MILWAUKEE, Wis. --- A trio of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) student-athletes were recognized for their combined efforts in the classroom and on the field as the College Sports Communicators (CSC - formerly CoSIDA) announced the members of its 2026 Academic All-America® Baseball Teams.
Concordia University Chicago senior catcher
Brandon Mahler was named to the first team, while brother
Jake - a senior third baseman - was named to the third team. Additionally, Aurora University junior designated hitter
Zack Tarrant was a second-team selection.
Brandon Mahler, who graduated cum laude with a degree in business and a 3.60 grade-point average, earned his first CSC Academic All-America® honor after a standout senior season where he earned all-America honors from D3baseball.com and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). He was also named NACC Position Player of the Year and ABCA/Rawlings Region VIII Position Player of the Year and earned his fourth All-NACC honor. A three-time NACC Position Player of the Week, Mahler led the Cougars in nearly every offensive category. He set single-season program records for RBIs (69), batting average (.472), slugging percentage (.883), and on-base percentage (.567), while also belting 16 home runs - good for a tie for second place all-time in program and conference single-season history. Mahler led all NACC players in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, and home runs while ranking second in batting average, hits, and doubles. Nationally, he ranked fifth in home runs while finishing his career ranked in the top 10 in NCAA Division III for home runs, RBIs, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and total bases.
Tarrant, who holds a 3.86 grade-point average while majoring in business administration, earned D3baseball.com all-region honors and was a first-team all-NACC selection. He hit .390 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 54 runs batted in, and 49 runs scored while also posting a .549 sluggng percentage and a .492 on-base percentage.
Jake Mahler, who graduated magna cum laude with a 3.79 grade-point average and a degree in business management, earned his first CSC Academic All-America® honor after a senior season where he earned his first ABCA/Rawlings All-America honor while being named ABCA/Rawlings All-Region and all-NACC for the second consecutive season. Mahler started all 43 games for the Cougars, batting .420 and slugging .505 with 76 hits, 10 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, and 59 RBIs. He matched brother Brandon for the league-lead in home runs and also ranked in the top five in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and RBIs. The 16 round-trippers rank second in the both the CUC and NACC single-season record books. Defensively, Mahler was responsible for 27 putouts and 88 assists as the Cougars' starting third baseman.
2026 Academic All-America® Baseball Team --- NCAA Division III
| Pos. |
First Team |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| C |
Andrew Fazio |
Denison University |
Jr. |
3.92 |
Biology |
| C |
Brandon Mahler |
Concordia University Chicago |
Sr. |
3.60 |
Business |
| DH |
Chad Ridings |
Hardin-Simmons University |
Jr. |
3.77 |
Business Administration |
| IF |
Cooper Berry |
Pomona-Pitzer |
Jr. |
3.68 |
Math |
| IF |
Kyle Douin (3) |
University of Southern Maine |
Gr. |
3.70/3.70 |
Leadership Studies |
| IF |
Alex Henderson |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps |
Jr. |
3.54 |
Economics |
| IF |
Alex Nemunaitis |
Wittenberg University |
Sr. |
3.96 |
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology |
| OF |
Bryce Didrickson |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps |
Sr. |
3.93 |
Engineering |
| OF |
Richie Heyder |
Farmingdale State College |
Sr. |
3.78 |
Business Management |
| OF |
Connor Massimini |
East Texas Baptist University |
Sr. |
3.56 |
Criminal Justice |
| P |
Bryan Carney |
The University of Olivet |
Sr. |
3.87 |
Insurance & Risk Management |
| P |
Brit Kostura |
Baldwin Wallace University |
Sr. |
3.98 |
Sustainability & Finance |
| Pos. |
Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| DH |
Tyler Stillson (2) |
Case Western Reserve University |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| DH |
Zack Tarrant |
Aurora University |
Jr. |
3.86 |
Business Administration |
| IF |
Cade Bernardo |
Endicott College |
Jr. |
3.78 |
Marketing |
| IF |
Max Fishbein |
Denison University |
Sr. |
3.63 |
Data Analytics |
| IF |
TJ Liponis |
Endicott College |
Sr. |
3.72 |
Sport Management |
| IF |
Riley Uhls |
Berry College |
Sr. |
3.70 |
Finance |
| OF |
Lukas Geer |
Johns Hopkins University |
Sr. |
3.55 |
Computer Science |
| OF |
Erik Sundgren (2) |
Denison University |
Sr. |
3.78 |
Applied Mathematics |
| OF |
Shane Williams |
Salve Regina University |
Sr. |
3.63 |
Criminal Justice |
| P |
Drew Bowles |
Transylvania University |
Jr. |
3.83 |
Business Administration |
| P |
Matt Pappalardo |
Endicott College |
Jr. |
3.82 |
Finance |
| Pos. |
Third Team |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| C |
Colin Leslie |
The College of Wooster |
Sr. |
3.96 |
Education & Urban Studies |
| IF |
Max Bond |
DePauw University |
Jr. |
3.76 |
Biochemistry |
| IF |
Ethan Fantel |
Ithaca College |
So. |
3.90 |
Sports Media |
| IF |
Connor Goodson |
Grinnell College |
Sr. |
3.89 |
Biological Chemistry |
| IF |
Jake Mahler |
Concordia University Chicago |
Sr. |
3.79 |
Business Management |
| OF |
Michael Gladden |
University of Chicago |
Sr. |
3.52 |
Cognitive Science & Business Economics |
| OF |
Kai Gonzaga |
Pomona-Pitzer |
So. |
3.77 |
Economics |
| OF |
Kyle Memarian |
Whitworth University |
Sr. |
3.67 |
Business Finance |
| P |
Caleb Akins |
Millikin University |
So. |
3.6 |
Biology |
| P |
Jack Walsh |
Coe College |
Jr. |
3.85 |
Kinesiology |
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| CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Bryan Carney, The University of Olivet |
| (2) – Second Team Academic All-America® in 2025 |
| (3) – Third Team Academic All-America® in 2025 |