Story by Wyatt Ebersole

2022 was another year of success and winning in Butler Athletics. The Grizzlies as a school compiled an overall record of 173-72-2, good for a win percentage of 0.702. The Grizzlies also finished a remarkable 80-25-1 at home and a very successful 106-40-1 in conference play over all of 2022. The Grizzlies also had an unreal 57 different players receive All-KJCCC Honors and had 7 players named to NJCAA All-American Teams. The Grizzlies also won 1 Region VI Title by way of Butler Softball, they sent two teams to NJCAA National Tournaments, won three regular season conference titles, appeared in three Region VI title games, and of course, Butler Football won the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl over Kilgore College. The Grizzlies also crowned six NJCAA National Champions over the indoor and outdoor track seasons.

In terms of overall record, Butler Softball compiled the best record overall finishing the season a dominant 48-4. It was also a year that saw every Butler Athletics Squad post a winning record Listed below is the record of each individual Butler Athletic Program sorted by win percentage.

1. Butler Softball 48-4 (0.923) (*Won Region VI Championship and Plains District Championship*)
2. Butler Soccer 18-4-2 (0.792) (*Finished as Region Runner-Ups*)
3. Butler Men's Basketball 23-10 (0.697)
4. Butler Volleyball 25-12 (0.676) (*Finished as Region Runner-Ups*)
5. Butler Football 8-4 (0.666) (*Won Bowl Game vs #7 Kilgore College*)
6. Butler Baseball 35-24 (0.593)
7. Butler Women's Basketball 16-14 (0.533)

Butler Community College Athletics saw Butler Soccer complete an undefeated season in Jayhawk Conference play finishing the year 12-0-1, making it the second year in a row a Butler Athletic Program has finished the year undefeated in conference play with Butler Softball completing a perfect 26-0 year in the 2021 season. As mentioned previous, Butler Athletics compiled a record of 106-40-1 in conference play in the 2022 calendar year.

Each team's conference record in 2022 sorted by win percentage:

1. Butler Soccer 12-0-1 (0.962) (*Won Conference Title*)
2. Butler Softball 30-2 (0.938) (*Won Conference Title*)
3. Butler Volleyball 14-2 (0.875) (*Won Conference Title*)
4. Butler Football 4-2 (0.666)
5. Butler Baseball 20-12 (0.625)
6. Butler Men's Basketball 15-9 (0.625)
7. Butler Women's Basketball 11-12 (0.478)

Teams had reason to fear making the drive to El Dorado in 2022 as the Grizzlies were absolutely dominant at home this past year finishing the year 80-25-1 within friendly confines, good for a 0.762 win percentage. All Butler Grizzly sports teams finished with a winning record at home this season. The Grizzly team that defended their home floor the best this season was Butler Volleyball who finished a perfect 9-0 on the year and have now won 25 straight matches in the Power Plant.

Each team's home record in 2022 is sorted below.

1. Butler Volleyball 9-0 (1.000)
2. Butler Softball 19-1 (0.950)
3. Butler Men's Basketball 13-4 (0.765)
4. Butler Soccer 8-2-1 (0.762)
5. Butler Baseball 19-9 (0.679)
6. Butler Football 4-2 (0.666)
7. Butler Women's Basketball 8-7 (0.533)

This article wouldn't be complete without mentioning all six of our Butler Track and Field National Champions who are listed below.

INDOOR:
Kiara Brown: Won Women's 200 Meter National Title

Jerod Elcock: Won Men's 60 Meter National Title

OUTDOOR:

Jerod Elcock: Won Men's 200 Meter National Title

Kiara Brown, Shawnakay Peart, Kirstin Jones and Kaleb McDonald: Won Women's 4x100 National Title

Kirstin Jones, Abigail Brooks, Ann Dangha and Kaleb McDonald: Won Women's 4x400 National Title

Shawn Brown, Caleb Jackson, Morgan Jamison and Jerod Elcock: Won Men's 4x400 National Title

Jerod Elcock had a tremendous 2022 year, being apart of two team National Titles and one individual National Title. In addition to these honors, he was named the U.S Track and Field Athlete of the year by the U.S Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association.

Butler Cross Country Runner Rodgers Rotich nearly won another National Championship for the Butler Cross Country and Track and Field teams in the 2022 year at the NJCAA Cross Country National Championship, but he finished just short of the title, losing by less than one full second and finishing as National Runner-Up.

2022 was another year of success and victory for Butler Athletics, seeing avenues of success from every team thanks to the hard work and dedication of our coaches and athletes. Butler Athletics also thanks all of our fans who come out and support all of our coaches and athletes. That 80-25-1 home record in 2022 would not be possible without the passion and dedication of Butler fans.

The first Grizzlies team to play a game in 2023 is the Butler Women's Basketball Team who will play the Mavericks of Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa on January 5th at 5:30 in the Power Plant and the Grizzlies will resume conference play on Saturday, January 7th when the Men's and Women's Basketball Teams will travel to Cowley to take on the Tigers at 2 and 4 pm respectively.

Happy new year everyone! Here's to 2023 being another year of winning.