At Center Stage: Fans to recognize student-athletes with Chippy awards
(Cori Kromrei | Staff Photographer) Central Michigan University football player senior Deon Butler accepts the Spirit of Special Olympics award and was made an honorary captain of the team Sunday night during the Chippys Award Night at Plachta Auditorium.
ESPN has the ESPY Awards. Central Michigan has the Chippy Awards.
The Chippy Awards — which will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Plachta Auditorium in Warriner Hall — leave the results to a fan vote to decide the best in CMU athletics from the past three semesters.
Fans can vote via a link on the @Chippys2016 Twitter page. Voting ends Friday at noon.
The Chippys will be hosted by senior baseball infielder Joe Houlihan and senior football defensive tackle Shafer Johnson, while the show will be produced by soccer junior goalkeeper Maddie Bunnell.
(MORE: Sports Editor Taylor DesOrmeau gives his picks for the 2016 Chippys)
The categories include Best Female and Male Athlete of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Best Game, Best Championship Performance, Breakthrough Athlete of the Year, Best Team, Assistant Coach of the Year, Professor of the Year, Fan of the Year and Coach of the Year. The nominees are selected through CMU Athletics Communications and student nominations.
The award show was started about eight years ago by two baseball players as a fundraiser, celebrating the success of student-athletes while also raising money for charity, said Associate Director of Student-Athlete Services Jeremy Ploch. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee organizes the event, which also includes feature skits and other performances.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $5 with all proceeds going toward Special Olympics Michigan. The awards will be handed out by Special Olympics athletes.
“We have been involved with the Chippys Awards for three years,” said Aaron Mills, Senior Marketing and Communications Director for Special Olympics Michigan. “The donations help provide year-round sports training, health programs and help costs of putting on the programs for our 23,000 athletes.”
Last year, between 600 and 700 people attended and the award show raised more than $7,000 for Special Olympics Michigan.
“We have a great partnership with the Special Olympics within the athletic department,” Ploch said. “It’s great way to give back to a great cause and a good time to show our support for the student athletes, as well as the others were recognizing.”
Male Athlete of the Year
Chris Fowler - Men’s Basketball
Pat MacKenzie - Baseball
Mike Ottinger - Wrestling
Cooper Rush - Football
Cole Walderzak - Men’s track and field
Female Athlete of the Year
Taylor Bolender - Gymnastics
Devene Brown - Women’s track and field
Kaysie Gregory - Field Hockey
Tinara Moore - Women’s Basketball
Katelyn Rentschler - Softball
Breakthrough Athlete of the Year
Jordan Bueter - Volleyball
Jordan Ellingwood - Wrestling
Abbey Kelto - Women’s Track and Field
Tinara Moore - Women’s Basketball
Best Championship Performance
Jordan Ellingwood - Wrestling
Megan Lamphere and Bryttany Kaplan - Gymnastics
Tinara Moore - Women’s basketball
Justin Oliver - Wrestling
Freshman of the Year
Sara Hansen - Softball
Presley Hudson - Women’s Basketball
Kasey Janowicz - Gymnastics
Zach McKinstry - Baseball
Justin Oliver - Wrestling
Romello Ross - Football
Lorenzo Wells - Men’s track and field
Best Game
Field Hockey vs. Missouri State
Football vs. Buffalo
Women’s basketball vs. Bowling Green
Wrestling vs. Ohio
Soccer vs. Miami
Baseball vs. Michigan State (Clash at Comerica)
Golf at Red Bird Classic
Best Play
Men’s track and field - 4x300 Relay at the NCAA Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida
Women’s Basketball - Presley Hudson’s buzzer beater vs Bowling Green
Wrestling - Jordan Ellingwood’s takedown with seven seconds left in the MAC semifinals
Baseball - Morgan Oliver’s game winning hit vs. Michigan State
Soccer - Kaelyn Korte’s overtime goal vs. Bowling Green
Softball - Katelyn Rentschler’s walk-off home run vs. Eastern Michigan
Field Hockey - Maude Stalars three line saves vs. Miami
Best Team
Baseball
Men’s basketball
Women’s basketball
Wrestling
Coach of the Year
John Bonamego - Football
Keno Davis - Men’s basketball
Sue Guevara - Women’s basketball
Steve Jaksa - Baseball
Assistant Coach of the Year
Ben Bennett - Wrestling
Greg Colby - Football
Heather Oesterle - Women’s basketball
John Ridgway - Track and field
Mose Rison - Football
Professor of the Year
Judy Chandler - Physical Education
Ken Cherry - Marketing
Mike Garver - Marketing
Tim Otteman - Recreation and Event Management
Ken Sanney - Finance and Law
David Wisner - Health Sciences
Fan of the Year
The 6th Man Band
Ryan “Bones” Colpitts
CMU Superfans - Nick Gembarski, Shannon Brandon and Grant McPherson
Dave, Margie and the Therapy Dogs
Tim and Joellyn Malmquist
Brian Mielke
