JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri Southern baseball center fielder
Brayden Luikart was named to the 2026 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II Gold Glove Team, the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods announced Wednesday.
Luikart, a senior from St. Joseph, Missouri, was featured on the Gold Glove Team for his play in the outfield. In the field, he notched 139 putouts and three assists on 142 chances with zero errors for a 1.000 fielding percentage. He started in all 53 games in center.
Luikart, a 2026 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA DII All-Region Second Team selection, led the Lions in 2026 offensively with a .377 batting average with 58 runs, 78 hits, 23 doubles, three triples, 11 homers, 46 RBI, 140 total bases, 43 walks, and 15 stolen bases. He slugged .676 with a .496 on-base percentage for 1.172 OPS.
He ranked seventh in the MIAA for batting average, fourth for slugging percentage, eighth for on-base percentage, fourth for OPS, fifth for hits, first for doubles and eighth for walks this season.
The Lions' leadoff hitter, paced MSSU with 24 multi-hit games. Luikart also had 11 multi-RBI games. He went on a 44-game reached base streak (eight-game hitting streak) in 2026.
Luikart was also named to the 2026 All-MIAA First Team, 2026 MIAA Gold Glove Team, 2026 D2CCA Baseball All-Central Region Second Team and 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team this season.
Luikart graduated in Spring 2026 from Missouri Southern State University with his bachelor's in Sports & Recreation Management – Kinesiology.
ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove
The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove winners have been selected since 2007 in the collegiate and high school ranks and have featured many future Major League Baseball players.
The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Awards are selected by ABCA coaches committees at each level: NCAA Div. I, II & III, NAIA, NJCAA Div. I, II & III, Pacific Association Division, and high school.
The ABCA/Rawlings Award Program is one of the most comprehensive in all of sports, honoring All-America and Gold Glove teams in nine divisions of amateur baseball as well as All-Region teams in five divisions.
The ABCA/Rawlings All-America teams date back to 1949 starting with one collegiate All-America team. Other divisions subsequently added until the current total of nine was reached. The first ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were recognized in 2007, making this the 19th year the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Awards have been presented in the collegiate and high school ranks (no awards were presented in 2020 due to COVID-19).
About the ABCA
Founded in 1945, the American Baseball Coaches Association is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 41 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.
About Rawlings Sporting Goods
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings' unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Ball Supplier and Batting Helmet of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and an approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit Rawlings.com or by phone at (314) 819-2800.
