ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced its 2023 baseball All-Conference teams and Ryan Kragh and Jackson Huiras highlighted the awards for Bethany, winning Coach of the Year and Rookie of the year, respectively. 

Nine Vikings in total were named First Team All- Conference with Conor Merton and Gavin Jacobsen getting the nod as starting pitchers, while Huiras earned a spot on the team as a relief arm. Outfielders Eli Fest and Liam Peterson each garnered first team honors, while infielders Aidan Russell, Ben Hopper, and Brad Bickmann all got the nod. Rounding out the First Teamers was designated hitter Matt Verdugo. 

Starting pitcher Brody Curtiss and catcher Hunter Pearce each earned UMAC Honorable Mention. 

Merton is coming off UMAC Tournament MVP honors and tossed 55.0 innings this season with a 5.24 ERA. He has struck out 45 batters and walked just 16 en route to a 5-1 record. 

Jacobsen has been a strikeout machine for Bethany, currently ranking No. 1 in the country in strikeouts per nine innings with 15.6. The sophomore has tossed 46 innings this year, striking out 80 batters and posting a 4.11 ERA and 1-2 record. 

Huiras earns rookie of the year honorss thanks to a successful season out of the bullpen that's seen him make 11 appearance and post a 2-1 record with two saves. The first-year had a 3.51 ERA and struck out 29 batters in 25.2 innings.

Up to this point in the year, Fest has the highest batting average of all everyday starters at .419. He was second in the UMAC in OB% at .545 while posting six doubles, two triples, and 32 runs scored. 

Peterson is hitting .314 for the Vikings this season, with four doubles, two triples, and three home runs to go along with a team high 25 walks. He posted an OB% of .459 while also leading the team with 24 stolen bases and 43 runs scored. 

Russell earned the nod as the team's first basemen and hit .403 this year while slugging .634 thanks to eight doubles, four triples, and five home runs. Russell has tallied a team-best 41 RBI this year while also tying Peterson with 43 runs scored.

Hopper gets the recognition as a shortstop after hitting .368 this year with nine doubles, five triples, and three home runs. The senior scored 34 times and drove in 34 runs thus far, while reaching base at a .441 clip.

Bickmann has earned the nod with a strong first campaign at Bethany, batting .415 and slugging a team-best .671. The sophomore starting in just 21 games, but had six doubles, three triples, and three home runs for the Vikings and drove in 31 runs. 

Verdugo rounds out the group as the lone designated hitter on the First Team. The junior has batted .331 this season with five doubles and two triples, while also scoring 38 runs and driving in 30. 

Pearce earned Honorable Mention honors after batting .312 this year as the team's primary catcher, while also reaching base at a .455 clip. He has been a force behind the plate, throwing out seven of 15 runners who have attempted to steal against him this year.

Curtiss also got an Honorable Mention nod after posting a 6-1 record this year with a 4.57 ERA. The senior has tossed 41.1 innings, striking out 44 and walking just 11. 

Player of the Year - Howie Hatton, Crown
Pitcher of the Year - Ryan Rodriguez, Wisconsin-Superior
Rookie of the Year - Jackson Huiras, Bethany Lutheran
Coach of the Year - Ryan Kragh, Bethany Lutheran
Team Sportsmanship Award - Martin Luther College

UMAC First Team All-Conference

Name (Position)	Year	School	Hometown
Connor Merton (SP)	Sr.	Bethany Lutheran	Perth, Australia
Gavin Jacobsen (SP)	So.	Bethany Lutheran	Jackson, MN
Jackson Huiras (RP)	Fr.	Bethany Lutheran	Sleepy Eye, MN
Eli Fest (OF)	So.	Bethany Lutheran	Heron Lake, MN
Liam Peterson (OF)	Sr.	Bethany Lutheran	Port Orchard, WA
Aidan Russell (INF)	So.	Bethany Lutheran	Gilbert, AZ
Ben Hopper (INF)	Sr.	Bethany Lutheran	North Mankato, MN
Brad Bickmann (INF)	So.	Bethany Lutheran	Howard Lake, MN
Matt Verdugo (DH)	Sr.	Bethany Lutheran	Arvada, CO
Aidan Volk-Specht (SP)	Jr.	Crown	Monroe, NC
Howie Hatton (OF)	Sr.	Crown	North Riverside, IL
Seth Betts (INF)	Grad.	Crown	St. George, UT
Mason Cox (OF)	Jr.	Martin Luther	New Ulm, MN
Daniel Montana (INF)	Jr.	North Central	Tucson, AZ
Teagan Burch (UTIL)	So.	North Central	St. Paul, MN
Andrew Birko (SP)	Jr.	Northland	Zellwood, FL
Matthew Traeger (RP)	So.	Northland	Bradenton, FL
Zach Ross (C)	Jr.	Northland	Portland, OR
Brian Vanyo (SP)	Sr.	Minnesota Morris	Apple Valley, MN
Ben Meuser (OF)	So.	Minnesota Morris	Burnsville, MN
Alex Baumann (INF)	Sr.	Minnesota Morris	Howard Lake, MN
Aaron Severson (UTIL)	Jr.	Northwestern	Columbia Heights, MN
Bryce Crabb (INF)	Sr.	Northwestern	Des Moines, IA
Ryan Rodriguez (SP)	Sr.	Wisconsin-Superior	Chaska, MN
Matt Tappe (SP)	Jr.	Wisconsin-Superior	St. Anthony, MN
Payton Steiner (OF)	So.	Wisconsin-Superior	Baraboo, WI
Christian Garcia (INF)	Jr.	Wisconsin-Superior	Blue Springs, MO
Isaac Fugere (C)	Jr.	Wisconsin-Superior	Duluth, MN

UMAC Honorable Mention Team

Name	Year	School	Hometown
Brody Curtiss	Sr.	Bethany Lutheran	Belle Plaine, MN
Hunter Pearce	Sr.	Bethany Lutheran	Berthoud, CO
Cael Magill	So.	Crown	Atco, NJ
Rhys Dewick	Sr.	Crown	Sydney, Australia
Carter Seltz	So.	Martin Luther	Columbia, TN
Spencer Lilienthal	Jr.	Martin Luther	Plato, MN
Mike Maanum	Jr.	North Central	Fergus Falls, MN
Christian Rodriguez	Jr.	North Central	Tucson, AZ
Ridge Guyette	So.	Northland	Hilbert, WI
Keaton Arreazola	Sr.	Northland	Janesville, WI
Ethan Schmitz	So.	Minnesota Morris	St. Louis Park, MN
David Steffen	So.	Minnesota Morris	Bloomington, MN
Nick Drinken	Jr.	Northwestern	Randolph, MN
Grady Karges	Jr.	Northwestern	Oriska, ND
Ben Rhodes	Jr.	Wisconsin-Superior	Superior, WI
Noah Dagostino	Fr.	Wisconsin-Superior	Andover, MN

Individual Sportsmanship Awards
Xavier Palmer (BLC)
Tristan Shoemaker (CC)
Michael Fromm (MLC)
Nicolas Sheley (NCU)
Parker Williams (NC)
Zach Froman (UMM)
Isaac Pilon (UNW)
Nick Fredrikson (UWS)