KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced new Athletes of the Week from the third week of the 2026 baseball season. Three athletes earned weekly honors in week three as Central Oklahoma’s Drake Lee was named the Hitter of the Week, and Central Oklahoma’s Braxton Jones and Colby Deaver were named Co-Pitchers of the Week.
MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK: Drake Lee, Central Oklahoma
Drake Lee led Central Oklahoma at the plate last week, going 6-for-10 with two home runs and five RBI as the Bronchos swept Colorado Christian in a four-game series in Edmond. The senior utility player also scored four runs on the weekend. He went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run in Friday's Game Two 7-4 victory, before finishing 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored in Saturday afternoon’s 8-7 win. To wrap up the four-game sweep, Lee went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the 7-2 win on Sunday. Lee led the Bronchos offense with a .600 batting average and owned a league-best 1.200 slugging percentage on the week.
CO-MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Braxton Jones, Central Oklahoma
Braxton Jones got the Bronchos’ four-game series against Colorado Christian started in a big way, throwing six shutout innings on Friday afternoon. The sophomore struck out 10 batters in the 1-0 victory. Jones allowed three hits and only one walk as his bullpen completed the shutout behind him.
CO-MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
Colby Deaver pitched in game two of the Hornets’ three-game weekend and continued his scoreless start to the season. The sophomore pitched 6.0 scoreless innings and struck out ten batters while allowing just three hits and one walk in Emporia’s 6-3 win over Sioux Falls. Deaver has now thrown 18.0 scoreless innings to begin the season with 26 strikeouts and just six hits and one walk allowed. His ten strikeouts on Saturday are the most by a Hornet pitcher since 2023.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
MIAA HITTERS
Kaiden Ashton, Central Missouri
Kaiden Ashton helped No. 2 Central Missouri to a 2-1 week on the road. The senior outfielder hit .500 with seven hits in 14 at-bats. He tallied one run, two doubles, eight RBI, three walks, two stolen bases and just one strikeout in three games. Ashton went 3-for-6 with two doubles and five RBI in UCM's 14-4 game one win over Southwest Baptist last Friday (Feb. 13). He then finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and three walks in the Mules’ 15-6, game two win over the Bearcats. Ashton also went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in in UCM’s 9-7 loss to Drury last Tuesday (Feb. 10).
Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
Dagen Brewer hit .600 with three extra-base hits and six RBI to help lead No. 6 Pittsburg State to a three-game series sweep over Maryville. The Topeka native doubled, homered and drove in four runs in the Gorillas 10-0 win in the series finale Sunday. His two-run homer, his fourth round-tripper of the season, ended the game by run-rule in the eighth inning. He collected at least one hit in all three games to extend his Pitt State record hitting streak to 30 games, dating back to the 2025 campaign. For the week, Brewer was 6-for-10 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, four walks and a sacrifice fly. He slugged 1.100 and had a .667 on-base percentage, compiling a 1.767 OPS for the week. Brewer currently shares the MIAA lead in homeruns (4), ranks second in RBI (25), third in batting average (.528), fourth in doubles (5) and fifth in runs scored (17). He ranks third in Division II in RBI this season. Brewer has helped the Gorillas to the program's first-ever 10-0 start to a season.
MIAA PITCHERS
Cody Bruss, Fort Hays State
Cody Bruss tossed a complete game in Fort Hays State’s 4-2 home win over Colorado School of Mines, allowing only one earned run on seven hits. The senior struck out four Orediggers and only walked one while inducing 17 ground ball outs.
ALSO NOMINATED:
HITTERS – Tyler Nelson [Rogers State], Jeremiah Cabuyaban [Northwest Missouri], Cy Darnell [Missouri Southern], Issac Huettl [Missouri Western], Erick Ordonez [Fort Hays State], Frank Santiago [Emporia State]
PITCHERS – Carter Stover [Missouri Southern], Cole Evans [Missouri Western], Frank Fabian [Newman], Caleb Lunnon [Washburn], Dillon Dibrell [Rogers State]
WEEK ONE HITTER: Derek Woolwine, Fort Hays State
WEEK ONE PITCHER: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
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WEEK TWO HITTER: Landin Midgett, Pittsburg State
WEEK TWO PITCHER: Cole Evans, Missouri Western
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WEEK THREE HITTER: Drake Lee, Central Oklahoma
WEEK THREE PITCHERS: Braxton Jones, Central Oklahoma and Colby Deaver, Emporia State