CatchMark SportsNet has been hinting at a new twist to our West Michigan Conference Player of the Year series for the 2023-24 end-of-year banquet.
Time to announce it. We’re creating two more awards and these are doozies: Senior female and senior male Athlete of the Year awards.
We’ve identified 10 senior female athletes and 10 senior male athletes from the West Michigan Conference. They are finalists for the Athlete of the Year awards.
Below are capsules of the athletes, arranged alphabetically in female and male categories, as well as accompanying fan polls. Those polls open at 8 a.m. Monday, May 20, and close at 8 a.m. Friday, May 31.
You are allowed to vote once per hour in each poll.
Here’s another twist: Unlike the CatchMark SportsNet WMC Players of the Year, which are 100 percent determined by fan votes, the Athlete of the Year awards will be determined by fan votes and those votes coming from a four-person panel. The panel includes CatchMark SportsNet lead Scott DeCamp and Athlete of the Year sponsors Jordan Durga and Justin Durga (Durga Insurance Group) and Chris Wenk (Century 21 Trophy Class).
Here’s another big difference: Athlete of the Year award winners will not be announced until the banquet, which is set for 5-7:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, at Whitehall High School.
All 2023-24 Senior Athlete of the Year finalists and Player of the Year finalists for fall, winter, and spring will be invited to the banquet.
CatchMark is reaching out to Athlete of the Year and Player of the Year finalists for RSVPs for the banquet, which includes a taco bar dinner 5-5:45 p.m. in Whitehall’s Viking Center followed by the awards ceremony 6-7:45 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. The awards ceremony will be livestreamed on the CatchMark SportsNet YouTube channel.
Senior Female Athlete of the Year finalists
JESSICA BENNETT, Fremont
Basketball: Division 2 all-state honorable mention … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team … MLive Muskegon-area Dream Team third team … School record for 3-pointers made in a season … School record for blocks in a game and blocks in a season … Team captain … Team MVP … Fremont finished with a 20-5 record (12-0 WMC Lakes) with conference and district titles.
Rodeo: World champion barrel racer in 2021.
Notable: Fremont’s female nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award.
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ABBIE FOWLER, Holton
Volleyball: All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team.
Softball: All-state has not been released yet, but she was a Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association first-team all-stater freshman through junior seasons … Virtual lock for All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team … Virtual lock for Division 4 all-region.
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AVA GARCIA, Whitehall
Golf: All-West Michigan Conference first team … Led Whitehall to the Division 3 team state finals.
Bowling: All-West Michigan Conference first team … Finished 12th in the Division 3 regional, five spots from state finals qualification.
Soccer: All-conference has yet to be announced, but Garcia earned first-team All-West Michigan Conference as a midfielder in 2023.
Notable: Whitehall’s female nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award.
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ABBY HICKS, Hart
Volleyball: All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team.
Basketball: Division 2 all-state honorable mention … All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team
Softball: Season record-holder in home runs for Hart … All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division team yet to be announced, but almost a certainty she’ll be a first-teamer.
Notable: Hart’s female nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award … Will be attending Alma College, where she’ll play basketball.
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KAELINN JOZSA, Oakridge
Volleyball: Letterwinner for the volleyball team.
Basketball: Letterwinner for the basketball team.
Softball: All-state has yet to be announced, but Jozsa is a strong bet to make the Division 2 first team. She’s having a big season and is coming off Division 2 all-state honorable mentions seasons as a sophomore and junior … Virtual lock for make All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team … CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year finalist this season and last season.
Notable: Signed to play softball at Division II Ferris State University … All-conference scholar-athlete in all three sports.
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FIA LINDSAY, North Muskegon
Volleyball: All-region by Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association … All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team
Tennis: Division 4 regional champion and lone state finals qualifier from the West Michigan Conference at No. 1 singles … All-state has not been released yet, but she’s got a legitimate shot … All-West Michigan Conference first team.
Notable: North Muskegon’s female nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award.
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LIBBY MCCARTHY, Manistee
Volleyball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team.
Track and field: Second in Division 3 regional in high jump and long jump, making her a state finals qualifier in both events. Also part of the 4×400 relay team that finished second at the regional and qualified for the state finals … First in long jump and second in high jump in the West Michigan Conference Lakes Division championships.
Notable: Signed with Division I Marquette for track and field, specializing in high jump.
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EMMA MCKINLEY, Ludington
Golf: First-team all-state in Division 3 by Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association … Medalist (No. 1 finisher) in West Michigan Conference … Voted CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Girls Golfer of the Year … Led Ludington to the Division 3 team state finals.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division honorable mention … Starting guard for Ludington’s girls basketball team that won a Division 2 district title and advanced to the regional finals.
Soccer: All-West Michigan Conference has yet to be announced, but McKinley was all-WMC honorable mention as a midfielder in 2023.
Notable: Signed to play golf with Division I Detroit Mercy … Four-time conference medalist in golf … Four-time all-state honoree in golf … Regional medalist back-to-back seasons in golf … McKinley also was an accomplished tennis player as a freshman.
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WREN NELSON, Mason County Central
Volleyball: Letterwinner for the volleyball team.
Basketball: BCAM’s Best for Division 3 (Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan) … All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team … CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year.
Softball: Letterwinner for the softball team.
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RYANN ROBINS, Holton
Volleyball: All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division honorable mention.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team … Broke girls school record for career points with 1,098 and also grabbed 1,003 career rebounds … MLive Muskegon Dream Team selection.
Softball: All-state has not been released yet, but she was a Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association first-team all-stater as a freshman and she’s having big senior season … Virtual lock for All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team
Notable: Holton’s female nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award … School record-holder for career home runs (37 at the time her MASHF nomination form was submitted).
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Senior Male Athlete of the Year finalists
ISAIAH ATCHISON, Montague
Football: Six-foot-8 starting receiver and defensive back for the football team.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team … Nominated for CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year award.
Track and field: MHSAA Division 3 state finals qualifier in four events with a regional title in high jump and regional runner-up finishes in the 100 and 200 plus the 4×200 relay … Montague school-record holder in the 100 and 200 as well as the 4×100 relay … Runner-up in the West Michigan Conference Lakes Division championships in the 100, 200, and high jump.
Notable: Signed to play football at Division I Central Michigan University.
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TRANNON AYLOR, Whitehall
Football: Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 4 first-team all-state at receiver … Michigan Associated Press Division 3-4 second-team all-state at receiver … MHSFCA Division 4 all-region selection at receiver … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team as a receiver and kick-return specialist, plus All-WMC honorable mention as a defensive back.
Basketball: Key contributor off the bench for Whitehall team that finished 22-0 in the regular season.
Track and field: Defending MHSAA Division 2 state champion in the 400-meter dash … MHSAA Division 2 state finals qualifier in the 400 as well as the 4×200 and 4×400 relays after taking first place in all three events at the regional … Won 400 title in the Greater Muskegon and West Michigan Conference Lakes Division meets …
Notable: Whitehall’s male nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award.
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BRODY JENNINGS, Oakridge
Football: Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 5 all-region selection at linebacker … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team at linebacker.
Basketball: Sharpshooter on Oakridge’s basketball team.
Baseball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division yet to be announced, but Jennings was a first-team All-WMC Lakes pitcher in 2023 … Nominated for CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year.
Notable: Signed to play baseball at Aquinas College.
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GAGE JONES, Ludington
Football: Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 4 all-region selection at defensive back … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team as a receiver and defensive back.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division honorable mention as a starting guard on a team that won a Division 2 district title and advanced to the regional finals.
Baseball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division yet to be announced, but Jones was a first-team All-WMC Lakes catcher in 2023 … Nominated for CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year.
Notable: Signed to play football at Calvin University.
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BEN MEYERS, North Muskegon
Football: Injured during football season, otherwise would have been a strong candidate for All-West Michigan Conference and more on either side of the ball.
Baseball: All-state has yet to be announced, but he was a Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Division 3 first-teamer in 2023 and he’s having a big senior season … All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division yet to be announced, but he’s a virtual lock … CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year in 2023 and he’s a finalist for that award again.
Notable: Signed to play baseball at Division II Davenport University … Did not play basketball as a senior because of an injury suffered during football season … North Muskegon’s male nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award.
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DAVID SHILLINGER, Ludington
Football: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team as a speedy running back/slot.
Basketball: Michigan Associated Press Division 2 first-team all-state .. BCAM’s Best Division 2 all-state … All-time leading boys scorer in Ludington High School and Mason County history with 1,776 career points in four years … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team … MLive Muskegon Dream Team selection.
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BRAYDON SORENSON, Manistee
Football: Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 6 all-region selection at offensive line … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team at offensive line.
Skiing: MHSAA Division 1 state runner-up in the slalom as part of the co-op team between Manistee and Onekama … Central Region Under-18 champion for U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization … Member of Team Michigan.
Golf: All-West Michigan Conference boys golf has yet to be announced, but he was an All-WMC first-teamer in 2023 … Manistee finished seventh in the state at the MHSAA Division 3 finals last season and eyes a top-five finish this season.
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KYLE STRATTON, Whitehall
Football: Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 4 all-region selection at quarterback … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division first team … Whitehall finished 9-0 in the regular season for a second straight season.
Basketball: All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division honorable mention as a starting point guard and his team’s best defender of opposing guards … Whitehall finished 22-0 in the regular season.
Baseball: MHSAA career record holder in stolen bases (186 and counting), passing Whitehall great Nate McLouth last week … Closing in on school record for single-season stolen bases held by Cayden Ritchie (72) … Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association has yet to announce all-state for this season, but Stratton was a Division 2 second-team all-state infielder in 2023 … All-West Michigan Conference Lakes Division yet to be announced for this season, but he’s a virtual lock.
Notable: Signed to play football at Taylor University … Vocal team leader in all three sports … In congratulatory video by Whitehall great Nate McLouth, he calls Stratton perhaps the best athlete to come out of Whitehall.
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TEE WARD, Fremont
Soccer: All-West Michigan Conference first-teamer at the midfielder spot … Helped Fremont to an historic 21-2-1 season with a WMC outright title, a Division 3 district championship, and regional finals appearance.
Wrestling: Four-time first-team all-stater in wrestling with fourth-, third-, second-, and first-place finishes in his freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, respectively, at the MHSAA individual state finals … Captured the 138-pound state championship of Division 2 with a 53-1 record as a senior … Compiled a career record at Fremont of 192-12 … Four-time all-region and four-time all-conference.
Notable: Signed to wrestle at Division I Northern Illinois University … Fremont’s male nominee for Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame student-athlete award.
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BLAKE WEIRICH, Hart
Basketball: BCAM’s Best Division 2 all-state … All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division first team … MLive Muskegon Dream Team selection.
Baseball: All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division team is yet to be announced, but he was an All-WMC Rivers first-teamer in 2023 … Weirich is having a big season this spring and is a virtual lock for All-WMC Rivers again.
