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Walker, Mato selected as athletes of the year at Barton
spt bc AmhadWalker
Mike Marzolf, Special to the Tribune
Updated: May 9, 2015, 12:48 AM
Published: May 9, 2015, 12:51 AM

It is a chance to reflect and honor.

The annual athletic banquet was held at Barton Community College Wednesday night giving the athletes, boosters, coaches and fans a chance to reflect on the past seasons.

It also is a time to hand out numerous awards.

Earning the prestigious Athlete of the Year awards were Ahmad Walker and Lydia Mato.

Walker, a sophomore transfer, earned the Player of the Year in the Jayhawk West for the men’s basketball team. He was the first Cougar to win the conference MVP in nearly 10 years. He led Barton is scoring (20.6), rebounds (7.7), and assists (5.5). All three were in the top five in the conference.

Walker was picked 2nd team All-American. He came to Barton from Stony Brook (NY) where he will return for his final two years of college.

Mato, a sophomore, is closing out a stellar track and cross country career. Among her numerous achievements came at the NJCAA Indoor Championships this year. She won four individual gold medals - the first in history to do so. She won three as a freshman.

The Ghana native won the NJCAA cross country title in the fall and will look to add to her tremendous Barton career at the NJCAA Outdoor Championship this weekend.

Also given out were three Inspirational Awards.

Volleyball player Jennica O’Neill was selected as the female Inspirational Athlete of the Year. She was selected for her dedication to the team. She was asked to play multiple positions and did so without complaints - always thinking of the team first.

The sophomore from Wamego more than likely gave up personal success for the betterment of the team. She did so with a positive attitude the entire time. She has a 4.0 GPA.

Kenny Enoch, another transfer for the men’s basketball team, was tabbed the male Inspirational Athlete of the Year. After bouncing around schools, the sophomore from Indianapolis found a home at Barton.
 
He was a quiet leader for the Cougars this season and led them with 77 3-pointers. He posted a 3.2 GPA and is a father to a 2-year boy back in Indianapolis while getting his education.

Colton Zink was selected as the Baseball Skylar Hill Most Inspirational. The award is named after Hill, who fought and survived cancer while on the Barton baseball team.

Zink was the bullpen catcher for Barton this year - a duty not everyone lines up for. The redshirt came to practice everyday with a smile and ready to work hard. The Claflin native caught all the bullpens without complaint. He broke his finger at Garden City this season, taped it up, didn’t tell anyone, and kept catching.

Three student athletic trainer awards were given out. Trevor Overmiller was selected as the Student Athletic Trainer of the Year. Overmiller is a sophomore from Lebanon.

Abby Mitchell, from Great Bend, was the sophomore Trainer of the Year. Chris Seidel, also from Great Bend, was the freshman winner.

The Barton Booster Club also handed out its Booster of the Year award. This years winner was Steve Divis. Divis has been a member of the Booster Club since 2002 and has twice served on the board including President for a year.



Cougar baseball shocks No. 3 Cowley Tigers
Barton baseball
Published: Apr 2, 2025, 9:54 PM
ARKANSAS CITY -- The Barton Cougar baseball team scored early and often plating 11 of its runs over the first four innings to upset No. 3 Cowley College 12-8 on Tuesday. The Cougars (21-8) have won four in a row over the Tigers (23-7). Barton plays Jayhawk West leader Colby at 1 p.m. Thursday at Lawson-Biggs Field. The Cougars travel to Colby Sunday. Tyler Janssen led the Cougars balanced offensive attack providing three of the Cougars six extra base hits on the afternoon, finishing 3-for-5 and single shy of the cycle. The freshman drove in four runs highlighted behind his fourth-inning three-run round tripper for his fourth of the year. Eight of Barton's nine in the lineup furnished a hit with Janssen being joined by Kyle Graves 3-for-6 day at the plate and RBI, as the duo combined for six of the Cougars 14 hits on the afternoon. Kyle Walker was second in runs produced, driving in two of his three runs during Barton's four run top of the second frame, finishing 2-for-5 at the dish with a walk. Rounding out the Cougars' multi-RBI performances was Ayden Hadley and Wyatt Yetter, each driving in two runs apiece. Hadley distributed his pair with a first inning double while Yetter added the final run of a three-run first on a groundout followed by a leadoff fourth inning blast for his first big fly of the season. Despite finishing 0-for-1 at the plate, Barrett Donaldson generated three of Barton's nine walks created with a run scored. Braden Hauschel earned a no-decision in his one-inning of work allowing three runs on two hits with a walk and strikeout. Eli Lang (1-0) notched his first collegiate victory tossing 4.1-innings in relief scattering seven hits and three runs with Landon Haines getting the final two outs of the sixth allowing one hit with a stirkeout. Andrew McCarthy tossed a scoreless seventh with a strikeout while operating around a pair of walks. Cade Kunz handled the eighth yielding two runs on a hit and collected a strikeout before handing off to Preston Golden for the ninth, as the sophomore locked it down
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