KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Nineteen Missouri Southern baseball student-athletes earned Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association academic awards for the 2026 season, the league announced Thursday.
 
 
2026 MIAA BASEBALL ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL MEMBERS (3.0 GPA)
Name                          Academic Level           GPA             Major
Ethan Clark                 Senior                          3.07                 Finance
Kyle Kaempf              Senior                          3.11                 Finance
Will Potter                  Sophomore                  3.25                 Marketing
Keaton Anderson        Junior                          3.30                 General Studies
Cy Darnell                  Junior                          3.30                 Sport and Recreation Management
Owen Schneider         Senior                          3.31                 Marketing
Drew Vonder Haar      Sophomore                  3.38                 Sport and Recreation Management
Walker Sweet             Junior                          3.50                 General Studies
Sebastian Coleman     Sophomore                  3.57                 Marketing
Kaylor Darnell            Junior                          3.77                 Industrial Engineering
Caden Carter               Sophomore                  3.89                 Management
Michael Mulhollon     Junior                          3.51                 SRM
Jason Lazo                  Senior                          3.54                 General Studies
Brayden Luikart          Senior                          3.58                 Sport and Recreation Management
Jacob Filip                  Senior                         3.63                 Finance
Aiden Hinkle              Sophomore                  3.70                 Sport and Recreation Management
Blake Jones                 Sophomore                  4.00                 General Biology
Marcus Young            Junior                          4.00                 Middle School SS
Colton Dryden            Senior                          4.00                 Finance
 
 
2026 MIAA BASEBALL SCHOLAR-ATHLETES (3.50 GPA, All-MIAA)
Name                          Academic Level         GPA               Major
Michael Mulhollon     Junior                          3.51                 Sport and Recreation Management
Jason Lazo                  Senior                          3.54                 General Studies
Brayden Luikart          Senior                          3.58                 Sport and Recreation Management
Jacob Filip                  Senior                          3.63                 Finance
Aiden Hinkle              Sophomore                  3.70                 Sport and Recreation Management
Blake Jones                 Sophomore                  4.00                 General Biology
Marcus Young            Junior                          4.00                 Middle School SS
 
 
2026 MIAA BASEBALL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS (4.0 GPA)
Name                           Academic Level           GPA     Major
Blake Jones                 Sophomore                  4.00     General Biology
Marcus Young            Junior                          4.00     Middle School SS
Colton Dryden            Senior                          4.00     Finance
 

Blake Jones and Marcus Young were two of three MIAA baseball players who earned all three academic honors.


One-hundred and 63 NCAA Division II student-athletes from all 13 MIAA baseball member institutions were honored by the Association for their work in the classroom this season. There were also 21 players named MIAA Scholar-Athletes and only 10 who earned the league's Academic Excellence award. 

The prestigious Academic Excellence award was achieved by just 10 MIAA baseball student-athletes. An Academic Excellence award recipient must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of at least 4.00 at the certifying member institution. The honoree also must have at least two terms of grades reported at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms.

The Scholar-Athlete award distinction also went to 21 student-athletes who excelled in the classroom and on the field. In the classroom, a Scholar-Athlete is an individual that has a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.50 or better at the certifying member institution and have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution. Student-athletes must also receive All-MIAA honors in the 2026 season to achieve the full Scholar-Athlete status. 

One-hundred and 63 baseball student-athletes were named to the 2026 MIAA Academic Honor Roll. To be recognized on the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.00 or above at the certifying member institution. The individual must also have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. 

Only three baseball players earned all three of the Association's postseason academic honors:
    - Missouri Southern State University's Blake Jones is a sophomore All-MIAA selection with a 4.0 GPA as a biology major.
    - Missouri Southern State University's Marcus Young is a sophomore All-MIAA selection with a 4.0 GPA as a middle school social studies education major. 
    - Newman University's Kaynan Kaku is a senior All-MIAA selection with a 4.0 GPA as a data science major. 

These baseball academic awards do not include first year student-athletes or first-year transfers. The MIAA will release separate academic awards for its 2025-26 newcomers at the end of June.

 
2026 BASEBALL ACADEMIC AWARDS:
Academic Honor Roll Members — 163
Scholar-Athletes — 21
Academic Excellence Award Recipients — 10