)
 
History: This is the second-career nomination for Shelley and first for both Kunkel and Gardner. Kunkel is the seventh different Yellowjacket to claim the honor. Current assistant coach Alisha Breen and Hall of Famer Bobbi Knudsen each won the Women's Basketball Player of the Year award twice, while Breen and former GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Janiel Olson are tied for the most nominations with three apiece.

All-Time Women's Basketball Player of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Bobbi Knudsen	Guard	Junior	Malta, MT	Kayleen Goggins, Janiel Olson
2014	Bobbi Knudsen	Guard	Senior	Malta, MT	Chelsea Banis, Janiel Olson
2015	Kayleen Goggins	Forward	Senior	Shepherd, MT	Alisha Breen, Quinn Peoples
2016	Alisha Breen	Forward	Junior	Choteau, MT	Monica Grimsrud, Janiel Olson
2017	Tiana Hanson	Forward	Senior	Shepherd, MT	Rylee Kane, Marissa Van Atta
2018	Alisha Breen	Forward	Senior	Choteau, MT	Rylee Kane, Vanessa Stavish
2019	Hannah Collins	Guard	Sophomore	Great Falls, MT	Taylor Cunningham, Vanessa Stavish
2020	Jeanann Lemelin	Guard	Senior	Billings, MT	Hannah Collins, Taryn Shelley
2021	Cariann Kunkel	Forward	Junior	Hamilton, MT	Addison Gardner, Taryn Shelley

Most Wins: 2, Bobbi Knudsen, Alisha Breen | Most Nominations: 3, Janiel Olson, Alisha Breen
 

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Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year: Kailee Stoppel
Nominees: Sierra Durbin, Kailee Stoppel, Ally Whitmer
 
While the women's cross country team did not have a season of its own, the award was still given based on the distance runners' performances during the 2021 track and field seasons. Stoppel, who is also up for Breakout Player of the Year and Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year, was far and away the team's top distance performer, with the team's best marks in five different events.
 
Other Nominees: Sierra Durbin made a name for herself as the team's top 400-meter hurdler this spring, while Ally Whitmer's long awaited MSUB debut resulted in all-region recognition during the brief 2021 indoor season.
 
Women's Cross Country Major Award Nominees: None (no season of competition).
 
History: Stopel earned her first-career Buzzie after being nominated for this award for the third straight season. Durbin was also nominated for the third straight year, while it was Whitmer's first nomination. Nikki Aiken won the award three straight seasons from 2018-20 for the most all-time, and she and Rio Frame are tied for the most-ever nominations with four each. Stoppel is the sixth overall woman to win the award.

All-Time Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Whitney Mickelsen	Distance	Senior	Aurora, UT	Renae Hepfner, Mary Owen
2014	Renae Hepfner	Distance	Junior	Belt, MT	Rio Frame, Jinise Osborne
2015	Nocona Frame	Distance	Senior	Glendive, MT	Rio Frame, Renae Hepfner
2016	Rio Frame	Distance	Junior	Glendive, MT	Taylor Condon, Brielle Davis
2017	Rio Frame	Distance	Senior	Glendive, MT	Nikki Aiken, Bailey Bomar
2018	Nikki Aiken	Distance	Junior	Belgrade, MT	Bailey Bomar, Catrina Schuchard
2019	Nikki Aiken	Distance	Senior	Belgrade, MT	Sierra Durbin, Kailee Stoppel
2020	Nikki Aiken	Distance	Senior	Belgrade, MT	Sierra Durbin, Kailee Stoppel
2021	Kailee Stoppel	Distance	Junior	Billings, MT	Sierra Durbin, Ally Whitmer

Most Wins: 3, Nikki Aiken | Most Nominations: 4, Rio Frame, Nikki Aiken
 

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Women's Golf Player of the Year: Tierney Messmer
Nominees: Avery Gill, Kinsey Irvin, Tierney Messmer
 
Half of a season is better than none at all, and while the Yellowjacket golf teams were cut short of their 2020 fall season they made the most of the 2021 spring campaign. Messmer led the team in scoring and ranked seventh in the GNAC at 82.0 strokes per round, on her way to second-team all-conference selection. Messmer's 4-over-par 76 on April 2 at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic was tied for the team's lowest single-round score of the year, and her top finish was third place at the South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Invitational on April 13.


 
Other Nominees: Avery Gill, who is also a Breakout Player of the Year nominee, had a productive spring ranking second on the team in scoring at 82.8 strokes per round. The highlight of Gill's year was a tie for first place at the Hardrocker Invitational, and she was a second-team all-GNAC pick as well. Irvin ranked third on the team in scoring at 84.5 strokes per round.
 
Women's Golf Major Award Nominees: In addition to the team award for player of the year, the Yellowjacket women have three opportunities to claim major athletic department awards.
 
Breakout Player of the Year – Avery Gill
Game/Event of the Year – Yellowjackets won Hardrocker Invitational (April 12-13, 2021)
Moment/Play of the Year – Sydney Rochford recorded a career-low round on final day of season (April 20, 2021)
 
History: Messmer repeated as the Women's Golf Player of the Year, joining Melissa Saken and Bailee Dexter in becoming the third player to claim the honor for a second time. She also matched Dexter and Sammy Walter for the most-ever nominations with three, while it was Irvin's second-career nomination and the first for Gill. Six different women's golfers have claimed the honor.

All-Time Women's Golfer of the Year

Year	Winner	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Melissa Saken	Junior	Peers, AB	Cayley Fish, Katie Fish
2014	Melissa Saken	Senior	Peers, AB	Katie Fish, Capri Ingram
2015	Sammy Walter	Freshman	Billings, MT	Mariah Cleveland, Haley Shackelford
2016	Kortney McNeil	Freshman	Billings, MT	Anna DeMars, Bailee Dexter
2017	Bailee Dexter	Junior	Townsend, MT	Haley Shackelford, Sammy Walter
2018	Bailee Dexter	Senior	Townsend, MT	Shealyn Hafer, Sammy Walter
2019	Shealyn Hafer	Senior	Butte, MT	Renae Heisler, Tierney Messmer
2020	Tierney Messmer	Sophomore	Sidney, MT	Kinsey Irvin, Sydney Rochford
2021	Tierney Messmer	Junior	Sidney, MT	Avery Gill, Kinsey Irvin

Most Wins: 2, Melissa Saken, Bailee Dexter, Tierney Messmer | Most Nominations: 3, Bailee Dexter, Sammy Walter, Tierney Messmer
 

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Women's Soccer Player of the Year: Haylee Gunter
Nominees: Lexie Bloyder, Taylor Gertsch, Haylee Gunter
 
When head coach Stephen Cavallo pushed Haylee Gunter up from her central midfield position into an attacking role in the 2021 season finale, it became apparent very quickly who the best player on the pitch was. The junior wreaked havoc on visiting Carroll College, unleashing eight shots, landing four on target, and scoring the winning goal in MSUB's 1-0 shutout triumph to close the spring on a positive note.
 
Gunter led the team with 680 minutes played, starting all nine of MSUB's contests and anchoring the squad as the team captain in the midfield unit.


 
Other Nominees: Lexie Bloyder ranked second on the team in scoring with two goals for four points, while Taylor Gertsch made one of the most notable impacts on the team in the midfield during her first collegiate season.

Women's Soccer Major Award Nominees: A strong cast of freshmen and newcomers highlighted MSUB's spring season, as the Yellowjackets went 4-5 including a 2-1 home record in the abbreviated campaign. MSUB was also boosted by the return of junior Emily Gaines, who overcame a knee injury and scored her first collegiate goal to qualify as a nominee for Comeback Player of the Year.
 
Freshman of the Year – Jordan Roe
Newcomer of the Year – Ashley Tiffin
Breakout Player of the Year – Lexie Bloyder
Comeback Player of the Year – Emily Gaines
Game/Event of the Year – MSUB ended season with 1-0 win over Carroll College (April 11, 2021)
Moment/Play of the Year – Clare Keenan made a triple-save on penalty kick in win over Minot State (April 3, 2021)
 
History: Gunter is the eighth different player in school history to claim the team's award and it was the first-ever nomination for her, Bloyder, and Gertsch. Amanda Hemmen is the only one to win the award multiple times, as she claimed it back-to-back in 2019-2020, and Katlyn Lokay has the most-ever nominations with three.

All-Time Women's Soccer Player of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Jaucelyn Richter	Forward	Senior	Billings, MT	Heidi Greenback, Jennifer Larsen
2014	Heidi Greenback	Forward	Senior	Woodinville, WA	Katlyn Lokay, Chelsea Shuman
2015	Haley McFarlane	Defender	Sophomore	Colorado Springs, CO	Katlyn Lokay, Chelsea Shuman
2016	Katlyn Lokay	Defender	Senior	Boulder, CO	Kari Kastelic, Dana Lubieniecki
2017	Dana Lubieniecki	Midfielder	Senior	Lakewood, CO	Amanda Hemmen, Kari Kastelic
2018	Alexa Iacolucci	Midfielder	Sophomore	Lake Forest Park, WA	Kalin Sandow, Jessica Spang
2019	Amanda Hemmen	Defender	Junior	Renton, WA	Kalin Sandow, Claire Tevaseu
2020	Amanda Hemmen	Defender	Senior	Renton, WA	Alexa Iacolucci, Courteney Shovlin
2021	Haylee Gunter	Midfielder	Junior	Buckley, WA	Lexie Bloyder, Taylor Gertsch

Most Wins: 2, Amanda Hemmen | Most Nominations: 3, Katlyn Lokay
 

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Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year: Taylor Stringari
Nominees: Kendall Lynn, Kailee Stoppel, Taylor Stringari
 
Ending her college career with a bang, Taylor Stringari earned all-GNAC and USTFCCCA all-region honors by taking second at the conference meet in the hammer throw. Her toss of 164-11 feet broke her own school record for the second time during the 2021 spring season, and solidified her spot as a nominee for the athletic department's Female Athlete of the Year award.

Stringari was also the track team's top performer in the discus, throwing 115-6 feet which was just two feet off her personal best in the event.


 
Other Nominees: Stoppel led the way among the distance crew this spring, and freshman Kendall Lynn burst onto the season with a stellar campaign including a school record in the triple jump that is up for Moment/Play of the Year honors.
 
Women's Track & Field Major Award Nominees: Stringari's all-region performance headlines the women's track team's major award nominations.
 
Female Athlete of the Year – Taylor Stringari
Freshman of the Year – Jordan Cookman
Breakout Player of the Year – Kailee Stoppel
Moment/Play of the Year – Kendall Lynn broke the school record in triple jump (May 6, 2021)
 
History: Stringari is the eighth different athlete to win the Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year and the second thrower along with two-time winner Corrie Holm (2014-15). It is the first-ever nomination for Stringari, Stoppel, and Lynn. Holm, who is the lone athlete to win the award twice, is tied with Nikki Aiken for the most-ever nominations with three apiece.

All-Time Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2013	Leah Berry	Multis	Junior	Lewistown, MT	Corrie Holm, Stacey Pitt
2014	Corrie Holm	Throws	Junior	Billings, MT	Nocona Frame, Hope Reid
2015	Corrie Holm	Throws	Senior	Billings, MT	Nocona Frame, Amanda Nichols
2016	Della Lyle	Distance	Senior	Buffalo, WY	Amanda Nichols, Janessa Williams
2017	Josey Smiedala	Sprints	Sophomore	Helena, MT	Brenna Beckett, Michaela Johnson
2018	Michaela Johnson	Sprints	Sophomore	Billings, MT	Nikki Aiken, Hannah Nessan
2019	Shaniah Schwend	Jumps	Senior	Bridger, MT	Nikki Aiken, Hannah Nessan
2020	Brenna Beckett	Jumps	Senior	Broadview, MT	Nikki Aiken, Mariah May
2021	Taylor Stringari	Throws	Senior	Shepherd, MT	Kendall Lynn, Kailee Stoppel

Most Wins: 2, Corrie Holm | Most Nominations: 3, Corrie Holm, Nikki Aiken
 

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Women's Triathlon Athlete of the Year: Journey Erickson
Nominees: Journey Erickson, Madisan Chavez
 
Starting off her collegiate career strong, freshman Journey Erickson was MSUB's top triathlete in the debut meet of the season at the Sarasota-Bradenton Triathlon. Erickson had an overall time of 1:10:11.3 at the event, taking 34th place overall and 12th among women. She followed with a 30th-place finish at the team's second and final meet of the season.
 
Other Nominees: The team's other competitor, Madisan Chavez, rebounded from a 41st-place finish in the opening meet with a time of 1:13:39.4 and led the way in 28th place at the team's final meet of the spring.
 
Women's Triathlon Major Award Nominees: Erickson, who also competed with Chavez in a pair of track and field meets, put her name among the department's Freshman of the Year candidates.
 
Freshman of the Year – Journey Erickson
 
History: Chavez won the Athlete of the Year award in 2020, after the program's inaugural season within the Yellowjacket athletic department.

All-Time Women's Triathlon Athlete of the Year

Year	Winner	Position	Class	Hometown	Other Nominees
2020	Madisan Chavez	Triathlon	Freshman	Crow Agency, MT	Maddy Terwilliger
2021	Journey Erickson	Triathlon	Freshman	Hardin, MT	Madisan Chavez

Most Wins: 1, Madisan Chavez, Journey Erickson | Most Nominations: 2, Madisan Chavez  
 

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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.