For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Year
#20 Nate Cunningham (SS, 6-2, 195, Sr., Elkhorn, Neb./ Elkhorn North HS) - Wayne State College
- Led NSIC in hits and ranked in top 10 in nine statistical categories
- Had 24 multi-hit games and 15 games with multiple RBI
- Named NSIC Player of the Week March 16th
- Tied for third in home runs (15) and fourth in average (.372) and slugging percentage (.707)
- First WSC player named NSIC Player of the Year since Joe Wendte in 2009

NSIC Pitcher of the Year
#49 Mariano Gomez (LHP, 6-5, 240, Sr., San Pedro Sula, Honduras / Instituto Episcopal El Buen Pastor) - Augustana University
- Won the NSIC’s triple crown, leading the league with a 2.40 ERA, a 7-0 record and 65 strikeouts in conference play
- Opponents hit just .174 against him in conference play
- Tied for the league lead with 21 strikeouts looking while walking just 19 in 48 1/3 conference innings
- Threw a no-hitter on April 9 against Winona State, striking out 10 and facing the minimum 
- Also earned a save in his season debut, his lone appearance out of the bullpen
- Overall, went 8-0 with a 3.02 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings
- Leads a staff that ranks first in the country with 10.6 K/9
- Ranks 18th nationally with 11.4 K/9 and sixth in hits allowed per nine innings at 5.8. 
- Named NSIC and National Pitcher of the Week following his no-hitter

NSIC Defensive Player of the Year
#19 Kobe Eikmeier (SS, 6-0, 175, So., Elkhorn, Neb. / Elkhorn South HS) - Augustana University
- Recorded 36 putouts and 89 assists in conference play
- Made just 4 errors on 129 chances
- Touted a .969 fielding percentage in NSIC action
- Helped turn 17 double plays against conference foes 
- Recorded a .968 fielding percentage overall and made six errors while turning 25 double plays 

NSIC Newcomer of the Year
#4 CJ Trask (IF, 5-10, 195, So., Oak Creek, Wis. / Oak Creek HS / Bradley University) - Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Finished second on the team in batting average (.365), runs batted in (58) and hits (61)
- Ranked second in the NSIC in RBIs and eighth in hits and batting average
- Led the team with 14 doubles
- Owns a .490 on-base% and ranked third on the team in runs scored with 50 in all games
- Had 16 multi-hit games and drove in multiple RBIs in 13 games
- Had the team’s longest hitting streak of the season at 14 games

NSIC Freshman of the Year
#29 Elias Leach (OF/P, ,6-5, Fr., Plymouth, Minn. / Wayzata HS) - University of Minnesota Crookston
- Led the Golden Eagles in the regular-season, hitting .333 
- Had 41 runs scored, 15 doubles, eight home runs, and 34 RBI as a freshman
- Posted a 1.016 OPS, a .561 slugging percentage, and a .455 on-base percentage with 38 walks
- Played as a corner outfielder and designated hitter

NSIC Assistant Coach of The Year
P.J. McIntee (11th Season) - Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Played a major role in the success of the Maverick baseball program, helping lead the team to a 37-12 overall record
- Instrumental in recruiting key members of the roster
- The Mavericks posted a .328 conference batting average in NSIC play, ranking second overall
- Guided MSU to an NSIC best .976 fielding percentage in NSIC play
- Impact on both talent acquisition and player development has been a significant part of the team’s success

NSIC Coach of The Year
Tanner Spencer (7th Season) - University of Mary 
- Led Marauders to a school-record 34 wins
- The 27 NSIC wins is program record
- Marauders finished a program-high third in the NSIC standings
- Led UMary on a program-best 11-game win streak
- Closed out season by winning seven straight weekend series and four straight midweek doubleheaders
- UMary student-athletes earned NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors three times and Player of the Week once
- Became UMary’s all-time winningest coach and now has 152 wins since taking over program in 2020
 

2026 All-Conference First Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
1	Troy Berg	3B	Sr.	AUGIE	Dickinson, N.D.
49	Mariano Gomez	LHP	Sr.	AUGIE	San Pedro Sula, Honduras
14	Carter Heinsch	OF	So.	AUGIE	Moorhead, Minn.
24	Lucas Burgum	RHP	Jr.	UMARY	Mandan, N.D.
8	Isaac Pegors	OF	Jr.	UMARY	Bismarck, N.D.
39	Cole Smith	Relief	So.	UMARY	Lynden, Ont.
23	Jackson Fliflet	C	So.	UMC	Wahpeton, N.D.
25	Gabe Richardson	DH	Sr.	UMD	Eau Claire, Wis.
2	Jake Berkland	SS	So.	MSU	Wayzata, Minn.
23	Sam George	LHP	Jr.	MSU	Bettendorf, Iowa
14	Louis Magers	P/UT	Sr.	MSU	Mankato, Minn.
4	CJ Trask	OF	So.	MSU	Oak Creek, Wis.
5	Cole Yearsley	OF	Sr.	MSU	Yorkville, Ill.
29	Daniel Zang	RHP	Jr.	MSU	Prior Lake, Minn.
17	Mitchell Iliff	1B	Jr.	USF	Hastings, Minn.
2	Jared Cortez	2B	So.	SMSU	Brooten, Minn.
42	Wilmis Castro	OF	Jr.	SCSU	Port St. Lucie, Fla.
20	Nate Cunningham	SS	Sr.	WSC	Elkhorn, Neb.
2026 All-Conference Second Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
40	Adam Diedrich	Relief	Sr.	AUGIE	Brillion, Wis.
19	Kobe Eikmeier	SS	So.	AUGIE	Elkhorn, Neb.
39	Ethan Hoffman	RHP	Jr.	AUGIE	Belle Plaine, Minn.
15	Nate Soelter	OF	So.	AUGIE	Fairmont, Minn.
34	Kaden Johnson	OF	Jr.	CSP	White Bear Lake, Minn.
2	Kalem Haney	2B	Sr.	UMARY	Lethbridge, Alb.
13	Bryce Leafgren	1B	Sr.	UMARY	Eaton, Colo.
29	Elias Leach	DH	Fr.	UMC	Plymouth, Minn.
27	Mack Crowley	RHP	Jr.	MSU	Green Bay, Wis.
9	Charlie Schau	3B	Jr.	MSU	Park Ridge, Ill.
40	Brandon Vlcko	C	Sr.	MSU	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
10	Colton Bagshaw	P/UT	Jr.	MINOT	Lake Havasu, Ariz.
11	Drew Miller	OF	Sr.	USF	Waverly, Neb.
7	Levi Lampert	OF	Sr.	SMSU	Upsala, Minn.
31	Jameson Quinn	RHP	So.	SMSU	Eden Prairie, Minn.
31	Bryce Brassfield	RHP	Sr.	SCSU	Gilbert, Ariz.
10	Braden Cannon	P/UT	Sr.	WSC	Omaha, Neb.
23	Dylan Harer	OF	So.	WSU	Kildeer, Ill.
2026 NSIC All-Defensive Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
47	Hyunwoo Kim	RHP	Jr.	NSU	Seoul, South Korea
40	Brandon Vlcko	C	Sr.	MSU	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
21	Charlie Harms	1B	Jr.	CSP	Eagan, Minn.
6	Jett Nelson	2B	Sr.	UJ	Odessa, Wash.
17	Aaron Wensloff	3B	Jr.	UMC	Roseau, Minn.
19	Kobe Eikmeier	SS	So.	AU	Elkhorn, Neb.
29	Jack Feldman	OF	So.	BSU	Dallas, Texas
8	Dominic Vogel	OF	Sr.	USF	Farmington, Minn.
4	Henry Hammrich	OF	Sr.	SMSU	Brookings, S.D.

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, 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 quarter century, maturing into a 16-team 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.