For Immediate Release
Monday, May 4, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week
#5 Cowen Meyer (IF, 6-1, 190, Jr., R/R, Auburn, Calif. / Placer HS) - Minot State
- Was 8-for-13 with a double, home run and four RBI 
- Slashed .613/.706/.923 with three multi hit games
- Drew three walks, was hit by a pitch and stole a base 
- Helped Minot State to a 4-1 record on the week 
- Added eight assists and four putouts defensively without an error 

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#33 Joel Van De Stroet (RHP, 6-4, 185, So., R/R, Inwood, Iowa / Sioux Falls Christian) - Augustana
- Threw five hitless innings in an 8-0 win over UMC
- Struck out 10 while allowing just a pair of walks
- Faced four batters over the minimum
- Forced five groundouts without allowing a fly out
- Win helped secure the Vikings fifth NSIC regular season title

Other Top Performances - Player
Kobe Eikmeier (Augustana)
- Hit .474 (9-for-19) with eight RBI and three runs scored in five games 
- Recorded three doubles with a .524 on-base percentage and .634 slugging percentage 
- Tallied a hit in all five games, including three multi-hit performances 
- Collected three hits, including two doubles, in NSIC Championship-clinching win over Min-nesota Crookston 
Matt Filippi (Bemidji State)
- Hit .375 (6-for-16) with four runs scored and nine RBI 
- Posted a .563 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage (1.063 OPS) 
- Added one home run, three walks and was hit by a pitch 
Eric Berg (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Hit .500 (6-for-12) with a 1.083 slugging percentage and .538 on-base percentage (1.621 OPS) 
- Recorded a double and two home runs, accounting for half of his hits as extra-base hits 
- Scored five runs, drove in four and went 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts 
- Struck out just once in 13 plate appearances 
Bryce Leafgren (UMary)
- Hit .421 (8-for-19) with four doubles, three RBI and four runs scored 
- Posted a .455 on-base percentage and .632 slugging percentage (1.075 OPS) 
- Helped UMary to a 4-1 record while setting a single-season program wins record 
Gabe Richardson (Minnesota Duluth)
- Went 6-for-11 at the plate against Minnesota State 
- Recorded four hits across two wins over the Mavericks, including a three-hit performance 
- Drove in two runs during UMD’s wins 
- Added 10 putouts defensively at first base 
CJ Trask (Minnesota State)
- Hit .316 (6-for-19) with eight RBI and seven runs scored over five games 
- Launched three home runs during the week 
- Highlighted by a three-RBI performance in the series opener vs. St. Cloud State 
Dalton Kesti (Northern State)
- Hit 8-for-18 with 10 runs scored and seven RBI over the week 
- Blasted four home runs and added two stolen bases 
- Went 3-for-4 with four runs, four RBI and two home runs in win over Winona State 
- Hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning to secure the win 
Dominic Vogel (Sioux Falls)
- Hit .500 (9-for-18) across five games with seven runs scored 
- Added two doubles and posted a .611 slugging percentage and .609 on-base percentage 
- Drew five walks and went 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts 
- Recorded 17 defensive chances with a perfect fielding percentage 
Nate Cunningham (Wayne State)
- Hit .500 (7-for-14) to help Wayne State to a 5-0 week 
- Recorded two multi-hit games and scored five runs 
- Went 6-for-7 on stolen base attempts 
- Added three walks and a double 
Dylan Harer (Winona State)
- Hit .474 (9-for-19) with 10 runs scored and seven RBI 
- Posted a 1.259 OPS during the week 
- Hit a go-ahead three-run home run in a win over Northern State 
- Extended hitting streak to 17 games and recorded a hit in 20 of last 21 games 
- Played error-free defense in the outfield

Other Top Performances - Pitcher
Bret Inman (Bemidji State)
- Made two relief appearances, tossing 2.0 shutout innings 
- Did not allow a hit 
- Recorded one strikeout 
Ollie Yuhas (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Threw a complete game, allowing one earned run in 7.0 innings in a series-opening win 
- Allowed five hits while holding opponents to a .192 average 
- Struck out five and walked three 
- Improved to 5-4 on the season 
Caden Klebba (Minnesota Duluth)
- Earned the win with 6.2 innings pitched against Minnesota State 
- Recorded two strikeouts in the outing 
- Also contributed as a designated hitter during the series 
Mack Crowley (Minnesota State)
- Tossed a complete-game shutout in a win over St. Cloud State 
- Allowed just three hits over 7.0 innings 
- Struck out 10 and walked three 
- Held opponents scoreless throughout the outing 
Conner Meldrim (Minot State)
- Appeared in four of five games in relief, earning a win 
- Did not allow an earned run over 5.1 innings pitched 
- Struck out seven batters 
- Limited opponents effectively in multiple outings 
Hyunwoo Kim (Northern State)
- Pitched 4.0 innings across appearances against Wayne State and Winona State 
- Allowed just one run on one hit 
- Recorded three strikeouts 
- Added three groundouts and five force outs 
Owen Weadge (Sioux Falls)
- Went 1-0 in one start, pitching 5.0 innings 
- Allowed three hits and one run 
- Struck out seven batters 
- Held opponents to a .176 batting average without allowing an extra-base hit 
Ryan Chamberlain (UMary)
- Went 2-0 on the week as UMary set a school record for wins 
- Allowed just one run over 9.0 innings pitched 
- Struck out 10 batters 
- Earned a win with six strong innings vs. Bemidji State and added three scoreless relief innings vs. St. Cloud State 
Braden Cannon (Wayne State)
- Recorded four saves in four appearances 
- Posted a 0.00 ERA over 3.1 innings pitched 
- Allowed just two hits while striking out three 
- Leads the NSIC with 10 saves 
Nathan Vela (Winona State)
- Pitched 6.0 innings without allowing an earned run vs. Minnesota Duluth 
- Allowed just two hits 
- Struck out two batters 
- Held opponents to a .111 batting average
NSIC Baseball Players of the Week
2/10/26
Player: #1 Troy Berg - Augustana
Pitcher: #36 Ryan Chamberlain – University of Mary
2/17/26
Player: #2 Jake Berkland  – Minnesota State
Pitcher: #77 Brady Baur - Sioux Falls
2/25/26
Player: #23 Jackson Fliflet  - Minnesota Crookston
Pitcher:  #24 Cody Wichmann – SMSU
3/3/26
Player: #27 Liam Moreno – St. Cloud State
Pitcher:  #10 Colton Bagshaw - Minot State
3/9/26
Player: #3 Bjorn Lind - Augustana
Pitcher: #23 Nolan McCaffery - Jamestown
3/16/26
Player: #20 Nate Cunningham – Wayne State
Pitcher: #33 Justin Benjamin – Concordia-St. Paul
3/23/26
Player: #14 Carter Heinsch  – Augustana
Pitcher: #24 Lucas Burgum – University of Mary
3/30/26
Player: #33 Paul Schuyler – Wayne State
Pitcher: #26 Drew Ball – Augustana
4/7/26
Player: #17 Mitch Iliff – Sioux Falls
Pitcher: #36 Ryan Chamberlain – University of Mary (2)
4/14/26
Player: #17 Mitch Iliff – Sioux Falls (2)
Pitcher: #49 Mariano Gomez – Augustana
4/21/26
Player: #8 Isaac Pegors – University of Mary
Pitcher: #34 Payton Hochhalter - Jamestown
4/27/26
Player: #4 CJ Trask – Minnesota State
Pitcher: #31 Jameson Quinn - Southwest Minnesota State
5/4/26
Player: #5 Cowen Meyer - Minot State
Pitcher: #33 Joel Van De Stroet - Augustana

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past three decades, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 126 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.