Ball State football players earn preseason recognition; Cardinals coaching additions

MUNCIE, Ind. — Two Ball State football players have earned preseason recognition.

Senior wide receiver Jayshon Jackson was selected to the 2022 Biletnikoff Award Watch List while graduate linebacker Brandon Martin was selected as a nominee on the Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

Jackson, who transferred to Ball State last season, was one of 43 players selected to the Biletnikoff watch list, which annually recognizes the Football Bowl Subdivision's most outstanding receiver. Last season, Jackson caught 69 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns.

Martin, who enters his seventh season in Muncie this season, was selected as a nominee on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. Nominees must show a combination of community service, academic dedication and impact on and off the field. Martin, a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award last season, was the 2020 MAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Here's what else happened this past week (July 18-25) in East Central Indiana high school and collegiate athletics:

Ball State women's golf selects Cameron Andry as head coach

Cameron Andry has been named Ball State's women's golf coach after former coach Katherine Mowat, who spent 18 years leading the team, decided to step down last month. Andry was the director of golf at Taylor University the previous 11 seasons.

There, he oversaw the men's and women's golf programs. He established the women's program in 2012. His teams won 10 Crossroads League titles and recorded top-11 finishes at the NAIA National Championships four times. He won 79 tournaments, coached 46 All-Conference players, 14 All-Americans and was named conference coach of the year 10 times.

"Cam's success at Taylor has been truly impressive, and we're excited to bring one of our own Ball State grads back home to build on the success of our women's golf program," Ball State director of athletics Beth Goetz said in a press release. "His rise to success has been built on the foundation of developing his student-athletes to win on and off the course."

Andry graduated from Ball State in 2009 and was a four-year letter winner (two-time All-Conference player) at Paoli High School.

"Along with my family, I am elated to be returning to my alma mater as the leader of the Ball State women's golf program," Andry said in a release. "I would like to express my gratitude to President Geoffrey Mearns, director of athletics Beth Goetz and deputy athletics director Shawn Sullivan for this opportunity. Ball State is a special place with tremendous resources, and I am excited to begin the work of building a championship program here."

Ball State baseball adds Alex Maloney, Tanner Holen to coaching staff

Alex Maloney and Tanner Holen were added to Ball State baseball's coaching staff.

"We are thrilled to have one of our own, Alex Maloney, join our staff as our recruiting coordinator and Tanner Holen as our volunteer coach," head coach Rich Maloney said. "We are excited to add both Alex and Tanner to our staff."

Alex Maloney joins the staff as an assistant coach to help with the day-to-day operations and serve as the recruiting coordinator. He previously worked at SIUE as an assistant, Tennessee Tech as a volunteer assistant and Wayne State as a graduate assistant. At BSU, Maloney was a member of the 2014 MAC regular season championship squad.

Holen, a former baseball player at Cincinnati, joins the staff as a volunteer coach. He spent last season at Western Illinois as an assistant coach and previously served as the site director for Perfect Game Midwest. At Ball State, Holen will work primarily with catches and hitters.

Ball State women's volleyball names Tucker Bitting assistant coach

Tucker Bitting was named an assistant coach for Ball State's women's volleyball team. A 2011 Ball State graduate, Bitting has coached eight years at Munciana Volleyball Club.

"I'm so excited to add Tucker as the final piece of the staff," Ball State head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said in a release. "He brings a high volleyball IQ, passion for the game, and a competitive mindset that will continue to push our program forward. He understands the value of teaching the game, as well as connecting with the players to help each person in the program develop to become the best version of themselves. I cannot wait to get back in the gym and get started with this new crew!"

"I am thankful and excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Ball State volleyball program," Bitting said in a release. "Kelli has done a tremendous job of building Ball State into a perennial powerhouse in the MAC, and I am thrilled to be able to return to my alma mater and help this program win championships!"

This summer, Bitting led his 16U squad to a fifth-place finish at the AAU Junior Nationals. He spent several years (2018-21) at Munciana's Indianapolis club. Before that, Bitting served as a volunteer assistant coach at Notre Dame (2016-17).

Ball State baseball's Rich Maloney to receive ABCA/Dave Keilitz award

Ball State baseball coach Rich Maloney was one of two recipients of the Dave Keilitz Ethics in Coaching Award, presented annually by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

The award is given to individuals who embody the ABCA Code of Ethics and is named after ABCA board member, Hall of Fame inductee and former executive director Dave Keilitz. Maloney, who just completed his 17th season as Ball State's head coach, owns a 917-600-1 (.609) overall record.

"It is very humbling to be recognized this way," Maloney said in a release. "I hold Dave Keilitz in the highest regard and the positive influence he has had on our game is second to none. To have my name under his with the other recipients over the years is special. We all have a role to play in honoring those who paved our way into the coaching profession and to uphold the integrity of our great game. For those young coaches who will carry the torch for our game moving forward please ask yourself this question that my college coach and mentor Fred Decker shared with me before I took over as a head coach, 'Do you want to win at all costs? Many years ago, my answer was no, and I've stayed true to that pledge. Hopefully when our time is over as coaches, we can all say we did our best to positively impact those young men the good Lord put in our path."

Ball State basketball signs Quincy Adams to 2022 class

Ball State announced the addition of Quincy Adams, the fifth member of its 2022 recruiting class.

The addition of the Frisco, Texas, native brings Ball State's roster up to 13 leading up to Michael Lewis' first year as head coach. Adams, a 6-5 guard from Hamilton High School (Arizona) was an All-State and 6A All-District selection, leading his team to a state championship berth. As a senior, Adams averaged 20.5 points and five rebounds per game.

"We are extremely pleased to add someone of Quincy's ability to our program," Lewis said. "We have been very diligent in our recruiting efforts and believe Quincy will add great value to our program. We are excited to welcome him to our team."

More Ball State coverage: Ball State men's basketball might stick with a 12-man roster entering the 2022-23 season

Mick Tidrow selected as Voice of the Cardinals

Mick Tidrow has been named the new "Voice of the Cardinals," Ball State Athletics and Ball State Sports Properties announced.

Tidrow, a two-time graduate at BSU (bachelor's in digital sports production, master's in digital storytelling), returns to Muncie to become just the third person in this role in nearly 50 years, following Joel Godett (2012-22) and Morry Mannies (1956-2012).

Tidrow will serve as the radio play-by-play voice for Ball State football and men's basketball along with calling select ESPN+ broadcasts, hosting coaches shows and more.

"We're excited to have Mick — a young, talented Ball State alum and graduate of the Sports Link program — return to our campus," Ball State athletics director Beth Goetz said in a release. "The Voice of the Cardinals is a really important role, and we look forward to hearing his voice on our airwaves throughout the state of Indiana."

"It is the ultimate honor to be the next voice of Ball State, which has produced an immense amount of broadcasting talent," Tidrow said in a release. "To be the voice of my alma mater means the world. A special thank you to my wife Gabi, Shawn Sullivan, Beth Goetz, Chris Taylor and Shane Nichols and the entire Learfield team throughout this entire process. I can't wait to come home."

Previously, Tidrow called Ball State women's basketball and baseball games and worked the sidelines for football. He was a broadcaster for ESPN+ and directed broadcasting efforts for the Missoula Osprey (2018) and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (2016-17).

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Single-game Ball State football, volleyball tickets on sale

Single-game tickets for Ball State football and women's volleyball are now available for the upcoming season. They can be purchased online at ballstatesports.com or by calling the Ball State ticket office at 888-BSU-TICKET or 765-285-1474.

Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school sports for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State athletics: Football players earn recognition, coaching adds