ESCANABA, MI – The Bay College Athletic Department announced their yearly awards, including team awards for the 2022-2023 school year.
Every year Norse Athletics hands out three individual awards that are voted on by the coaching staff.
The Male Athlete of the Year is Tyrel Creger (FR, Owatonna, MN). He started all 32 games for the Men's Basketball Team and averaged 10.8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. He led the team with 136 assists and 62 steals. Tyrel was named the MCCAA Northern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the Northern Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Sierra Jones (FR, Calgary, AB) was named the Female Athlete of the Year. She was in the top two on the team in nine different offensive categories for the Norse Softball Team. She ended the season with a.347 batting average, .414 on base percentage, .589 slugging percentage, 43 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs, and 35 RBI.
Norse Men's Basketball's Justin Nelson (SO, Iron River, MI) was awarded the Student-Athlete of the Year. While earning a 3.96 GPA Nelson averaged 8.7 points per game, led the team with a 53.1 field goal percentage, grabbed 4.6 rebounds per game, and led the team with 33 blocked shots.
Bay College competes in Region 12 in the NJCAA. Each year the Region announces their All-Region teams for every sport. The All-Region Award winners per sport are as follows:
Men's Basketball:
Tyrel Creger and Lamar Grayson (SO, Richfield, MN)
Softball:
Sierra Jones
Bay College also started competing in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) during the 2022-2023 school year. Conference awards are voted on by conference coaches and awarded after every season. MCCAA award winners per sport are as follows:
Baseball:
Xavier Whittle (SO, Oakville, ON) - MCCAA Honorable Mention All-Northern Conference
Men's Basketball:
Tyrel Creger – All-MCCAA, Northern Conference Freshman Team, Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Northern Conference, Northern Conference All-Defensive Team, Defensive Player of the Year, Jaylen Flaniken (SO, Troy, MI) – Third Team All-Northern Conference, Lamar Grayson – First Team All-Northern Conference, Colin Hudson (FR, Escanaba, MI) – Second Team All-Northern Conference, Northern Conference Freshman Team, Matt Johnson – Northern Conference Coach of the Year, Genesis Kemp (FR, Grand Rapids, MI) – Second Team All-Northern Conference, Northern Conference Freshman Team, Justin Nelson – Third Team All-Northern Conference, Northern Conference All-Defensive Team.
Women's Basketball:
Alyssa Cretton (SO, Niagara, WI) – MCCAA Honorable Mention, Tianna Taylor (SO, Gwinn, MI) – Third Team MCCAA All-Northern Conference, Alaina Trudeau (SO, Gladstone, MI) – Third Team MCCAA All-Northern Conference.
Softball:
Sierra Jones – All-MCCAA Team, MCCAA First Team All-Conference, Northern Conference All-Freshman Team, Avery Sorochan (SO, Two Hills, AB) – MCCAA First Team All-Conference
Volleyball:
Tori Jandt (FR, Peshtigo, WI) – MCCAA Honorable Mention All-Northern Conference, Kylee Tadisch (FR, Coleman, WI) – MCCAA Second Team All-Northern Conference, MCCAA Northern Conference All-Freshman Team.
Each team also selects individual awards on a yearly basis. Awards are voted on by each team's players and/or coaches. Unique to Bay College is the Norse Award that is awarded to the student-athlete(s) that best embody what it means to be a student-athlete at Bay College. Factors such as work ethic, ability, overall attitude, team-first mentality, and being positive members of Athletics and the Bay College community are considered. The individual award winners by team are as follows:
Baseball
Most Valuable Player
Xavier Whittle (SO, Oakville, ON)
Most Valuable Pitcher
Austin Burnside (SO, Crivitz, WI)
Norse Award
Hector Araguayan (SO, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela)
Cross Country:
Most Valuable Male Runner
Zach Rose (SO, Escanaba, MI)
Most Improved Runner
Austin Watchorn (FR, Escanaba, MI)
Norse Award
Jahlani Thornton (SO, Detroit, MI)
Men's Basketball
Most Valuable Players
Tyrel Creger (FR, Owatonna, MN) and Lamar Grayson (SO, Richfield, MN)
Most Improved Player
Justin Nelson (SO, Iron River, MI)
Norse Award
Jaylen Flaniken (SO, Troy, MI)
Women's Basketball
Most Outstanding Player
Alyssa Cretton (SO, Niagara, WI)
Most Improved Player
Leah Allan (SO, Oconto, WI)
Norse Award
Stephanie Frappy (SO, Bonduel, WI)
Softball
Most Valuable Player
Sierra Jones (FR, Calgary, AB)
Most Valuable Pitcher
Rachael Winkel (SO, Silvis, IL)
Most Improved Player
Sierra Jones (FR, Calgary, AB)
Norse Award
Avery Sorochan (SO, Two Hills, AB)
Volleyball
Most Valuable Player
Amber Caylor (FR, Wausaukee, WI)
Offensive Player of the Year
Kylee Tadisch (FR, Coleman, WI)
Defensive Player of the Year
Tori Jandt (FR, Peshtigo, WI)
Norse Award
Graci Varoni (FR, Bark River, MI)