2022 NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll

1/20/2022 10:00:00 AM

Minnesota State Picked in NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The reigning NSIC Regular Season and Tournament Champions of Minnesota State University, Mankato were the top pick in the 2022 NSIC Preseason Baseball Coaches’ Poll. The Mavericks amassed 190 points after receiving nine first place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team). Augustana was second with 188 points and the other six first place votes. St. Cloud State was picked third with 162 points, Minot State was fourth with 159 points and Minnesota Crookston was fifth with 130 points.

The preseason coaches’ poll is based off each coach ranking each team from 14 to 1 with the top team receiving 14 points, second 13, third 12, etc.

The baseball non-conference season gets underway in early February with NSIC play beginning on March 19. The 2022 NSIC Baseball Tournament will take the top eight teams in the final NSIC Standings. The eight-team double elimination NSIC Tournament takes place May 11-14 co-hosted by Augustana and Sioux Falls. The tournament will be played at Karras Park (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Aspen Park (Brandon, S.D.).

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#3 Carter Howell (OF, 6-0, 200, Jr., R/R, Moorhead, Minn. / Moorhead HS) - Augustana University

Earned ABCA/Rawlings Second-Team All-America, ABCA/Rawlings First-Team All-Region, NCBWA Second-Team All-Region
D2CCA Second-Team All-Region, First-Team All-NSIC, NSIC All-Tournament Team and NSIC Player of the Week
Started all 49 games for the Vikings
His 58 runs scored, 28 stolen bases and 83 hits led the NSIC (all games)
Hit .423 with 12 doubles, four triples, 10 homers, 46 RBI, a .670 SLG%, 20 walks, 11 HBPs, a .498 OBP%

Carter is a very toolsy, athletic player who can really run. Last year was his first full year as a varsity player for us and he immediately showed everyone how talented he is. His stats tell the story, he can really play. I expect Carter to battle a couple of his teammates to be the top offensive player in our conference this spring.

Head Coach Tim Huber

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#15 Collin Denk (RHP, 6-3, 180, Jr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS) - Minnesota State University, Mankato

D2CCA All-American Third Team
Honorable mention for NCBWA All-American while being named to the 2021 NCBWA All-Central Region First Team
2021 NSIC Pitcher of the Year and All-NSIC First Team member
Owned a 10-0 record with a 2.22 earned run average in 11 starts
Had a 15.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which ranked second in NCAA DII
Struck out 77 batters and issued five walks to ride the nation's best walks per nine innings rating (0.65)

Collin emerged as a top of the rotation guy for us last season as he continued to develop physically and mentally. He features a three pitch mix where he can locate the baseball very well during multiple counts.

Head Coach Matt Magers

Season Previews & Players to Watch

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

The Augustana baseball team enters the 2022 season after finishing 2021 at the NCAA Central Regional tournament. Head coach Tim Huber enters his 14th season at the helm for the Vikings. Huber holds an all-time record of 453-222. Huber has also led Augustana to five national tournament appearances, with the Vikings winning the NCAA National Championship in 2018.

The Vikings finished the 2021 season with a record of 36-13 overall and 27-9 in NSIC action. AU returns three of four student-athletes that garnered American Baseball Coaches Association All-region honors last season in Will Olson, Carter Howell and Ryan Jares. Olson and Howell also earned ABCA All-American honors.

Augustana begins its season in Houston, Texas, at Minute Maid Park. The Vikings have three games on their schedule in Houston. The team travels to Florida for a nine-game trip. Augustana begins its season at home on March 15, hosting Dakota Wesleyan. The Vikings have 62 games on their schedule for the 2022 season.

We are experienced with a good amount of talent and offensive depth. The pitching staff has a combination of proven and unproven players but there is definitely some talent on the staff and we hope it all comes together.

Head Coach Tim Huber

#3 Carter Howell (OF, Jr., R/R, Moorhead, Minn. / Moorhead HS)

Earned ABCA/Rawlings Second-Team All-America, ABCA/Rawlings First-Team All-Region, NCBWA Second-Team All-Region
D2CCA Second-Team All-Region, First-Team All-NSIC, NSIC All-Tournament Team and NSIC Player of the Week
Started all 49 games for the Vikings
His 58 runs scored, 28 stolen bases and 83 hits led the NSIC (all games)
Hit .423 with 12 doubles, four triples, 10 homers, 46 RBI, a .670 SLG%, 20 walks, 11 HBPs, a .498 OBP%

Carter is a very toolsy, athletic player who can really run. Last year was his first full year as a varsity player for us and he immediately showed everyone how talented he is. His stats tell the story, he can really play. I expect Carter to battle a couple of his teammates to be the top offensive player in our conference this spring.

Head Coach Tim Huber

#37 Ryan Jares (RHP, Jr., Windsor, Colo. / Windsor HS)

NCBWA Second-Team All-Region; ABCA/Rawlings Second-Team All-Region; D2CCA Second-Team All-Region in 2021
First-Team All-NSIC
NSIC Pitcher of the Week on May 4, 2021
Appeared in 14 games and made 11 starts
Had a 2.25 ERA, 6-2 record, one save, one complete-game shutout and 96 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched

Ryan doesn't wow people with his velocity but he showed last year he can pitch and has good stuff. He throws a lot of strikes and gives us a good chance to win every time he is on the mound.

Head Coach Tim Huber

BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY

Bemidji State begins a new era in 2022 as interim head coach and former Beaver student-athlete Matt Ellinghuysen takes the reins of the program. He has spent eight seasons as an assistant coach, including six with BSU, and was a four-year starter for Beaver Baseball from 2010-13. Bemidji State finished the 2021 season 8-32 overall and 7-28 in the NSIC. BSU grabbed its first win of the season against William Jewell College in extra innings during a season-opening spring trip before an 11-10 win over the University of Minnesota Duluth during the season finale in Bemidji.

The Beavers bring back senior first baseman and designated hitter Sam Kalberer as the BSU Player to Watch. He ranked tied for 15th in the conference with 21 walks, 23rd with a .430 on-base percentage, tied for 26th with 42 hits and 28th hitting .331 from the plate. Kalberer recorded two three-hit games and nine multi-hit games in addition to four games with two RBI. BSU’s Pitcher to Watch, sophomore right hander Will Lavin, tied for the BSU lead with eight starts. He tallied one win in 35.1 innings pitched, including one complete game, and recorded an 8.15 ERA, an opposing batting average of .331, 35 strikeouts and 27 walks allowed.

We are very excited about the future of Beaver baseball which is a testament to our players and the groundwork they have laid this year. Offensively we return a majority of our offense from last year while adding some new pieces in the process. Pitching and defensively we hope to make the greatest strides comparative to the years past. We feel we are on the right track into building a great baseball program in Northern MN and cannot wait to see the successes in which our players have worked for throughout the year.

Head Coach Matt Ellinghuysen

#29 Sam Kalberer (1B/DH, Sr., L/R, Tucson, Ariz. / Sahuaro HS)

Started 38 of BSU’s 40 games in 2021
Second on BSU and 28th in the NSIC hitting .331
Recorded nine multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games
Led BSU in on-base percentage (.427), hits (43) and walks (22)

Sam is a leader in our program which puts the team goals ahead of his personal goals. He is a staple in the middle of our lineup and makes his teammates around him better. His work ethic and routine is one which is a great example of how to be successful not only on the field, but off of it as well. After his career at Bemidji State is over he will have left the program a better place than we he arrived which speaks volumes.

Head Coach Matt Ellinghuysen

#40 Will Lavin (RHP, So., Hastings, Minn. / Hastings HS)

Made eight starts and 10 appearances for Bemidji State in 2021
Recorded one complete game
Totaled a team-high 35 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched

Will is a prime example of if you buy into a process and work hard, it will eventually pay off. He gained great experience last year which he has taken to refine his craft of pitching. He will be a great arm in which we will depend upon for quality innings throughout the entire season. Lavin is always working on becoming a better player and is never satisfied with the past accomplishments. He is a great teammate, classmate, and a great model of what a student athlete should look like.

Head Coach Matt Ellinghuysen

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL

The Concordia-St. Paul baseball program heads into the 2022 season looking to make a big step forward with an experienced group of players. CSP returns all but two position players from last season’s squad along with all but one starting pitcher. In their second season under head coach Neil Lerner, Concordia got off to a strong start with six wins in their first eight games, but they saw their pace slowed from there as they finished 15-23 overall with an 11-21 mark in league play. The Golden Bears return a pair of All-NSIC Second Team selections in Nick Thimsen and Jarod Wandersee with both expected to fill key roles in the lineup. Thimsen finished sixth in slugging percentage (.689) and 11th in batting average (.368) in league play last season while his 10 doubles and 73 total bases both ranked eighth, and Wandersee ranked 13th in slugging percentage (.616), 15th in on-base percentage (.442) and 18th in batting average (.343) in conference action in 2021. Senior Luke DeGrammont was tabbed as a pitcher to watch after making a team-high nine starts last season. The left-hander allowed three earned runs or less in six of nine starts while striking out 29 in 41.1 innings of work. CSP opens the season on the road as they travel to Newman (Kan.) for a four-game series from Feb. 18-20 and they kick off conference play on Mar. 19-20 at home against Bemidji State.

After a full fall season and an intense off-season development program we are excited about the 2022 season. We return a solid core of position players, led by All-Conference players Jarod Wandersee and Nick Thimsen, along with the majority of our pitching staff. We feel we have added a very talented group of freshman and transfers, several of which should make an immediate impact on our team. Our guys have worked hard the last several months and are motivated to compete and win games in a very talented NSIC conference.

Head Coach Neil Lerner

#23 Nick Thimsen (RF, R-So., R/R, Minnetonka, Minn. / Minnetonka HS)

Named All-NSIC Second Team outfield in 2021
Finished sixth in slugging percentage (.689) and 11th in batting average (.368) in NSIC action
Ranked eighth in doubles (10) and total bases (73) while his eight home runs were tied for 19th in league play
Ranked 12th in hits (39) and runs scored (28) during conference play
Hit safely in 22 of his final 25 starts of the season, collecting 11 multi-hit games

Nick had a tremendous redshirt freshman year for us, leading our team in most offensive categories including batting average, extra base hits, home runs, slugging percentage and runs scored while earning second team All-NSIC. He is a great weapon for us at the top of the lineup with his power, ability to get on base, and speed. Nick is a true gamer on the field and a hard worker off the field as shown by him being a member of the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence last year.

Head Coach Neil Lerner

#6 Luke DeGrammont (LHP, R-Sr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS)

Three-time NSIC All-Academic selection
Led the team with nine starts in 2021, going 2-6 with a 5.66 ERA
Struck out 29 in his 41.1 innings of work on the year
Worked at least 6.0 innings in three starts, including a complete game victory over Sioux Falls
Allowed three earned runs or less in six of nine starts, including three with one or less

As he enters his fifth season on our roster, Luke has been a team leader on and off the field during his entire career. A three-year captain, Luke led our team with nine games started last year. He gives us a chance to win every time he's on the mound as shown by him giving up 3 or less runs in 6 of his 9 starts. A three time NSIC All-Academic team member off the field, Luke's 25 appearances over the last 3 years also lead our team.

Head Coach Neil Lerner

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

Fresh off their first Northern Sun tournament appearance, a veteran University of Mary baseball squad looks to continue making forward strides as the Marauders return seven lineup regulars and 14 of 15 pitchers.

The Marauders placed 6th in the NSIC standings in 2021 with a mark of 18-14. UMary had its first winning record of the NCAA era at 21-20 as the Marauders set program records for home runs (50), fielding percentage (.968), pitching strikeouts (343), and most NSIC and NCAA wins.

Cal James is the Marauders Northern Sun Player to Watch in 2022. The reigning NSIC Freshman of the Year and a 1st team all-conference selection at third base, the sophomore from Buffalo, MN, slashed .358/.443/.636 for an OPS of 1.079 in 2021. He scored 34 runs scored, hit 13 doubles, slugged nine home runs and drove in 34 runs. Defensively he started six double plays.

Austin Wagner is the Marauders NSIC Pitcher to Watch. The dominant lefty led the team in ERA (2.29), WHIP (0.81) and strikeouts (50) in 39.1 innings. The junior from Fond du Lac, WI, was 3-0 on the year and allowed just24 hits and walked eight.

All-NSIC 1st team 1B Derek Schoen returns. He hit .340/.414/667 for a .1.081 OPS with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 32 RBIs in his first season at UMary. In addition to playing first base he also struck out 33 hitters in 37 innings on the hill.

Centerfielder Ty Jones cracked 10 home runs and drove in 30 runs while posting a line of .285/.375/.610 for a .985 OPS. Fellow outfielder Dakota Finley hit .302 with a .393 OB%.

Jonathan Draheim led UMary in wins (6) and innings pitched (55.1) while posting a 4.23 ERA and four complete games. Entering his fourth year in the rotation, the senior walked six and struck out 44. Andrew Brooks (24 innings pitched, 11 hits, 38 Ks) and Paxton Miller (5 saves) anchor the bullpen.

The Marauders open their season with a four-game series at Lindenwood on February 18.

Our group has set and upheld high standards all fall, we look forward to this carrying over into the spring. We have a high ceiling talent wise and believe that we have the character and fortitude to translate that to on field success. We graduated very few off of a team that took a step in the right direction and expect the additions we have made to continue our upward trajectory.

Head Coach Tanner Spencer

#5 Cal James (3B, So., L/R, Buffalo, Minn. / Buffalo HS)

Named All-NSIC first team as a freshman
Led the team in games played, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, RBI, walks, on-base percentage and batting average
In 151 at-bats, managed 21 walks with only 13 strikeouts
Hit .358 with nine home runs and 34 RBI and a .636 slugging percentage

Cal has shown the work ethic and mentality required to be a key offensive player. He has an extremely dynamic offensive skillset. Has matured into a leadership role within the program.

Head Coach Tanner Spencer

#13 Austin Wagner (LHP, Jr., Fond Du Lac, Wis. / Fond Du Lac HS)

Led the team in ERA (2.29), WHIP (.81) and strikeouts with 50 strikeouts over 39.1 innings
Walked 8 batters and allowed 24 hits throughout his 8 starts

Austin sets the tone for our pitching staff. He has the presence, poise and demeanor that we look for to be at the top of the rotation.

Head Coach Tanner Spencer

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CROOKSTON

The Golden Eagles have continued to be a rising program in recent seasons in the NSIC. The Golden Eagles finished the regular season in fifth place in the NSIC standings and made a deep run in the NSIC Tournament. UMN Crookston finished one game shy of the NSIC Championship game and were just short of making the NCAA Central Region Tournament. The Golden Eagles posted a 26-12 (18-10 NSIC) mark in 2021. UMN Crookston will have to replace several key pieces but also return experience to the 2022 squad. At the plate, Jake Hjelle leads the way after hitting .336 with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs in 2021. Ben Bryant also returns after starting 31 games last season. He scored 27 runs as a redshirt junior. The Golden Eagles also welcome back outfielder Brad Morris, who missed last season due to injury. Morris hit .382 in 13 starts in the shortened 2020 season. In addition, senior Ben Thoma returns after playing in just the postseason in 2021. Thoma will be back behind the dish for the Golden Eagles.

On the mound, Jake Dykhoff leads the way for an experienced staff. Dykhoff went 5-1 with a 3.44 ERA in 2021. Reliever Brody Sorenson is back after a stand-out freshman campaign. He posted a 3.58 ERA with six saves in 2021. Also returning are experienced arms Conner Richardson, Jake Osowski, Matt Nelson, and Alex Koep. All four players had over seven appearances in 2021.

Minnesota Crookston will be in their eighth season under Head Coach Steve Gust in 2022. Gust has amassed 149 wins in seven seasons with four NSIC Tournament appearances during that span.

We lost a lot of offensive power from last year but we really like our team. We return most of our pitching staff and have an athletic offensive line-up. We feel we can continue to elevate our program and contend with the best teams in the region.

Head Coach Steve Gust

#8 Jake Hjelle (OF/1B, So., R/R, East Grand Forks, Minn. / East Grand Forks HS)

Hit .336 during the 2021 season, had a .673 slugging percentage, and a .429 on-base percentage
Hit 10 home runs with 34 RBIs during the 2021 campaign
Posted a 1.102 OPS as a redshirt freshman in 2021
Started 30 games during the 2021 season

Jake is one of the most athletic players that I have ever coached. He is a five-tool player that has consistently improved each year. He is very explosive and powerful. We feel Jake can be one of the best all-around players in the region.

Head Coach Steve Gust

#33 Jake Dykhoff (RHP, Jr., Wadena, Minn. / Wadena HS)

Was an All-NSIC Second Team selection during the 2021 season
Led the Golden Eagle pitching staff deep into the NSIC Tournament, going 5-1 with a 3.44 ERA
Had 79 strikeouts and just 16 walks for the Golden Eagles in 2021
Posted a 1.33 WHIP in 2021

Jake pitched really well last year before an injury slowed him down. He has a good fastball, a plus breaking ball, and his change up has improved. He is a fierce competitor a proven winner. Jake can be as good as anybody in the league.

Head Coach Steve Gust

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH

This year’s UMD squad will feature a combination of both newcomers with freshman and transfers, but also some returners with experience at UMD that will look to lead the newcomers. The Bulldogs will look for some big contributions from the newcomers as they will look to improve on their 10th place finish in the NSIC during the shortened 2021 season. The Bulldogs will also look to continue their success on the offensive side as they had the 4th best hitting percentage in the NSIC the previous season. Brandt Kolpack will look to follow up a strong season where he batted .333 last season.

UMD will also lean on Tosten Mann this year both on and off the field. Tosten will look to be a strong presence or the Bulldogs in the middle of the lineup while also bringing some veteran leadership to the team. The Bulldogs will also lean on Russ Tanner on the mound as Russ has a upside that the Bulldogs are excited for him to reach this season. Both of these players will play big roles for the Bulldogs this season as they look to improve on last season.

Each season brings challenges seen and unseen. This year's version of UMD Baseball looks to take a step forward in our performance on the field. New players, both freshmen and transfers, will make an impact in our consistency throughout the year.

Head Coach Bob Rients

#10 Tosten Mann (1B, Sr., L/R, Fergus Falls, Minn. / Kennedy Secondary HS)

Coming off a season where he hit .292 on the season, which included 13 RBI and 16 runs
A career .321 hitter with a career .419 slugging percentage and .420 on base percentage
Compiled a .969 fielding percentage last season, which included 14 assists

Tosten is our most experienced hitter. We look for him to anchor the middle of our line-up as the season progresses. He is a valuable leader who is capable of mentoring this team's growth throughout the year.

Head Coach Bob Rients

#24 Russ Tanner (LHP, Jr., Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake HS)

Pitched in 8 games last season compiling a 2-2 record along with a 5.74 ERA
Struck out 51 hitters and walked 18 batters
Gave up 41 hits over 42.1 innings pitched

Russ is a high upside LHP. He is a disciplined student-athlete who we anticipate taking another step forward with his performance on the mound and becoming a leader for our pitching staff on and off the field.

Head Coach Bob Rients

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO

The 2022 Minnesota State baseball roster features 26 previous letterwinners. The Mavericks return 11 pitchers from last year's staff that compiled a 39-10 record, 3.11 ERA, a .235 batting average against, 464 strikeouts, and 93 walks in 396.2 innings pitched. The Mavericks are also returning 15 position players (11 infielders, one outfielder and three catchers).

As a team, the Mavericks batted .300 with a .400 on-base percentage, .488 slugging percentage, 465 hits, 92 doubles, eight triples, 61 home runs and 205 walks in 2021. In the field, the Mavericks compiled a .967 fielding percentage, which was fourth among conference opponents.

In his 13 years at the helm of the program, Magers has led the Mavericks to a 505-161 mark for a .758 winning percentage. Under the tutelage of Magers, Minnesota State has won six Northern Sun Intercollegiate Championships, qualified for the NCAA tournament 11 times and won four NCAA regional tournaments to advance to the national tournament where the Mavericks have placed second (2013), third twice (2014 and 2012) and seventh (2010). Last season, Magers guided the Mavericks to a 39-10 (.796) record and a first-place finish during the regular season and NSIC Postseason Tournament.

The coaching staff is excited about our teams balance of upperclassmen and newcomers. It’s a hard working, motivated group that will be ready for the challenges of our non conference and NSIC schedules. We look to our depth at various positions to be a strength once conference competition begins.

Head Coach Matt Magers

#5 Nick Altermatt (RHP/OF, Jr., R/R, Wanda, Minn. / Wabasso HS)

Named D2CCA Third Team All-American as a utility player (position player and pitcher) in 2021
Saw action in 48 of MSU's 49 games last season
Led Maverick pitching staff with a 1.90 earned run average (ranked 12th in NCAA DII)
Opponents batted .188 in the nine starts he had on the mound, which saw him throw 52 innings for a 5-2 record in 2021
Hit .278 with a .444 slugging percentage. In 124 at-bats, the right-handed hitter mustered one triple, eight doubles and four home runs

Nick is an athletic, rare two-way player. We see him batting in the middle of our lineup and pitching near the top of our rotation. At the plate he hits for power and has the ability to run the bases exceptionally well. On the mound he is a strike thrower with the ability to throw all of his pitches for strikes.

Head Coach Matt Magers

#15 Collin Denk (RHP, Jr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS)

D2CCA All-American Third Team
Honorable mention for NCBWA All-American while being named to the 2021 NCBWA All-Central Region First Team
2021 NSIC Pitcher of the Year and All-NSIC First Team member
Owned a 10-0 record with a 2.22 earned run average in 11 starts
Had a 15.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which ranked second in NCAA DII
Struck out 77 batters and issued five walks to ride the nation's best walks per nine innings rating (0.65)

Collin emerged as a top of the rotation guy for us last season as he continued to develop physically and mentally. He features a three pitch mix where he can locate the baseball very well during multiple counts.

Head Coach Matt Magers

MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

The Beavers finished the 2021 season 4th in the NSIC and earned a home playoff berth only to fall twice to visiting Minnesota Crookston in the opening round of the postseason tournament, bringing an end to a season that saw Minot State compile a 24-17 overall record. The Beavers are 131-79 under sixth-year head coach Scott Eul, who has led Minot State to five straight winnings season and the 2018 NSIC regular season championship. Minot State welcomes back a half dozen position starters, including their top hitter in Jordan Williams, a 6-foot-1 senior outfielder from Brewton, Ala., who led the team in batting average (.305), home runs (8), RBIs (35), and stolen bases (16), along with third-best hitter Kaiden Cardoso, a 6-2 junior corner infielder from Abbotsford, British Columbia (.293, 39 runs, 8 HRs, 29 RBIs, 9 SB). Also back are four of the Beavers top starters, led by Dominick Parkhurst, a 6-1 redshirt-junior righthanded pitcher from Tucson, Ariz., who was 3-0 in seven starters with 39 strikeouts, and top reliefer Jordan Chappell, a 6-3 senior lefthanded pitcher from Colorado Springs, Colo., who was 4-0 with a team-best 0.69 ERA and 47 Ks in 26 innings and 14 appearances.

We are an experienced group of guys in which a lot could have graduated an moved on, but decided to make one more big run at it this spring. We are deep on the mound with a lot of arms who can fill a lot of different roles for us and keep us in every ball game. Offensively we are a talented and deep group with a lot to prove from a bit of a down year last year. We need to play better defense if we truly want to take the next step this year. I am as excited for this team as I have been this spring!

Head Coach Scott Eul

#3 Declan Buckle (SS, Sr., R/R, Cornerbrook, Newfoundland / Indian hills CC)

Is a .339 career hitter in 37 games over two seasons with the Beavers
Has driven in 24 runs and stolen 11 bases in two seasons
Prior to playing at Minot State, he hit .300 with 34 RBI and 14 stolen bases in two seasons at Indian Hills Community College

Declan has game changing abilities when healthy. He can make plays at SS that most can't. If we can build a consistent day in and day out game at SS he will win us games there. At the plate, he was one of our best guys last year. Has some occasional pop, but has good bat to ball skills that can really spark our lineup. We are excited for a healthy spring from Declan!

Head Coach Scott Eul

#36 Jordan Chappell (LHP, Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo. / Northeastern JC)

Named to the 2021 All-NSIC 2nd Team and 2021 ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region 2nd Team
Compiled a 4-0 record in 14 games, all in relief, pitching 26 innings and allowing just 2 earned runs for a 0.69 ERA
Averaged 1.80 strikeouts per inning in 2021, striking out 47 opposing hitters in 26 innings
Allowing opposing hitters a .156 batting average in 2021
Has a 2.63 career ERA at Minot State pitching 36 2/3 innings in 21 games over two seasons
Compiled a 2-4 record with 90 strikeouts in 23 games, all in relief, during two seasons at Northeastern Junior College

Jordan was a DUDE last year out the pen for us. We are moving him into the rotation this spring. He has true #1 stuff for us and we think he can lead a really good rotation for us.

Head Coach Scott Eul

NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY

The Northern State baseball team looks to lean on experience this season following a year where the Wolves went 15-22 (14-19 NSIC) and just missed the conference tournament with a ninth place finish. They return seven of nine starters and three key pitchers from their starting rotation. The two top returners and NSIC Players to Watch for NSU are Spencer Sarringar and Seth Brewer. In 2021 Sarringar earned a spot on the NSIC All-Defensive team and Brewer earned first team all-conference honors. Other players to watch for Northern State are Ramon Vega Jr., Karson Hesser, and Reece Ragatz. The trio had a combined hitting percentage of .301 in 2021, including 86 hits, 23 doubles, three triples, and ten home runs. Northern’s top three returning pitchers are Brian Baker, Max Otto, and Seth Brewer. The three pitchers combined for a record of 9-8 in 35 appearances and 23 games started last year. Last season the NSU pitching staff recorded four shutouts, which ranked third in the NSIC and 16th nationally. The Wolves pitchers also ranked fourth in the NSIC and 42nd nationally with 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings. Dean Berry enters his 12th season as the head coach at Northern State in 2022, holding a record of 208-254 (144-175 NSIC) during his time with the Wolves. Northern will open the 2022 season at the Edmond First Pitch Classic on February 4th in Edmond, Oklahoma, as they will face off against Emporia State, Central Oklahoma, and Pittsburg State.

The biggest piece for us is we return 7 of our 9 starters from a year ago while returning all but two pitchers on the mound. We have a veteran group that has played a lot of games in the NSIC, and we feel the experience we have will bode well for us as we enter the 2022 season.

Head Coach Dean Berry

#19 Spencer Sarringar (C, Sr., Pierre S.D. / T.F. Riggs HS)

Was named to the 2021 NSIC All-Defensive Team
Last season he recorded 31 hits, five doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 24 RBI’s
Led the conference in pickoffs in conference play last season, catching 19 base runners trying to steal (seven more than any other catcher)
Had a .973 fielding percentage in conference play last year and was fifth in the conference with 230 putouts

Spencer has been a four year starter for us. He has been a staple in the middle of our lineup and an unquestioned leader of our team. He was a 2021 NSIC Gold Glove recipient at catcher and is one of the best around at that position. Spencer is coming off a great year in the Northwoods League and was invited to the Major League Dreams Showcase. We are looking forward to another great season from Spencer.

Head Coach Dean Berry

#16 Seth Brewer (RHP, Sr., Rapid City, S.D. / Rapid City Stevens HS)

Was named to the 2021 All-Conference First Team
Led the NSIC in strike outs in league games with 71 last season
Ended the 2021 season ranked 67th nationally and ninth in the NSIC with a 2.97 ERA
His 82 strikeouts and 2.97 ERA ranks third and tenth best in a single season in school history
Pitched a seven inning no hitter with nine strikeouts against Minot State last season

Seth is coming off a season where he was named First Team All-NSIC and we expect more of the same from him in 2022. Seth was an All-Star in the Northwoods this summer and gives us a chance to win every time he goes out there. Seth is another player that leads by example and plays the game the right way. We are excited for Seth in this upcoming season and expect big things from him.

Head Coach Dean Berry

UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS

USF, which advanced to the NSIC Postseason Tourney for the second time in school history a year ago, will look to improve on its 10th place projection in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Cougars are coming off their best season at the DII level with a 21-21 overall record and a 16-19 conference record, which placed eighth. USF, which tied the 2016 squad for most wins at the DII level, will be led by senior players to watch Grant Lung, a shortstop from Peoria, Ariz., and Matt Graham, a right-handed pitcher from Sioux Falls, SD. In total, the Cougars return nine seniors along with seven starters. Lung (.290, .421 slugging, .383 OBP, 11 SB, 4 HRs, 38 RBI, 95 assists) will anchor the infield with the Tyler Cate (41 starts, .354 avg., 35 runs, 25 RBI, .438 slugging, .443 OBP, 15 SB, .949 fielding and .429 avg with runners in scoring position). In the outfield, USF returns Conner King, who was the only NSIC player named to the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team. Aside from being the league’s top defender in center field, King, who was named to the NSIC All Defensive Team, is the school’s first-ever to earn the honor as he had 93 putouts, six assists and no errors (.293 avg, 41 runs, 43 hits,.395 slugging, .450 OBP, 14 steals, 1.000 fielding). Also back will be outfielder Trey Huber (.308 avg., 19 RBI, .410 slugging, .419 OBP), among several others along with a group of talented newcomers. On the mound, USF returns several key members of the pitching staff – Graham, Alex Krout (5-2, 4.35 era, 39.1 inn., 14 app, 3 starts, 5 saves); Andrew Maslowski (5-4, 4.70 era, 51.2 inn., 9 starts, 2 CG); and Cole Schumacher (1-3, 3.62 era, four starts, 2 CG, .210 avg) along with several other veteran returnees and newcomers. USF opens the season with four games against Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo., and later host Minnesota Crookston on March 19-20 in a three-game slate to open the NSIC season.

I’m looking forward to this upcoming season as we return a majority of our key players from last year’s team. My goal is to build on last year’s success as we earned a bid in the conference tournament for the first time in my five years as the Head Coach. We’ll look to be a scrappy team that will put pressure on defenses and rely on pitching and defense to win ballgames.

Head Coach Grant Hieb

#14 Grant Lung (SS, R-Sr., L/L, Peoria, Ariz. / Liberty HS)

Hit .290 in 42 starts with four HRs, 38 RBI, .421 slugging and 3.83 OBP with 11 stolen bases in 2021
Accumulated a .267 career batting average with 137 hits, 91 RBI and 38 extra base hits, including 26 doubles and eight home runs
In 148 career starts, has 37 multi-hit games and 22 multi-RBI games

Grant is a fifth-year senior who is a three-time Captain. He can hit to all fields and has shown gap-to-gap power over the course of his career. He’s been an anchor at shortstop since he arrived on campus and is poised to have a solid final season.

Head Coach Grant Hieb

#13 Matthew Graham (RHP, R-Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS)

Owns a 7-10 career record with a 3-3 mark and 4.88 earned run average in 2021
In 2021, recorded nine starts, three complete games, a shutout and opponents hit just .201
Career totals of 86 strikeouts in 140 innings with 42 appearances and 27 starts

Matthew is in his sixth year as a graduate student and a two-time Captain. He can command all five of his pitches to both sides of the plate. His hard work and dedication to his craft has earned him the status as our ace and we’re looking forward to a big spring out of him.

Head Coach Grant Hieb

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

The 2022 Mustang baseball team will look to change its fortunes from a season ago when the team finished 12-22 overall, but played numerous close games all season long. The 2021 Mustang squad lost 11 games by either one-run or in extra-innings, while losing three more games by two runs. The team showed it could compete with the top teams, including earning two victories or two nationally-ranked teams.

This season’s SMSU team, under the direction of 26-year head coach Paul Blanchard, will feature numerous, but talented, underclassmen as they continue their quest up the NSIC standings.

Offensively, SMSU must replace its top three hitters from last season, but do return sophomore shortstop Chase McDaniel, who finished fourth on the team last season with a .282 average. McDaniel led the team with seven stolen bases and also added three doubles and two home runs. Also back is junior third baseman/outfielder Kip Gronholz, who started 33 games last season and batted .255 with five doubles and 17 RBIs.

The SMSU pitching staff returns several pitchers who gained valuable experience a season ago. Sophomore left-hander Kobe Lovell appeared in a team-high 15 games and struck out 16 batters in 19 2/3 innings with a 4.12 ERA. Sophomore right-hander Kolby Kiser made five appearances with four starts and compiled a 4.58 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. Another sophomore righty, Hayden Molva, made eight appearances with five starts and finished with a 4.82 ERA in 28 innings with 28 strikeouts. Sophomore Ansen Dulas pitched in six games with four starts and earned one victory, while striking out 18 in 19 2/3 innings.

We’re young, but I’m excited about our pitching depth. We have some balance offensively.

Head Coach Paul Blanchard

#12 Chase McDaniel (SS, So., L/R, Pahrump, Nev. / Pahrump Valley HS)

Played in 33 games with 32 starts at shortstop as a true freshman in 2020
Batted .282 with three doubles and two home runs
Recorded six multi-hit games, including a pair of three-hit games
Finished with a .948 fielding percentage with just five errors

Chase is baseball crazy. He wants to teach and coach after college. Works hard at the position and is always willing to learn. He’s instinctive and a great teammate.

Head Coach Paul Blanchard

#6 Ryan Chmielewski (LHP, Fr., Foley, Minn. / Foley HS)

True freshman was named all-state as a senior in 2021
Finished senior season with a 0.48 ERA in 47 innings with 69 strikeouts and five walks
Tossed a perfect game during senior season

Ryan possesses a great work ethic and was voted Most Valuable Pitcher this fall. He’s also our quickest and best fielding pitcher. He comes from a great high school program and has continued that success so far at SMSU.

Head Coach Paul Blanchard

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

St. Cloud State gears up for an exciting 2022 campaign, entering the season with high expectations thanks to a deep, veteran-laden pitching staff and an incredibly well-balanced lineup. Last season the Huskies slashed .316/.412/.496 for a .908 team OPS, their highest mark since their historic 2016 campaign. SCSU returns seven starting position players and well over 200.0 innings (70.1%) on the mound from 2021.

Lefthander Trevor Koenig returns to anchor the weekend rotation alongside fellow starters Tommy Thompson, Jack Habeck, Fabian Villegas and Luke Tupy. Both Shannon and Riley Ahern return in 2022 to provide stability to the staff, while key transfers Ryan Duffy (Minnesota) and Sam Riola (Louisiana-Lafayette) give the Huskies two more battle-tested arms. The young bullpen will be led by veteran presences Nick Brauns and Eli Emerson. SCSU’s lineup features a great deal of speed and advanced approaches, starting with an offensive-minded outfield of First Team All-NISC selection John Nett, Paul Steffensen and Tyler Schiller. Second Team All-NSIC shortstop Max Gamm anchors the infield alongside standout returners at third and second in Tate Wallat and Parker Savard. A deep class of catchers and plenty of options at first rounds out the position player side.

The Huskies open their season with four key regional games at the HSU Invitational in Arkadelphia, Arkansas beginning on February 10 then open conference play at Augustana on March 19.

This is one of the deepest pitching staffs we've had in a long time and after last year with five solid pitchers going down it's a welcome addition. We also will have some of the best team speed we've had in a while. And although our power potential will be a question mark we have some offensive players that grind out at bats. We are looking forward to an exciting spring.

Head Coach Pat Dolan

#7 John Nett (CF, So., R/R, Appleton, Wis. / Kimberly HS)

First Team All-NSIC selection in 2021
Starting all 36 games in the leadoff spot as the everyday centerfielder and slashing .378/.515/.575 for a 1.090 OPS
Led the NSIC with a .541 on-base percentage in the regular season
Scored a team-high 45 runs, drove in 27 and added nine doubles, two triples and four home runs
Stole 15 bags on 19 tries
Drew walks at an incredible 20.8% clip while striking out in just 12.5% of his plate appearances

John has been elected a team captain as a sophomore. He's one of the hardest working players and team orientated players we've had. He's a solid student athlete with a 3.6+ gpa. He'll be playing for the St. Cloud Rox this summer in the NWL.

Head Coach Pat Dolan

#11 Trevor Koenig (LHP, Sr., St. Cloud, Minn. / St. Cloud Tech HS)

Made 10 appearances with eight starts, going 4-4 with a 3.00 ERA and a staff-best 2.57 FIP in 2021
Struck out 57 (24.7%) across 57.0 innings and walked just 13 (5.6%)
Held batters to a .217/.269/.307 slash line and a .575 OPS against
Went at least 6.0 innings in seven of his eight starts, going 5.0 in the lone outlier and pitched into the seventh inning four times
Spent the summer with the St. Cloud Rox of the Northwoods League
Led the Rox staff with 46.1 innings of work while guiding the team to a Great Plains Championship

Trevor has always competed for us on the mound and we are expecting big things from him this year. He was tough luck loser in many winnable games last year. He's another great student athlete. He played for the St. Cloud Rox in the NWL and was a league All-Star.

Head Coach Pat Dolan

UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY

Upper Iowa baseball is chomping at the bit to get back on the field and improve on their 2021 finish in the Northern Sun Conference. Head Coach Jeremy Ische returns for his fourth season in Peacock blue and white. He is assisted by second-year coach Jake Ratz and graduate assistant Mitch Lawson. Last season, the Peacocks posted a 13-26 record on the year (11-21 NSIC), finishing 13th in the conference. The team posted a 6-8 record in one-run games and an 0-2 mark in two-run affairs. Duncan Snider and Noah Gyldenvand were named to the NSIC All-Defensive Team becoming just the seventh and eighth Peacocks in the program's Northern Sun Conference history to receive the honor and marking the first time an Upper Iowa player has earned the achievement since 2018. Jake Hilmer led the offense with hitting averages of .379/.419/.500 (batting/slugging/on-base). Alex Greene, Hogan Penny, and Samuel Grushkin helped fill out the heart of the order as the trio combined to bat over .270 to go along with at least 34 hits, 21 RBI, and 12 runs scored. Upper Iowa's 2022 spring season kicks off in late February with a four-game series at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. on Feb. 26-27. The Peacocks will face Rockhurst, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, William Jewell College, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Purdue University-Northwest in non-conference games this season before opening their Northern Sun schedule in Fayette. UIU will host the University of Minnesota Duluth on Mar. 19-20 at Robertson Woods Field.

We are older and return quite a few impact guys along with some newcomers who should contribute right out the gate. We look forward to putting it all together and flipping the script in one run ballgames with our pitching staff and continuing to play a high level of defense. Our team is tight knit with solid leaders in place who are ready to get back on the field and play!

Head Coach Jeremy Ische

#15 Jake Hilmer (OF/2B, So., R/R, Walker, Iowa / North Linn HS)

Started all 39 games
Led the team in batting average (.379), runs (33), hits (53), home runs (2), total bases (70), on-base pus slugging percentage (.919), slugging percentage (.500), and stolen bases (8-9)
Ranked in the NSIC top-ten in batting average and hits

Jake is a great player who is very versatile and has the ability to multiple positions and hit high in the order. He has above average bat-to-ball skills and can impact the game on the bases. He's a fun young man to coach and pays attention to the details and has the ability to make those around him better. He also is the starting Point Guard on the Upper Iowa Basketball Team and has done a great job at UIU balancing both sports and his academics!

Head Coach Jeremy Ische

#18 Jarrett Ramer (RHP, So., Kenosha, Wis. / Kenosha Bradford HS)

Made 11 appearances, with 10 starts including a complete game
Posted a 5.05 ERA and a 2-6 record
Struck out 41 in 46.1 innings of work
Opponents hit .242 against the right-hander

Jarrett is a strike thrower who gives our team a solid chance of winning every time he goes out there. He's competitive and does a good job controlling the run game. He has worked very hard on developing a secondary pitch which we feel gives him a great shot at continuing to get hitters out.

Head Coach Jeremy Ische

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE

Wayne State looks to improve on last year’s 12-22 record where the Wildcats placed 11th in the NSIC with an 11-19 mark. The ‘Cats struggled in close games (3-6 in one-run contests) and was just 6-14 in home games last season. Eighth year head coach Alex Koch returns four position starters along with two starting pitchers and a strong group of relievers. Senior outfielder Alex Logelin, an All-NSIC Second Team selection last season, headlines a quartet of returning starters after leading the team last season with a .381 average. Another senior outfielder, Andrew Hanson, is a two-time All-NSIC selection and had eight home runs and a team high 18 stolen bases last season. Other returning starters include senior infielder Noah Roberts and senior catcher Conner Fiene. The pitching staff will be led by sophomore Brody Sintek and junior Ryan Obrecht, the two returning starters from last season. After a slow start, Sintek had a strong finish to the season and ranked second on the team in innings pitched and strikeouts. Obrecht has a 12-4 career record with the Wildcats and is expected to be a starter on the weekend for the ‘Cats. Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2022 season at Pittsburg State in Kansas on Friday, February 18th.

Our group of guys this year have worked extremely hard. They continually strive to improve and play for each other everyday. We have a good mix of older experienced players and young talent that push each other everyday.

Head Coach Alex Koch

#20 Alex Logelin (OF, Sr., R/R, Cologne, Minn. / Waconia HS)

Earned All-NSIC Second Team honors last season after leading WSC with a .381 batting average
Tied for second in the NSIC in doubles, sixth in batting average and eighth in on base percentage (.465)
Had team-high 13 doubles and was second in hits with 37 despite missing seven games
Was 11-14 in stolen bases and had four home runs with 21 RBI
Held the longest hitting streak on the team (eight games) and tied for second with 10 multi-hit games

Alex has been an impact player for us since his freshmen year. He is a hard nosed grinder that works his tail off everyday. He will be a dynamic man in the lineup that can get it done in all aspects.

Head Coach Alex Koch

#27 Brody Sintek (RHP, So., Fremont, Neb. / Fremont HS)

Had 2-3 record with 6.62 ERA in nine appearances and six starts with one complete game and shutout
Ranked second on the team in innings pitched (35.1) and had 30 strikeouts while allowing 48 hits and 36 runs
Fired a complete-game five hit shutout with four strikeouts in a 1-0 win at Bemidji State (4/6/21)
Had season-high six strikeouts in five inning start vs. St. Cloud State (3/25/21)
Allowed just five hits and one run in seven innings of work, striking out four batters in 9-1 win over University of Mary (4/14/21)

Brody is entering his second year of eligibility and is looking to build off of what he did last year. He is a kid with great pitchability that keeps kids off balance. Looking to see him have lots of consistency in our weekend rotation.

Head Coach Alex Koch

WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY

The Winona State University baseball team earned a berth in the 2021 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) postseason with a 22-20 overall mark and a 19-16 NSIC record. The 2022 Warrior squad looks poised to make a return trip to the playoffs this year and build off last spring’s success.

Winona State returns several key offensive threats, led by Derek Baumgartner a senior from Almond, Wis. Baumgartner hit .288 in 2021, with five home runs and 26 RBI’s overall. As a respected team leader, Baumgartner will be a key conduit between the coaching staff and the Warrior dugout.

On the mound, the Warriors expect Dillon Whittaker and Nick Herold to be forces for Winona State. Herald is coming off an All-Star season in the Northwoods league this past summer. In 2021, Herold made 18 appearances for WSU, tossing nearly 23 innings, and allowing just 12 hits over that time period. Whittaker made 10 appearances, including nine starts, and threw 29 2/3 innings, notching 41 strikeouts.

As a program, WSU will be led by long-time head coach Kyle Poock heading into his 20th season, where he has a 474-406-2 overall record, , second most all-time in Warrior history. Winona State was 10-8 at home last season and will look to build upon that success in 2022, a season in which they will host perennial powers Minnesota State and Augustana at home in the friendly confines of Loughrey Field. Winona State will begin the 2022 campaign on the road in the Show Me state with early-season action at Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. on Feb. 4-6.

We are excited to get the 2022 season rolling. We have a very young team, but the smaller group of older guys we have on the team have had a lot of success. This team isn't afraid to put in the work it takes to be successful in the NSIC. We will continue to work and make sure we are playing our best baseball at the end of the season.

Head Coach Kyle Poock

#27 Derek Baumgartner (C, Sr., R/R, Almond, Wis. / Almond-Bancroft HS)

Played in 40 games in 2021, batting .288 overall
Had a .492 slugging mark, tops on the team
Took the field primarily behind the plate, with a handful of appearances in the outfield
Drew 18 walks and collected 65 total bases on the season

Derek has been a leader since he stepped foot on campus. He is very well liked amongst the team and is always in the weight room/cages. He has really earned his playing time and respect from his teammates. We are excited to watch him take his game to an even higher level this spring.

Head Coach Kyle Poock

#38 Dillon Whittaker (RHP, Sr., Waconia, Minn. / Waconia HS)

One of the most experience returners with 49.2 innings pitched in 2020
Had a season-high 12 K’s vs. Minnesota Duluth on March 28
Notched 41 strikeouts while only walking 19 batters
Has been a key part of the Warrior rotation since 2018

Dillon is the type of student-athlete you want in your program. His daily attitude and effort are what sets himself apart. Always has a smile on his face and always working hard. Dillon has pitched in some big spots for us and we expect him to lead our pitching staff in 2022.

Head Coach Kyle Poock

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