The list of past winners of the Livingston County Male Athlete of the Year includes a former NFL and Major League Baseball player (both Brighton’s Drew Henson) and an Olympic wrestler (Fowlerville’s Adam Coon).
It also includes two athletes who have gone on to have great success coaching at their alma maters.
Chris Elsey of Brighton was the 2003-04 winner for his achievements in football, basketball and track and field. He didn’t run cross country in high school, but that’s the sport in which he’s coached the Bulldogs to two state championships.
Hartland’s Kyle Summerfield was a three-sport standout who won the award in 2008-09. He coached Hartland’s wrestling team to state runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2024.
This year’s winner, Ty Kraut, is the first to come from Hartland’s highly successful hockey program.
1996-97 — Drew Henson, Brighton (football, basketball, baseball)
1997-98 — Drew Henson, Brighton (football, basketball, baseball)
1998-99 — Frank Garcia, Brighton (golf, hockey, baseball)
1999-2000 — Eric Walters, Howell (cross country, basketball, baseball)
2000-01 — Ben Tecmire, Howell (football, wrestling, track & field)
2001-02 — Zach Douglass, Fowlerville (football, basketball, track & field)
2002-03 — Sean Hoorelbeke, Hartland (football, baseball)
2003-04 — Chris Elsey, Brighton (football, basketball, track & field)
2004-05 — Ian Boyle, Pinckney (cross country, track & field)
2005-06 — Zach Nichols, Brighton (football, basketball, track & field)
2006-07 — David Emery, Pinckney (cross country, track & field)
2007-08 — Ryan Ross, Fowlerville (football, basketball, baseball)
2008-09 — Kyle Summerfield, Hartland (football, wrestling, baseball)
2009-10 — Bryce Lindberg, Howell (football, baseball)
2010-11 — Adam Coon, Fowlerville (football, wrestling, track & field)
2011-12 — Adam Coon, Fowlerville (football, wrestling, track & field)
2012-13 — Adam Coon, Fowlerville (football, wrestling, track & field)
2013-14 — Nick Brish, Brighton (football, wrestling, lacrosse)
2014-15 — Nick Brish, Brighton (football, wrestling, lacrosse)
2015-16 — Joey Clifford, Brighton (football, hockey)
2016-17 — Caleb Balgaard, Howell (swimming and diving, baseball)
2017-18 — Reece Potter, Hartland (football, wrestling, lacrosse)
2018-19 — Reece Potter, Hartland (football, wrestling, lacrosse)
2019-20 — Luke Stanton, Brighton (football, wrestling)
2020-21 — Riley Hough, Hartland (cross country, track & field)
2021-22 — Riley Hough, Hartland (cross country, track & field)
2022-23 — Joey Mattord, Hartland (football, lacrosse)
2023-24 — Nolan Carruthers, Pinckney (football, baseball)
2024-25 — Ty Kraut, Hartland (hockey, baseball)
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Past winners of Livingston County Male Athlete of the Year include two successful coaches
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
