MANKATO, Minn. - Both d3baseball.com and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings released their NCAA Division III All-Region teams Tuesday and five Bethany student-athletes were recognized. Aidan Byrd and Yunior Pena were selected Second Team ABCA Region IX, while Xander Meissner and Max Athmann were named Third Team. The d3baseball.com All-Region 9 team included Athmann on the Second Team, and Gary Swann, Meissner, and Pena on the Third Team. 

All five played pivotal roles in the Vikings setting a new standard for the program after winning the first NCAA regional in program history along with an appearance at the Super Regional, falling just one win shy of the Division III World Series. 

Byrd, who also made his first All-UMAC appearance, was the ace of the staff with a 3.86 ERA and 9-1 record in 11 starts. He was second one the team with 60.2 innings and led the squad with 64 strikeouts as opponents batted .223. 

Pena led the Vikings and the UMAC with a .411 batting average and was second in the league with a 1.268 OPS. Pena was also named UMAC tournament MVP after batting 8-for-13 with eight runs, four home runs, seven RBI, and a double in three games. This season he collected 60 hits, 11 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 45 RBI with a .760 slugging percentage. 

Meissner, who earned Third Team honors by both d3baseball.com and ABCA last season, led the UMAC with 34 walks, and ranked second in both RBI (55) and home runs (12). He owned a .370 batting average with 57 hits, 53 runs, and a .708 slugging percentage. Meissner reached 100 career hits and 101 career RBI in the regular season finale against Northwestern.

Athmann captures his first All-Region honor with a .339 batting average, 43 hits, 35 runs, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 37 RBI, .591 slugging, and was 9-for-11 in stolen base attempts. 

Swann also garners his first All-Region selection with a .298 average, 45 hits, 40 runs, nine doubles, one triple, six home runs, 40 RBI, and .490 slugging. Swann reached the 100-career hit mark in the UMAC championship.