KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its postseason awards and All-MIAA teams for the 2023 baseball season.
 
Eighty-five baseball players earned All-MIAA honors from the 2023 baseball season. Four student-athletes from three different institutions highlighted the postseason awards with two tying student-athletes for the Association’s highest honor. 
 
Pittsburg State’s Nixon Brennan and Newman’s Jenner Steele were selected as Co-Players of the Year while the Gorillas’ Zac Shoemaker was tabbed the Pitcher of the Year and Missouri Southern’s Ethan Clark was a unanimous selection at Freshman of the Year. Head Coach of Central Missouri Kyle Crookes was voted the Coach of the Year by his peers.
 
In his first season with the Gorillas, Nixon Brennan ranked in the MIAA’s top-ten in eight different offensive categories. In 182 at bats, Brennan concluded regular season action with the third-best batting average (.396), slugging percent (.747) and OPS (1.216) in the league. The junior from San Angelo, Texas, also totaled the second-most RBI in the league with 66, tied for third in the league with 19 doubles, ranked in the top-five with 72 hits. Defensively, the Gorillas’ starting catcher was involved in 263 putouts and 24 assists with only three errors in 45 games for a fielding percentage of .990. Brennan was also named the First Team All-MIAA catcher selection.
 
Brennan helped lead PSU to the No. 4 seed in the 2023 MIAA Baseball Championship where the Gorillas with host No. 5 seed Central Oklahoma in a best-of-three series to begin the tournament.
 
Newman’s Jenner Steele was the most dominate hitter in the MIAA this season with a league-leading batting average (.423), slugging percentage (.821) and OPS (1.308). The senior from Branson, Mo., also leads the MIAA with 85 hits which is the third-most in NCAA Division II this season. He also ranks in the Division II top-five with 20 home runs. Steele’s .487 on-base percentage ranked second in the league and his 65 RBIs ranked third. Defensively, the Jets’ starting first baseman had his hand in 169 puts outs and 12 assists with a .963 fielding percentage. Steele was also named the First Team All-MIAA First Base selection.
 
Steele helped the Jets to the No. 7 seed in the MIAA postseason tournament. Newman will travel to Joplin, Mo., to take on No. 2 seed Missouri Southern in a best-of-three series.
 
Zac Shoemaker was named the Association’s Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-MIAA Starting Pitcher selection. The graduate student from Aurora, Mo., started 13 games for the Gorillas and ended regular season competition with a record of 8-2. In 67.0 innings pitcher, Shoemaker gave up a league-low 10 walks and allowed just 31 runs – 28 of which were earned. His 3.76 ERA and 94 strikeouts both ranked second in the MIAA while his .239 opposing batting average ranked sixth. The right-handed pitcher will be the Gorillas’ ace in PSU’s tournament-opening series against the Bronchos.
 
Missouri Southern’s Ethan Clark was the coaches’ unanimous selection for the Association’s Freshman of the Year. The first year from Lindenhurst, Ill., led the league’s top-ranked offense with a .400 batting average to be one of just two MIAA players hitting in the 400s. His 68 hits on the season also ranked in the MIAA’s top-five. Clark started 41 of the Lions’ 50 games in right field. He was responsible for 50 putouts in the outfield and owns a fielding percentage of .981. Clark also earned Third Team All-MIAA honors in outfield.
 
The Freshman of the Year helped the Lions to a runner-up finish in the regular season standings and the No. 2 seed in the postseason tournament. Southern will host Newman in the opening best-of-three series of the championship.
 
In his ninth season leading the Mules, Kyle Crookes led UCM to its fourth consecutive regular season title. Central Missouri finished the season 36-13 overall and went 27-6 in the league. The Mules finished the regular season with a MIAA-best team ERA of 4.57 and owned the second-best team batting average at .322. This is Crookes third MIAA Coach of the Year honor since becoming the Mules head coach in 2015.  
 
Below is the complete list of the 2023 MIAA baseball postseason awards and All-MIAA teams. All awards were voted on by all 12 MIAA head coaches.  
 
For more information on the 2023 MIAA Baseball Championship, please visit the MIAA’s championship central page.
 
2023 MIAA Baseball Postseason Awards and All-MIAA Teams
Co-Player of the Year – Nixon Brannan – Pittsburg State, Jr.
Co-Player of the Year – Jenner Steele – Newman, Sr.
Pitcher of the Year – Zac Shoemaker – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Freshman of the Year – Ethan Clark – Missouri Southern*
Coach of the Year – Kyle Crookes – Central Missouri
*Unanimous Selection
 
FIRST TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Zac Shoemaker – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Starting Pitcher: Conner Wolf – Central Missouri, So.
Starting Pitcher: Cole Woods – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Relief Pitcher: JD McReynolds – Central Missouri, So.
Catcher: Nixon Brannan – Pittsburg State, Jr.
First Base: Jenner Steele – Newman, Sr.
Second Base: Nate Mieszkowski – Missouri Southern, So.
Shortstop: Henry Kuiak – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Third Base: Jack Schark – Central Missouri, So.
Outfield: Prescott Horn – Rogers State, Sr.
Outfield: Noah Olson – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Outfield: Carter Young – Central Missouri, R-Jr.
Designated Hitter: Vance Tobol – Central Missouri, Rr-Jr.
Utility: Brayden Rodden – Northeastern State,
 
SECOND TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Ben Des Rosiers – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Starting Pitcher: Rane Pfeifer – Washburn, Sr.
Starting Pitcher: Casey Steward – Washburn, Jr.
Relief Pitcher: Valek Cisneros – Central Oklahoma, So.
Catcher: Wyatt Gray – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
First Base: Matthew Miller – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Second Base: Cole Moore – Central Missouri, R-Jr.
Shortstop: Cade Clemons – Pittsburg State, Jr.
Third Base: Gavin Mestas – Rogers State, Jr.
Outfield: Ike Book – Washburn, So.
Outfield: Karson Coffee – Pittsburg State, Jr.
Outfield: Tregan Parker – Missouri Southern, So.
Designated Hitter – Garrett Rice – Missouri Southern, Jr.
Utility: Emile Boies – Fort Hays State, R-So.
 
THIRD TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Lee Callison – Northeastern State, Sr.
Starting Pitcher: Diego Dominguez – Central Oklahoma, So.
Starting Pitcher: Cole Gayman – Missouri Southern, So.
Starting Pitcher: Cole LaLonde – Central Missouri, R-Sr.
Relief Pitcher: Jacob Bailey – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Catcher: Chayton Beck – Missouri Southern, So.
First Base: John Prudhom – Central Missouri, Sr.
Second Base: Jaden Parsons – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Shortstop: Cal Watkins – Washburn, Jr.
Third Base: Jase Schneider – Newman, Jr.
Outfield: Jake Angelico – Newman, Sr.
Outfield: Ethan Clark – Missouri Southern, Fr.
Outfield: Ryan Koski – Northwest Missouri, Sr.
Designated Hitter: Coby Tweten – Northeastern State, Jr.
Utility: Aiden Proctor – Central Oklahoma, So.
 
GOLD GLOVE TEAM
Pitcher: Cole Woods – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Catcher: Chayton Beck – Missouri Southern, So.
First Base: John Prudhom – Central Missouri, R-Sr.
Second Base: Jaden Parsons – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Shortstop: Jesse Holguin – Rogers State, Sr.^
Shortstop: Henry Kusiak – Missouri Southern, Jr.^
Third Base: Palmer Hutchison – Emporia State, R-So.
Outfield: Prescott Horn – Rogers State, Sr.
Outfield: Noah Olson – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Outfield: Brennen van Breusegen – Central Missouri, R-Jr.
^Reflects Tie In Voting
 
HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Jake Wilson (Starting Pitcher); Chase Heath (Catcher); Max Holy (Shortstop); Mason Lowe (Outfield); Brennen van Breusegen (Outfield)

Central Oklahoma: Kaleb Glass (Outfield)

Emporia State: Noah Geekie (Starting Pitcher); Ian Lanik (Starting Pitcher); Kadyn Williams (Second Base); Noah Geekie (Outfield); 

Fort Hays State: Isaiah Ural (Outfield); Ed Scott (Outfield)

Missouri Southern: Laif Hultine (Relief Pitcher); Kyle Moore (Relief Pitcher)

Missouri Western: David Steffen (Relief Pitcher); Zack Cushing (Relief Pitcher); Jerry Nix (Catcher); Travis Wiese (Third Base); Brenden Andersen (Designated Hitter); Will Courtney (Utility)

Newman: Zack Stewart (Shortstop)

Northeastern State: Seth Stacey (Starting Pitcher); Brady Evans (Catcher); CD White (Catcher); Ty Van Meter (Third Base); Isaiah Keller (Outfield); Blake Freeman (Outfield)

Northwest Missouri: Alex Slocum (Starting Pitcher); Max Spitzmiller (Starting Pitcher); Jacob Gajic (Relief Pitcher); Cole Slibowski (Utility)

Pittsburg State: Tanner Leslie (Starting Pitcher); Parker Weddle (Relief Pitcher); Austin Warkins (First Base); Deagan Brady (Third Base); Brett Daley (Outfield)

Rogers State: Rece Parker (Starting Pitcher); Octavio Sanchez (Relief Pitcher); Jesse Holguin (Shortstop); AJ Folds (Outfield)

Washburn: Chase Torkelson (Relief Pitcher); Trey Adams (Second Base); Trevor McCollum (Outfield)