Championships, awards and program firsts highlight the year 2021
The year of 2021 ended with two Grizzly basketball wins, finishing a year for Butler athletics that was highlighted by the most successful volleyball season in the history of the program, a softball trip to the national tournament, and two soccer Region Championships, including an eventful penalty kick victory.
The 2021 volleyball fall season was one of the most dominant the Jayhawk Conference has ever seen. The Grizzlies finished 37-4, tied the program record for most wins in a season, and advanced to the national tournament for the first time ever, making it as far as the national semifinals. Head coach Lisa Lecthenberg was awarded the KJCCC coach of the year, and Kayli Duncan and Jaryn Benning were named NJCAA All-Americans, the first Grizzly players to be awarded All-American since Hanna Flaming in 2012.
The Grizzly volleyball team's Region championship was joined by the soccer team just hours later, after the Grizzlies defeated Cowley in penalty kicks to win the Region VI tournament for the ninth time, in addition to being league champions for the twelfth time. The Grizzlies also won the region in the spring after the 2020 season was moved due to covid, resulting in two trips to the national tournament in the span of five months. Head coach Adam Hunter was awarded conference coach of the year and his daughter, Brooklyn Hunter was named to the All-American team. Eight players were awarded to the all conference team, and Ellie McDonald was named KJCCC East Defensive Player of the Year.
It was a successful 2021 on the diamond as well. It was another dominant year for the softball team, finishing 51-4, and winning their fifth consecutive district title, also advancing to the national tournament, finishing fifth overall. Five players were named All-Americans in Maddie Redman, Shayna Espy, Emily Adler, Madi Young and Izzy Erickson and head coach Doug Chance surpassed 700 all-time wins in the purple and gold.
The baseball team also did well, finishing 37-16, and advancing to the district tournament championship, falling just short of the national tournament, their highest tournament finish since 2006. Josh Cameron and Jonah Cox picked up All-American honors, the first Butler baseball players to be named to the list since 2014 and head coach BJ McVay won his 300th game as head coach of the Grizzlies.
Madi Young won the NATYCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year Award, a national award won for the first time by a Butler student athlete. Young was also named Wichita Sports Commission Female Athlete of the Year and Butler Baseball's Josh Cameron was a finalist for the Male Athlete of the Year.
The women's basketball team finished 20-4 in the spring of 2021, winning the Jayhawk East for the third consecutive year. Tamara Nard was named KJCCC most valuable player and Mike Helmer was named conference coach of the year while Nard and Skyla Knight were named All-Americans.
On the men's side, the Grizzlies finished 16-7 in a covid shortened year, finishing third in the conference behind Cowley and Coffeyville, the two teams who played in the national title game.
The Butler men's and women's cross country teams both featured in the national championships, the men finishing 18th and the women finishing 22nd. The Butler men's track team finished 14th in the NJCAA outdoor championship and the women's 4x100 meter relay team posted a school record in the Region VI championship meet, running a 45.08. Dakari Carter won a National Championship in the Indoor Men's 200 meter dash while the women's outdoor 4x400 meter relay team of Kiara Brown, Kaleb McDonald, Toshel Goffe and Linesha Thompson brought home the gold in May.
The football team bounced back from a disappointing spring season that was shortened heavily by covid, winning notable games in 2021 against the defending national champions Hutchinson and beating the top seeded Coffeyville 48-7 in the Jayhawk Conference playoffs. 20 Grizzly players earned all conference honors. Head coach Tim Schaffner departed after 17 years as a successful member of the coaching staff.
The year ends with both the men's and women's basketball teams ranked nationally, and both teams are currently undefeated at home on the year. Both head coaches picked up notable wins in their careers with coach Mike Helmer surpassing 300 wins and Kyle Fisher tipping over the 50 win mark in his head coaching career.
2021 Highlights:
226 wins
47 NJCAA All-Academic Students
34 All-Americans
12 of 13 programs ranked Nationally during season
5 National Tournament Appearances
5 Individual National Champions
4 Region VI Championships
4 KJCCC Championships
2 Top 5 finishes at Nationals
1 Region VI Runner-up