KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced new Athletes of the Week from the ninth week of the 2026 baseball season. Missouri Western’s Miguel Cantu earned the Griffons’ first MIAA Hitter of the Week award and Rogers State’s Zach Horwith claimed the Hillcats’ first MIAA Pitcher of the Week honor.
MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK: Miguel Cantu, Missouri Western
Miguel Cantu powered the Griffons through a perfect 4-0 week in MIAA action, delivering a standout offensive stretch. Across four games, he went 9-for-17 (.529) with 11 runs scored and 13 RBI while adding three home runs and two doubles. He posted a .619 on-base percentage and a 1.176 slugging percentage, leading the Griffons’ offensive explosion as Missouri Western outscored opponents 63-12 over the four games, picking up wins of 16-6 (Northwest Missouri), 15-1, 12-2, and 20-3 (Newman sweep). The senior opened the week going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and six RBI, launching a grand slam to lead the offensive surge in the 16-6 win over the Bearcats. He started the MIAA series against the Jets with another huge performance, finishing 3-for-3 with four runs scored and six RBI, adding a double and two home runs in the 15-1 win. Cantu then drew three walks and scored twice in the Griffs’ 12-2 win in game two against Newman, continuing to impact the game despite not recording a hit. He closed the week 3-for-6 with three runs and an RBI, adding a double to cap off the series sweep with the 20-3 victory.
MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Zach Horwith, Rogers State
Zach Horwith made Rogers State history in the series opener against Emporia State by becoming only the second Hillcat in the program's history to throw a no-hitter. The senior righty accomplished this remarkable feat during a seven-inning, 14-0, run-rule victory, recording five strikeouts in his eighth start of the season. Horwith allowed just two walks and hit one batter while throwing a total of 83 pitches. He is now 5-0 on the season.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
MIAA HITTERS
Brayden Luikart, Missouri Southern
Brayden Luikart led the Lions to a series sweep of Arkansas-Fort Smith, hitting .538 (1.308 slugging percentage and .739 on-base percentage) with nine runs, seven hits, a double, three homers, seven RBI and nine walks. The senior centerfielder opened the week going 3-for-5 with two homers against No. 2-ranked Pittsburg State. In the Lions’ 18-3 game one against UAFS, Luikart scored twice with two walks and a hit by pitch. In game two’s 12-2 win, he went 1-for-2 with two runs, an RBI, three walks and a stolen base. Luikart wrapped the weekend series, going 3-for-3 with four RBI, a double, a home run and four walks, leading the Lions to a final 18-9 victory and their fourth MIAA series sweep of the season.
Jake Mitchell, Rogers State
Jake Mitchell played a pivotal role last week in Rogers State’s 3-1 week in MIAA action. The senior slashed .583/.688/1.167 with seven hits, eight runs, five RBI and four walks. He tallied three extra-base hits with a double and a pair of home runs, which moved him into second all-time in career homers in program history. Mitchell also fielded 1.000 at first base with 27 putouts and zero errors on the week.
Brock Kobel, Central Missouri
In the Mules’ only action of the week, Brock Kobel was a perfect 3-for-3 with his second homer of the season and tallied two runs scored and two RBI in Central Missouri’s 13-0 win over Washburn on March 24 in Warrensburg.
MIAA PITCHERS
Diego De Santiago, Northwest Missouri
Diego De Santiago went 2-0 in a pair of relief appearances as Northwest completed a three-game sweep of No. 2-ranked Pittsburg State. De Santiago pitched 1 ? innings in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Gorillas, entering the game at the top of the eighth inning of a 1-1 game with runners on the corners. He got a groundout to keep the game tied before Northwest took the lead in the bottom of the eighth. He worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to give the Bearcats the 2-1 victory. In Sunday’s series finale, De Santiago tied a season-high with three innings of relief work and gained the win when Northwest walked off a 9-8 triumph in the 11th inning. He allowed one run in the ninth with two outs, allowing Pitt State to force extra innings. He then worked around a double in the 10th but kept the Gorillas scoreless in the 10th and 11th innings before Northwest walked off with another win in the bottom of the 11th to complete a three-game sweep.
Owen Schneider, Missouri Southern
Owen Schneider went 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his start against Arkansas-Fort Smith. He pitched five innings, allowing one earned run on one hit with three walks and seven strikeouts for the victory as the Missouri Southern Lions downed UAFS, 18-3.
ALSO NOMINATED:
HITTERS – Noah Smallwood [Central Oklahoma], John Connors [Northwest Missouri], Ian Luce [Washburn]
PITCHERS – Cole Evans [Missouri Western], Gavin Williams [Central Missouri], Nick Woodcock [Emporia State], Danny Satterlee [Central Oklahoma], Brett Jacobs [Fort Hays 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 & Colby Deaver, Emporia State
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WEEK FOUR HITTER: Noah Steele, Emporia State
WEEK FOUR PITCHER: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
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WEEK FIVE HITTER: Noah Steele, Emporia State
WEEK FIVE PITCHER: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
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WEEK SIX HITTER: Cole Kreisel, Central Missouri
WEEK SIX PITCHER: Gavin Williams, Central Missouri
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WEEK SEVEN HITTER: Andres Contreras, Rogers State
WEEK SEVEN PITCHER: Owen Schneider, Missouri Southern
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WEEK EIGHT HITTER: Jeremiah Cabuyaban, Northwest Missouri
WEEK EIGHT PITCHERS: Quinton Chindamo, Emporia State & Ty Blecha, Pittsburg State
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WEEK NINE HITTER: Miguel Cantu, Missouri Western
WEEK NINE PITCHERS: Zach Horwith, Rogers State