KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced new Athletes of the Week from the tenth week of the 2026 baseball season. Pittsburg State's Dagen Brewer earned his first MIAA Hitter of the Week honor and Northwest Missouri's Ben Haug claimed the Bearcats' first MIAA Pitcher of the Week award this season.
MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK: Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
Dagen Brewer slashed .700/.750/2.300 on the week while etching his name into the Pittsburg State and MIAA record books. The Topeka native smashed four home runs, scored five runs and compiled 10 RBI in the Gorillas’ 21-7 win over Fort Hays State last Friday (Apr. 3). Brewer set a new Pitt State record for single-game RBI and tied the program’s single-game marks for runs scored and home runs. He also tied MIAA single-game records for home runs and RBI. For the week, Brewer totaled six extra base hits – a double and five home runs – among his seven hits and 13 total RBI, helping the Gorillas claim the MIAA series win over Fort Hays State. Brewer currently leads the MIAA in batting average (.460), home runs (18), RBI (72), slugging (1.040) and on-base percentage (.580).
MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Ben Haug, Northwest Missouri
Ben Haug pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 12 batters in Northwest Missouri’s 9-0 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith last Thursday (Apr. 2) on the road. The senior scattered four hits and issued one walk as he improved to 3-1 on the season.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
MIAA HITTERS
Jordi Ventura, Northwest Missouri
Jordi Ventura batted .647 with seven doubles and three home runs for a 1.412 slugging percentage as Northwest won four straight MIAA games and totaled 12 RBI. The junior recorded at least two hits in all four games. He went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in a 10-7 win over No. 7-ranked Central Missouri. Ventura posted his first four-hit game of the season with a 4-for-5 effort in a 9-0 game-one win over Arkansas-Fort Smith. He then went 2-for-5 in a 20-8 seven-inning triumph against UAFS before finishing his weekend with a 3-for-4 game with a homer and six RBI in an 11-10 series finale win in Fort Smith.
Noah Steele, Emporia State
Noah Steele led Emporia State’s offense to a 4-0 week against MIAA opponents. The senior first baseman hit .667 with a 1.417 slugging percentage and posted a MIAA-leading on-base percentage of .789 on the week. He opened the week 1-for-3 with two walks in the Hornets’ 8-3 midweek win over Missouri Western. He then opened the Newman series with a 1-for-2 game with two more walks and three runs scored, which included a solo homer in the first inning. Steele recorded his best game of the week in game two against the Jets, hitting a first-inning grand slam and a fourth-inning solo home run on his way to a 5-for-5 game with a career-high seven RBI. He then went 1-for-2 with two RBI, two runs scored and two more walks in the series finale. On the week, Steele was 8-for-12 with three home runs, ten RBI, eight runs scored and six walks over the Hornets’ four games.
Will Doherty, Missouri Southern
Will Doherty led the Lions, batting .667 (.667 SLG%, .750 OB%) as Missouri Southern went 3-1 over its week with MIAA series wins over both Newman and Central Oklahoma. Doherty registered four runs, 10 hits, one double, one triple, a homer and 11 RBI. He opened the week, going 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBI and two walks in the Lions’ 22-9 midweek win over Newman. In the 9-5 game one win over Central Oklahoma, Doherty went 4-for-5, which included a triple and a homer with four RBI and two runs. In MSSU’s 9-6 loss in game two, he posted a double and a sacrifice fly for two RBI. Doherty finished the series 3-for-4 with two RBI and a sacrifice fly, helping the Lions clinch the MIAA series with a 7-2 win. Doherty is currently on a seven-game hitting streak.
MIAA PITCHERS
Colby Deaver, Emporia State
Colby Deaver pitched the second game in Emporia State’s MIAA series against Newman, throwing 6.0 innings with eight strikeouts and no walks while allowing just one unearned run for the Hornets to claim the 16-1 victory. On the season, Deaver now has five outings with eight or more strikeouts, and seven without allowing an earned run scored. Friday's outing against the Jets was also his third start with eight or more strikeouts and no walks allowed.
Mason Trotter, Rogers State
Mason Trotter had an outstanding performance on the mound in Rogers State’s 5-2 upset over No. 4-ranked Central Missouri. The junior left-hander delivered 3.1 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no earned runs while striking out five batters to earn his third win of the season. Over his last two appearances, Trotter has pitched a total of 4.0 innings, leading the team with six strikeouts and conceding only one hit.
ALSO NOMINATED:
HITTERS – Antonio Avila [Fort Hays State], Jack Borgmann [Washburn], Nathan Gutierrez [Rogers State], Seth Winkler [Missouri Western]
PITCHERS – Jackson Parrill [Missouri Western], Walker Sweet [Missouri Southern], Brandon Chavez [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
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WEEK TEN HITTER: Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
WEEK TEN PITCHERS: Ben Haug, Northwest Missouri