BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings athletic department celebrated the 11^th annual Buzzies awards Monday night, highlighting the accomplishments throughout Yellowjacket athletics throughout the 2022-2023 academic year.
 
Carrington Wiggins was selected as the MSUB Male Athlete of the Year, his second consecutive year receiving the honor. Marin Penney was named MSUB Female Athlete of the Year. Mick Durham received MSUB Coach of the Year, while the women's basketball team was chosen as MSUB's Team of the Year.
 
Wiggins was a first team all-GNAC selection during his standout senior season, where he became the first player in MSUB men's basketball history to receive GNAC Player of the Year. Wiggins was also selected first team all-region, and chosen to play in the Reese's Division II All-Star Game. Wiggins becomes the second athlete in MSUB history to win Male Athlete of the Year twice, after Robert Peterson (2014, 2016).
 
Penney is in the midst of a stellar season for MSUB softball, where she leads the GNAC in home runs with ten. Penney is hitting .292 with 23 RBIs. Penney is the third softball athlete to win Female Athlete of the Year, joining Heather Tracy (2017) and Brittanee Fisher (2021). Penney was also chosen as MSUB softball player of the Year.
 
Durham was chosen as the GNAC's Coach of the Year after leading the men's basketball program to a 20-10 record, it's most wins since the 2005-2006 season. Durham's Yellowjackets finished second in the GNAC standings, qualifying for the GNAC tournament and earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Durham became the first men's basketball coach in MSUB history to win the Buzzie award for Coach of the Year.
 
The Yellowjacket women's basketball team was selected as Team of the Year after an incredible season where they finished 25-8 overall, and 14-4 in the GNAC. It was the most wins the team had earned in a season since the 2015-2016 season. The team finished second in the GNAC standings, made a run to the GNAC Tournament Championship game, and qualified with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the second round. The team had six players selection with all-GNAC honors. It was the second consecutive Team of the Year Buzzie for women's basketball, and their fifth all-time (2014, 2016, 2018, 2022)
 
Teagan Seeton of softball was selected as the MSUB Freshman of the Year for her impressive freshman campaign. Seeton leads the team in batting average at .317, collecting four home runs, 15 RBIs, and 23 runs while taking over the starting centerfield role for the 'Jackets. Seeton becomes the third softball player to win the awards, following Maddy Lincoln (2017) and Brie Frazier (2021).
 
Kaden Kirshenbaum was selected as the MSUB Newcomer of the Year, as well as Baseball Player of the Year. Kirshenbaum made an immediate impact in the Yellowjacket's lineup, topping the team in batting average (.367), while being second in home runs (9) and third in RBIs (31). Kirshenbaum is the third baseball player to win Newcomer of the Year, joining Kaleo Johnson (2018) and Daniel Cipriano (2019).
 
His teammate, Payton Flynn, was selected as MSUB Breakout Player of the Year. After batting .119 in 23 games the previous season, Flynn is leading both the Yellowjackets and the GNAC in home runs (11) and RBIs (38), while hitting .348 on the season. Flynn is the fourth baseball player to win Breakout Player of the Year, following Myles Berkham (2015), Landon Peterson (2019), and Dominick Buso (2022).
 
After being forced to stop competing in the spring of last season due to health issues, Grace Jones of women's track and field was selected as Comeback Player of the Year, becoming the first player in women's track and field history to receive the honor.
 
Taryn Shelley was recognized with the Buzzie Career Achievement Award. Shelley has been a five-year member of the Yellowjacket women's basketball team, finishing her career eighth in career points (1513), fourth in career rebounds (857), and tying for the 14^th most games played in program history. Shelley finished her career with a three-time all-GNAC honorable mention, a one-time all-GNAC first team selection, and was a NCAA D II All-American honorable mention in the 2021-2022 season. Shelley becomes the second women's basketball player to earn the award after Rylee Kane (2018).
 
A trio of Yellowjacket athletes were honored with the Buzzie for Scholar Athlete of the Year, after completing their studies with a 4.0 GPA. The recipients of the award were Annelise Clark of women's track and field, Hannah Hashbarger from volleyball, and Kiley Sandow of women's soccer.
 
In recognition of his service off the field, Hayden Foltz was awarded with the Yellowjacket Award for Service. A senior and key contributor on the baseball team, Foltz was also an intern in the Yellowjacket athletic department over the past year, stepping up to provide assistance in operations and communications throughout the year. Previous winners of the award include longtime athletic director Krista Montague, former faculty athletic representative Dr. Scott Harris, and 28-year cross-country and track and field head coach Dave Coppock.
 
The Buzzies were founded during the 2012-13 academic year, and are presented annually to honor the top individual and team achievements within the MSUB department of athletics. 
 
The complete listing of the 2023 Buzzie award winners follows. A complete listing of all-time Buzzie award winners and nominees can be found online.
 
Female Athlete of the Year
Marin Penney, Softball
 
Male Athlete of the Year
Carrington Wiggins, Men's Basketball
 
Coach of the Year
Mick Durham, Men's Basketball
 
Team of the Year
Women's Basketball
 
Yellowjacket Award for Service
Hayden Foltz, Baseball/Athletics Intern
 
Male Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Award
Ty Vohland, Men's Soccer
 
Female Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Award
Kennedy Juranek, Volleyball
 
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Annelise Clark, Women's Track and Field
Hannah Hashbarger, Volleyball
Kiley Sandow, Women's Soccer
 
Fan of the Year
Kathy Kotecki, Dean of Student Engagement
 
Career Achievement Award
Taryn Shelley, Women's Basketball
 
Freshman of the Year
Teagan Seeton, Softball
 
Newcomer of the Year
Kaden Kirshenbaum, Baseball
 
Breakout Player of the Year
Payton Flynn, Baseball
 
Comeback Player of the Year
Grace Jones, Women's Track & Field
 
Student Support Staff Worker of the Year
Kimber Schmidt
 
Game/Event of the Year
Men's Soccer, 4-1 victory over #22 Northwest Nazarene
 
Moment/Play of the Year
Women's Basketball, Aspen Giese's buzzer beating three pointer in overtime against #8 Western Washington
 
Baseball Player of the Year
Kaden Kirshenbaum
 
Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Bilal Shabazz
 
Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Ase Ackerman
 
Men's Golf Player of the Year
Carson Garner
 
Men's Soccer Player of the Year
Bryan Maxwell
 
Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Forrest Cross
 
Softball Player of the Year
Marin Penney
 
Volleyball Player of the Year
Paiten Langston
 
Women's Basketball Player of the Year
Kortney Nelson
 
Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Kailee Stoppel
 
Women's Golf Player of the Year
Brennan Larson
 
Women's Soccer Player of the Year
Clare Keenan
 
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Kendall Lynn
 
Women's Triathlon Athlete of the Year
Madisan Chavez