BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings athletic department celebrated it's 14^th annual Buzzies on Monday night, the department's annual award show celebrating and recognizing the achievements and accomplishments of it's teams and student-athletes from the 2025-26 academic year.
 
The Team of the Year award was presented to the Yellowjacket women's basketball team, in recognition of an incredible season in which the team won 20+ games for the fourth consecutive season, highlighted by an incredible GNAC Championships run where the team became the first ever No. 6 Seed to win the conference tournament. The award was just one of multiple special awards received by the team, with their conference title also being recognized as the department's Game/Event of the Year. Head coach Kevin Woodin was awarded the Coach of the Year award, while the team also earned the Women's Team GPA Award, with their 3.74 team GPA over the past two semesters ranking as the highest of all women's teams in the athletic department.
 
Also cleaning up at the ceremony would be the Yellowjacket baseball team, with slugger Kaden Bertram claiming both the Men's Athlete of the Year Award, and Breakout Athlete of the Year honors. Bertram is in the midst of an incredible season in which his currently holds a .458 batting average, .789 slugging percentage, and ten home runs, and 45 RBIs, top among all qualified hitters in the GNAC. The baseball team also was awarded the Men's Team GPA Award, after totaling a 3.44 team GPA over the past two semesters.
 
Baseball player Jack Nehler was also recognized with the department's career achievement award, in recognition of an incredible four-year standout career. Nehler is currently putting the finishing touches on an excellent career on the diamond for the 'Jackets, where he ranks top in both program and conference history in batting average, along with top ten in MSUB history in slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs score, doubles, RBIs, and total bases, while leading by example as a person and player his teammates look up to.
 
Meanwhile, the award for Female Athlete of the Year would be given to women's golfer Orraya Tipasathien, in recognition of her incredible season. Tipasathien, who is currently competing alongside her teammates at the GNAC Championships, ranks as one of the top golfers in the GNAC and west region this season, tying the record for most tournament wins by an individual in conference history this season, along with the top scoring average on the team and sixth best in the GNAC this season. Tipasathien's record-breaking tournament win at the Briarwood Shootout, the seventh tournament win of her career that tied the tournament wins record was recognized as the Department's Moment/Play of the Year.
 
Freshman of the Year was awarded to dual sport standout Rae Smart for her efforts with both MSUB women's basketball, as well as with track & field. Smart began the year competing with women's basketball, starting every game for the Yellowjackets this season and averaging 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. She improved those averages even more at the GNAC Championships, earning All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 12.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.0 block over the three-game run. Smart then immediately transitioned into throwing for the women's track & field program during it's outdoor season, and has already broken school records in both the shot put and javelin, with her shot put mark ranking top of the GNAC this season and seventh in conference history, along with eighth best in the entire nation for DII.
 
The Yellowjacket Award for Service, given out in recognition of an individual or group that displays incredible passion, dedication, and commitment for MSUB Athletics, was awarded to Caitlyn Saunders, in recognition of her work with the MSUB Cheer & Stunt program. In her fourth season as head coach, Saunders revived the program from scratch at MSUB, dedicating much of her time and effort into creating a dedicated and passionate group that is highly competitive and well-respected, supporting student-athletes during many of their events and games on the sidelines, while putting together impressive stunts and routines. The team also crushes it in their own competitions, most recently taking first place in the national Cheer & Stunt College Classic.
 
Men's basketball also took home a pair of special awards, with Mason Landdeck receiving Newcomer of the Year, while Pedro Ellery was named the Comeback Player of the Year. Landdeck transferred to join MSUB for his senior season, and put together an impressive campaign, averaging 19.3 points, 5.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game, seeing him earn First Team All-GNAC and Second Team All-Region honors on the year. Ellery meanwhile overcame a season-ending injury in the middle of the previous season, and was a key piece of the rotation for MSUB during the 2025-26 season, leading the team in three-point percentage at 41.8% and contributing on both ends of the court in a big way for the team across his 31 games played.
 
The Buzzie for Scholar Athlete of the Year, in recognition of the top GPA from a graduating student-athlete in the department was awarded to cheerleader Nova Rosman, who is set to graduate with a 3.98 cumulative GPA. Meanwhile, the Male and Female Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Awards were given out to Jack Nehler, and Avarey Stuff.
 
The ceremony also saw the department award the first-ever Yellowjacket Champion Award, in recognition of an individual or group from outside the athletic department that goes above and beyond in their support of Yellowjacket Athletics during the year. The award was given this year to Jerry Girard, director of student health services for his work consulting with administrators and coaches on how to best serve the mental health needs of the department's student-athletes, and helping create spaces and an environment where student-athletes can be heard, and encouraged to grow, as well as his many hour volunteered helping to assist with the operation of home track meets for the Yellowjackets. The evening would be a family affair for the Girard's, with Jerry's son and MSUB track & field and cross country assistant coach Zachary Girard being given the Yellowjacket Fan of the Year Award, in recognition for his attendance and support of each of the Yellowjacket athletics programs as a dedicated and supportive fan to the department's teams and student-athletes, going far beyond just his own.
 
The Buzzies were founded during the 2012-13 academic year, and are presented to recognize and celebrate the best individual and team achievements across Yellowjacket Athletics in a given year. A complete listing of the 2026 Buzzie award winners is listed below, while a comprehensive listing of all-time Buzzie winners can be found online here.
 
Team of the Year
Women's Basketball
 
Female Athlete of the Year
Orraya Tipasathien, Women's Golf
 
Male Athlete of the Year
Kaden Bertram, Baseball
 
Coach of the Year
Kevin Woodin, Women's Basketball

Yellowjacket Award for Service
Caitlyn Saunders, for her work in reestablishing and building the MSUB Cheer & Stunt Program
 
Yellowjacket Champion Award
Jerry Girard, Director for Student Health Services
 
Male Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Award
Jack Nehler, Baseball
 
Female Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Award
Avarey Stuff, Volleyball
 
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Nova Rosman, Cheer & Stunt
 
Fan of the Year
Zachary Girard, Cross Country/Track & Field Assistant Coach
 
Career Achievement Award
Jack Nehler, Baseball
 
Freshman of the Year
Rae Smart, Women's Basketball/Women's Track & Field
 
Newcomer of the Year
Mason Landdeck, Men's Basketball
 
Breakout Player of the Year
Kaden Bertram, Baseball
 
Comeback Player of the Year
Pedro Ellery, Men's Basketball
 
Student Support Staff Worker of the Year
Alden Buck Elk
 
Game/Event of the Year
Women's Basketball – Winning the 2026 GNAC Championships
 
Moment/Play of the Year
Orraya Tipasathien – Wins the Briarwood Shootout for her GNAC record-tying 7^th career individual tournament victory
 
Baseball Player of the Year
Kaden Bertram
 
Cheerleader/Stuntman of the Year
Nova Rosman

Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Mason Landdeck
 
Men's Golf Player of the Year
Aubrey Kelley
 
Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Cort Sandefur
 
Softball Player of the Year
Wynter Hurst
 
Volleyball Player of the Year
Allie Dorman
 
Women's Basketball Player of the Year
Cassie Chesnut
 
Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Cecily Eagleton
 
Women's Golf Player of the Year
Orraya Tipasathien
 
Women's Soccer Player of the Year
Cesia Swain
 
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Hannah Cooper