GREENSBORO, N.C. / MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. --- A total of 16 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) baseball student-athletes were recognized recenetly as the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and D3baseball.com announced their all-region selections.
Eight of the 16 NACC honorees were recognized by both entities, led by Concordia University Chicago senior catcher
Brandon Mahler. Mahler, the 2026 NACC Position Player of the Year, was named the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division III Region VIII Position Player of the Year and the D3baseball.com Region 8 Player of the Year. Concordia Chicago senior third baseman
Jake Mahler and Rockford University senior utility player
Zach Fabis were named to the ABCA first team and the D3baseball.com second team. Aurora University junior third baseman
Joe Lukancic was a D3baseball.com first-team pick and an ABCA second-teamer, while Rockford senior first baseman
Kadin Bergstrom was a D3baseball.com first-teamer and an ABCA third-team selection.
Others making both all-region teams include Aurora senior catcher
Tyler Patton (ABCA-second team, D3baseball.com-second team) and junior pitcher
Conner Hogan (ABCA-second team, D3baseball.com-second team) and Milwaukee School of Engineering junior starting pitcher
Zach Brzezinski (ABCA-third team, D3baseball.com-third team).
Illinois Institute of Technology sophomore utility player
Philip Bentz (second team) and senior outfielder
Tyler Gutsfeld (third team), Concordia Chicago sophomore pitcher
Kyle Connelly (third team), and MSOE junior first baseman
Camden Hoier (third team) were recognized by the ABCA alone, while Aurora junior designated hitter
Zack Tarrant (second team), Benedictine University freshman starting pitcher
Braden Behrens (second team), Concordia University Wisconsin junior catcher
Connor Lasch (third team), and MSOE senior relief pitcher
Max Babich (third team) received recognition from D3baseball.com.
| 2026 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-Region VIII Teams |
| Pos. |
First Team |
Cl. |
School |
| C |
Brandon Mahler |
Sr. |
Concordia Chicago |
| 1B |
Drew Helton |
So. |
Franklin |
| 2B |
Jackson Bland |
Jr. |
North Central (Ill.) |
| 3B |
Jake Mahler |
Sr. |
Concordia Chicago |
| SS |
Michael Ossenfort |
Fr. |
Carthage |
| OF |
Max Horner |
So. |
Manchester (Ind.) |
| OF |
Zach Johnson |
Sr. |
MUW |
| OF |
Ethan Dillon |
So. |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
| DH |
Baron Brack |
Sr. |
MUW |
| UT |
Zach Fabis |
Sr. |
Rockford |
| P |
Blake Nettleton |
Sr. |
Augustana (Ill.) |
| P |
Caleb Akins |
So. |
Millikin |
| P |
Ethan Condit |
Sr. |
North Park |
| P |
Drew Bowles |
Jr. |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
| P |
Chase Brickley |
Gr. |
Washington-St. Louis |
| Pos. |
Second Team |
Cl. |
School |
| C |
Tyler Patton |
Sr. |
Aurora |
| 1B |
Chris Hedinger |
Jr. |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
| 2B |
Pete Britton |
So. |
Millikin |
| 3B |
Joe Lukancic |
Jr. |
Aurora |
| SS |
Taylor Joseph |
So. |
North Park |
| OF |
Jack Novak |
Jr. |
Illinois Wesleyan |
| OF |
Adam Moser |
Jr. |
Webster |
| OF |
James Theodore |
Jr. |
Webster |
| DH |
Nick Wrubluski |
Sr. |
Webster |
| UT |
Philip Bentz |
So. |
Illinois Tech |
| UT |
Ryan Soong |
So. |
Washington-St. Louis |
| P |
Conner Hogan |
Jr. |
Aurora |
| P |
Brayden Saling |
Fr. |
Millikin |
| P |
Gavin Houchins |
So. |
Millikin |
| P |
Cameron Rayborn |
Sr. |
Spalding |
| P |
Parker Guthrie |
Jr. |
Washington-St. Louis |
| P |
Ryan Greifelt |
Jr. |
Webster |
| Pos. |
Third Team |
Cl. |
School |
| C |
Dalton Groves |
Sr. |
Webster |
| 1B |
Mitchell Roether |
Sr. |
Earlham |
| 1B |
Camden Hoier |
Jr. |
MSOE |
| 1B |
Kadin Bergstrom |
Sr. |
Rockford |
| 2B |
Seita Shiratori |
Sr. |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
| SS |
AJ Weller |
So. |
Illinois Wesleyan |
| SS |
Shane Pellegrino |
Sr. |
Washington-St. Louis |
| OF |
Riley Hendren |
So. |
Augustana (Ill.) |
| OF |
Tyler Gutsfeld |
Sr. |
Illinois Tech |
| OF |
Braden Bramlett |
So. |
Lyon |
| OF |
Parker Wyatt |
Jr. |
North Central (Ill.) |
| UT |
Payton Diaz |
So. |
North Central (Ill.) |
| P |
Kyle Connelly |
So. |
Concordia Chicago |
| P |
Zach Brzezinski |
Jr. |
MSOE |
| P |
Caden Krystofiak |
Sr. |
Spalding |
| P |
Luke Patton |
Sr. |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
| P |
Carter Hunt |
Gr. |
Webster |
|
| Region Position Player of the Year: Brandon Mahler, Concordia Chicago |
| Region Pitcher of the Year: Drew Bowles, Transylvania |
2026 D3baseball.com All-Region Region 8
Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools.
Player of the Year: C Brandon Mahler, Sr., Concordia Chicago
Pitcher of the Year: SP Drew Bowles, Jr. Transylvania
Rookie of the Year: SS Michael Ossenfort, Carthage
Coach of the Year: Pat Bloom, Washington-St. Louis
| Pos. |
First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| C |
Brandon Mahler |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| 1B |
Kadin Bergstrom |
Rockford |
Sr. |
Machesney Park, Ill. |
| 2B |
Jackson Bland |
North Central (Ill.) |
Jr. |
Batavia, Ill. |
| SS |
Michael Ossenfort |
Carthage |
Fr. |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
| 3B |
Joe Lukancic |
Aurora |
Jr. |
Joliet, Ill. |
| OF |
Max Horner |
Manchester (Ind.) |
So. |
Goshen, Ind. |
| OF |
Zach Johnson |
MUW |
Sr. |
Moody, Ala. |
| OF |
Jack Novak |
Illinois Wesleyan |
Jr. |
Mokena, Ill. |
| DH |
Baron Brack |
MUW |
Sr. |
Pike Road, Ala. |
| UTL |
Payton Diaz |
North Central (Ill.) |
So. |
Buffalo Grove, Ill. |
| SP |
Caleb Akins |
Millikin |
Jr. |
Lexington, Ky. |
| SP |
Drew Bowles |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
Sr. |
Denver, Colo. |
| SP |
Chase Brickley |
Washington-St. Louis |
So. |
Troy, Ohio |
| RP |
Gavin Houchins |
Millikin |
So. |
Moweaqua, Ill. |
| Pos. |
Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| C |
Tyler Patton |
Aurora |
Sr. |
Aurora, Ill. |
| 1B |
Mitchell Roether |
Earlham |
Sr. |
Dayton, Ohio |
| 2B |
Chase Marshall |
MUW |
Jr. |
Moody, Ala. |
| SS |
Shane Pellegrino |
Washington-St. Louis |
Sr. |
Sugar Land, Texas |
| 3B |
Jake Mahler |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| OF |
Caleb Coberley |
North Central (Ill.) |
Jr. |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| OF |
Ethan Dillon |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
So. |
Louisville, Ky. |
| OF |
Parker Wyatt |
North Central (Ill.) |
Jr. |
Shorewood, Wis. |
| DH |
Zack Tarrant |
Aurora |
Jr. |
Shorewood, Ill. |
| UTL |
Zach Fabis |
Rockford |
Sr. |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| SP |
Braden Behrens |
Benedictine |
Fr. |
Lake in the Hills, Ill. |
| SP |
Conner Hogan |
Aurora |
Sr. |
Shorewood, Ill. |
| SP |
Brayden Saling |
Millikin |
Fr. |
Springfield, Ill. |
| RP |
Luke Patton |
Transylvania (Ky.) |
Sr. |
Ashland, Ky. |
| Pos. |
Third Team |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| C |
Connor Lasch |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| 1B |
Griffin Wolf |
Anderson (Ind.) |
Sr. |
Carmel, Ind. |
| 2B |
Braden Eye |
Westminster (Mo.) |
Fr. |
Ballwin, Mo. |
| SS |
Taylor Joseph |
North Park |
So. |
Johnson Creek, Wis. |
| 3B |
Tyler Hahn |
Lyon |
Fr. |
Celina, Texas |
| OF |
Riley Hendren |
Augustana (Ill.) |
So. |
Normal, Ill. |
| OF |
Adam Moser |
Webster |
Jr. |
Lafayette, Colo. |
| OF |
Ryan Soong |
Washington-St. Louis |
So. |
McLean, Va. |
| DH |
Ty Cribbett |
Millikin |
So. |
Gibson City, Ill. |
| UTL |
Josh Simpson |
Hanover |
Sr. |
Bardstown, Ky. |
| SP |
Zach Brzezinski |
MSOE |
Jr. |
Sun Prairie, Wis. |
| SP |
Blake Nettleton |
Augustana (Ill.) |
Sr. |
Sterling, Ill. |
| SP |
Cameron Rayborn |
Spalding |
Sr. |
New Albany, Ind. |
| RP |
Max Babich |
MSOE |
Sr. |
Downers Grove, Ill. |