MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its all-conference team and major awards for the 2026 baseball season.
NACC Position Player of the Year - Brandon Mahler, sr., C/DH, Concordia University Chicago
Mahler, a senior catcher/designated hitter, has been one of the top hitters in NCAA Division III this season. In CUC's 39 games, Mahler has hit .473 (71-of-150) while posting a .557 on-base percentage and a .900 slugging percentage. Of those 71 hits, 31 went for extra bases - 16 home runs, 14 doubles, and a triple. He also had 66 RBIs, scored 41 times, drew 21 walks and was hit by 10 pitches while striking out just eight times. With all of his power numbers, Mahler also found his way into three stolen bases.
Entering the NACC Tournament, Mahler ranks second in NCAA Division III in total bases (135), third in home runs, fourth in slugging percentage, fifth in hits, sixth in runs batted in, and seventh in batting average. He is the NACC leader in each of those metrics except hits and batting average, where he ranks second to Aurora's Joe Lukancic. Mahler has also been the toughest to strike out (18.8).
Over 39 games, Mahler was held without a hit only twice and had a season-high four hits - including a NACC season-high two home runs - in a 17-3 win over Lakeland. Including the Lakeland game, he finished with five two-homer games, and had 16 games with multiple RBIs. Mahler's season-high for RBIs came against Grove City (Pa.) when he drove in six as part of another two home run game.
Mahler is the 10th Concordia Chicago student-athlete to be named NACC Position Player of the Year, and the first since 2019.
NACC Pitcher of the Year - Zach Brzezinski, jr., SP, Milwaukee School of Engineering
Brzezinski, a junior, has made 11 appearances for the Raiders this season, starting nine headed into the NACC Tournament. He has racked up a 6-2 record with 70 strikeouts, a 3.33 earned-run average, and four complete games over 73 innings.
Brzezinski won six of his first nine starts, registering a season-high 10 strikeouts in a 7-inning win over Central (Iowa) on Feb. 28. He also struck out nine against Dominican (March 21) and eight each against Rockford (March 28), Illinois Tech (April 3), Aurora (April 11) and Concordia Chicago (April 28). Brzezinski conceded a season-low two hits against Rockford and Illinois Tech, both complete-game efforts.
He is currently tied with Benedictine's Braden Behrens for the league lead in complete games, ranks second in strikeouts, fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.00), and eighth in earned-run average.
This is the third time an MSOE pitcher has been named NACC Pitcher of the Year. Tyler Gronert captured the honor in both 2021 and 2024.
NACC Freshman of the Year - Braden Behrens, SP, Benedictine University
Behrens, a pitcher, has made 13 appearances on the mound for the Eagles, registering a 7-2 record with a 2.36 earned-run average and 55 strikeouts in 87.2 innings. He has made 11 starts and threw four complete games overall, including a 7-0 shutout win over Western New England on March 9.
In NACC play, Behrens was 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA, three complete games and 32 strikeouts over 54.1 innings. Behrens struck out a season-best 10 batters in an 8-3 Benedictine win over Edgewood on April 4, while also striking out seven in wins over Worcester State (March 15) and St. Norbert (March 21).
Behrens is currently tied for the league lead in complete games and ranks in the top-10 in ERA.
Behrens carried a sub-2.00 ERA into the NACC Tournament (1.90), posting the most innings (80.2) in NCAA Division III for a pitcher with such a stat line.
Behrens is the fifth Benedictine baseball student-athlete overall to be named NACC Freshman of the Year and the third in five years.
NACC Coaching Staff of the Year - Aurora University (Adam Stevens, head coach)
Under the direction of 12th-year head coach
Adam Stevens, posted a 28-12 record overall during the regular season and won its fourth NACC title in six years with a 20-4 mark.
It is the Spartan's fifth NACC title overall (2012, 2021-23, 2026).
Aurora has been one of the top top progams offensively this season, ranking second out of nearly 400 NCAA Division III programs nationally in doubles (108), third in hits (507) and batting average (.368), ninth in slugging percentage (.542), 16th in runs scored (404), 18th in scoring (10.1), and 24th in on-base percentage (.447).
The Spartans also sport the NACC's top fielding percentage (.965), and ranks second in the league in WHIP (1.57), strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.92), strikeouts per nine innings (7.8), home runs (39), and third in earned run average (5.17) and sacrifice flies (21).
Stevens also earned his 600th career victory with a 20-6 victory over Wheaton (Ill.) on April 28.
Stevens is assisted by
Carter Turnquist,
Steve Moga,
Zack Skog, and
Nick Baldassano.
This is the fifth time overall that the Aurora staff has been recognized by its peers and the fourth time in six years that Stevens or a Stevens-led staff has been recognized (2021-2023, 2026).
Shaun Neitzel shared the 2012 honor with Dominican's Steve Hardman.
All-Conference Team Announced
Regular-season champion Aurora received a total of seven all-conference honors from the league's coaches - including six on the 20-member first-team. MSOE and Rockford received six honors apiece, with the Raiders landing three each on the first and second teams, while the Regents had two first-teamers. Concordia Chicago had four all-league selections, including two first-team picks. Benedictine, Edgewood, and Illinois Tech all saw three players receive honors. The Scarlet Hawks landed all three of their selections on the first team, while both sets of Eagles had two first-teamers and a second-teamer. Concordia Wisconsin (two) and Dominican (one) both had players selected to the second team.
| 2026 All-NACC Baseball Team |
| NACC Position Player of the Year - Brandon Mahler, sr., C/DH, Concordia University Chicago |
| NACC Pitcher of the Year - Zach Brzezinski, jr., SP, Milwaukee School of Engineering |
| NACC Freshman of the Year - Braden Behrens, SP, Benedictine University |
| NACC Coaching Staff of the Year - Aurora University (Adam Stevens, head coach) |
|
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Conner Hogan |
Aurora |
Jr. |
SP |
Shorewood, Ill. |
| Braden Behrens |
Benedictine |
Fr. |
SP |
Lake in the Hills, Ill. |
| Aiden Shumaker |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
SP |
Chandler, Ariz. |
| Zach Brzezinski |
MSOE |
Jr. |
SP |
Sun Prairie, Wis. |
| Max Babich |
MSOE |
Sr. |
RP |
Downers Grove, Ill. |
| Aagam Shah |
MSOE |
Sr. |
RP |
Carol Stream, Ill. |
| Tyler Patton |
Aurora |
Sr. |
C |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Brandon Mahler |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
C |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| Kadin Bergstrom |
Rockford |
Sr. |
1B |
Machesney Park, Ill. |
| Aidan Kammer |
Edgewood |
So. |
2B |
Jefferson, Wis. |
| Joe Lukancic |
Aurora |
Jr. |
3B |
Joliet, Ill. |
| Jake Mahler |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
3B |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| Jack Friar |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
SS |
Arlington Heights, Ill. |
| Isaac Goddard |
Aurora |
Fr. |
OF |
Channahon, Ill. |
| Ryan Buck |
Aurora |
Sr. |
OF |
Yorkville, Ill. |
| Hank Friedrich |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
OF |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Tyler Gutsfeld |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
OF |
Simsbury, Conn. |
| Zack Tarrant |
Aurora |
Jr. |
DH |
Shorewood, Ill. |
| Philip Bentz |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
UT |
Rapid City, S.D. |
| Zach Fabis |
Rockford |
Sr. |
UT |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Conner Kendall |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
SP |
Yorkville, Ill. |
| Eric Williamson |
MSOE |
Jr. |
SP |
Franksville, Wis. |
| Logan Koeller |
Rockford |
So. |
SP |
Belvidere, Ill. |
| Alex Easton |
Rockford |
Sr. |
SP |
Rockford, Ill. |
| Kyle Connelly |
Concordia Chicago |
So. |
RP |
New Lenox, Ill. |
| Russell Roodenburg |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
RP |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Connor Lasch |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
C |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Camden Hoier |
MSOE |
Jr. |
1B |
West Bend, Wis. |
| Blaise Mace |
Rockford |
Sr. |
2B |
Rockford, Ill. |
| Matthew Washington |
Aurora |
So. |
SS |
Bolingbrook, Ill. |
| Charlie Tompach |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
OF |
Middleton, Wis. |
| Cam Buckley |
Concordia Chicago |
Jr. |
OF |
New Lenox, Ill. |
| Zach Helein |
Dominican |
Sr. |
OF |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Trent Lawrence |
Rockford |
Sr. |
OF |
Elmhurst, Ill. |
| Kyle Mayberry |
MSOE |
Sr. |
DH |
Lady Lake, Fla. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Kyle Mack |
Aurora |
Sr. |
1B |
Yorkville, Ill. |
| Edgar Barba |
Aurora |
Sr. |
SP |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Drew Piaskowy |
Aurora |
Jr. |
SP |
Maple Park, Ill. |
| Mike Budorick |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
1B |
Glenview, Ill. |
| Brendan Holloway |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
OF |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| Dom Owens |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
DH |
Frankfort, Ill. |
| Matthew Licardi |
Concordia Chicago |
Fr. |
SP |
Peoria, Ariz. |
| Ryan Renella |
Concordia Chicago |
So. |
SP |
Bartlett, Ill. |
| Graham Kasten |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
1B |
Mequon, Wis. |
| Colyn Lessila |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
SS |
Germantown, Wis. |
| Jackson Kobylarczyk |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
SP |
Jackson, Wis. |
| Dylan Hein |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
DH |
Dyer, Ind. |
| Tyler Bartczak |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
RP |
Crestwood, Ill. |
| Jack Anzelmo |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
UT |
Appleton, Wis. |
| Easton Oliver |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
SP |
West Bend, Wis. |
| Nick Barksdale |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
SP |
Walnut Creek, Calif. |
| Alex Garcia |
Dominican |
Jr. |
C |
Tremont, Ill. |
| Ben Truby |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
C |
Crown Point, Ind. |
| Jacob Carney |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
1B |
Madison, Wis. |
| Hayden Hellenbrand |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
3B |
Middleton, Wis. |
| Kyle Prindle |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
SS |
Rochester, Minn. |
| Mark Tor |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
SP |
Homer Glen, Ill. |
| Cashton Jones |
Edgewood |
So. |
SP |
Madison, Wis. |
| Logan Inman |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
1B |
Orlando, Fla. |
| Quinton Riepl |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
3B |
Winnetka, Calif. |
| Ryan Fostiak |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
OF |
Wauconda, Ill. |
| Sean Gregorius |
Lakeland |
So. |
UT |
Germantown, Wis. |
| Marc Jones |
Marian |
Jr. |
SS |
Whitewater, Wis. |
| Ayden Kanaman |
Marian |
So. |
OF |
New London, Wis. |
| Ben Sullivan |
MSOE |
Fr. |
C |
Hobart, Ind. |
| Christian Bosque |
MSOE |
Jr. |
2B |
Palmetto Bay, Fla. |
| AJ Le |
MSOE |
Sr. |
OF |
Orland Park, Ill. |
| Jake Franks |
MSOE |
Jr. |
OF |
Papillion, Neb. |
| Zach Duke |
Rockford |
Sr. |
SS |
Port Byron, Ill. |
| Marcus Taylor |
Rockford |
Jr. |
OF |
East Chicago, Ind. |
| Sidney Atkins |
Rockford |
Jr. |
RP |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Will DeBruin |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
2B |
Seymour, Wis. |
| Tyler Dean |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
C |
Hinsdale, Ill. |
| Cooper Dykes |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
RP |
Eau Claire, Wis. |
| Jace Midbon |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
SP |
Kaukauna, Wis. |
| Colt Ratliff |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Jr. |
1B |
Oxford, Ga. |
| Ian Rintelman |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Jr. |
OF |
Muskego, Wis. |