10-Year Celebration: UMAC Baseball All-Decade honors
ST. PAUL, Minn.---As part of its 2018-19 "10-Year Celebration," the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) named 15 individual athletes to the UMAC Baseball All-Decade Team and selected a Coach of the Decade and the Baseball Team of the Decade, the conference announced Thursday.
The 15 individuals named to the All-Decade Team include Cory Albertson (University of Wisconsin-Superior, 2017-Present*), Peter Burg (College of St. Scholastica, 2009*), Sean Claugherty (St. Scholastica, 2009-10*), Austin Colvard (St. Scholastica, 2013-16), Tyler Duex (St. Schoalstica, 2014-17), Kyle Flagstad (St. Scholastica, 2010-13), Cody Hallahan (Bethany Lutheran College, 2010-11), Adian Kummet (St. Scholastica, 2009*), Matt Lewis (St. Scholastica, 2009-11*), Brian Minks (St. Scholastica, 2014-17), Steven Neutzling (St. Scholastica, 2015-18), Tyler Osborn (University of Northwestern, 2014-17), Andy Peterson (Northwestern, 2011-14), Justin Schwecke (Bethany Lutheran, 2009-10*) and Jake Ziel (Martin Luther College, 2011-14). The UMAC also recognized St. Scholastica head coach Corey Kemp as the Coach of the Decade and the 2017 St. Scholastica team as the Baseball Team of the Decade.
All-Decade Team
Cory Albertson, University of Wisconsin-Superior (2017-Present*)
In just two seasons, Albertson has become one of the top players in the UMAC over the last decade. As a sophomore, Albertson was named First Team All-UMAC and the 2018 Player of the Year after leading all of Division III in home runs per game (0.38). He also led the conference in RBI (42) and slugging (0.847). Albertson was also a ABCA First Team All-Region selection and D3Baseball.com Third Team honoree last spring.
Peter Burg, College of St. Scholastica (2009*)
Burg played just two seasons in a Saints uniform and only one during the NCAA era, but was easily one of the most dominant pitchers during his time. In 2009, Burg was All-UMAC First Team, ABCA Second Team All-Region and D3Baseball.com Honorable Mention All-America. In his two seasons, Burg was also a UMAC Pitcher of the Year and recorded 19 wins on the mound.
Sean Claugherty, College of St. Scholastica (2009-2010*)
Claugherty is one of the top players in Saints history and helped the team begin its decade of success in the UMAC. He was a three-time All-UMAC First Team pick and a 2009 ABCA First Team All-Region selection. Prior to the NCAA era, he was the 2008 UMAC Player of the Year and ABCA Second Team All-America. Claugherty owns the second-longest hitting streak in Saints' history (27 games) and ranks in the top five in program history for career runs scored (187), home runs (21), doubles (54) and RBI (163).
Austin Colvard, College of St. Scholastica (2013-2016)
Colvard was a standout performer for the Saints during a four-year period where the Saints dominated the UMAC. During that time, Colvard was a four-time All-UMAC First Team selection and the 2013 Rookie of the Year. He was twice selected ABCA All-Region including Second Team in 2016 and once by D3Baseball.com. Colvard ranks third in program history for stolen bases (89) and fifth in hits (218) and runs (174).
Tyler Duex, College of St. Scholastica (2014-2017)
Deux helped lead St. Scholastica to one of its most successful four-year periods in the last 10 years including two NCAA regional wins in 2017 which earned him All-Tournament honors. He was three times picked All-UMAC First Team and was selected All-Region Second Team by the ABCA and D3Baseball.com in both 2014 and 2017. Duex owns the program record for home runs in a game (3) and is third in Saints' history for career batting average (.411).
Kyle Flagstad, College of St. Scholastica (2010-2013)
Flagstad is one of the most decorated athletes in St. Scholastica baseball history. During his four seasons, he was three times selected All-UMAC First Team and is one of just two players to be named the UMAC Player of the Year twice in the NCAA era. Flagstad earned ABCA All-Region honors three times and was a 2012 D3Baseball.com All-American Honorable Mention selection. He was named to the 2013 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team. Flagstad owns the program record for hits in a game (6) and is one of just five Saints with a career average over .400.
Cody Hallahan, Bethany Lutheran College (2010-2011)
Hallahan was an impact pitcher for the Vikings in just his two seasons on the mound. During that span Hallahan was twice named All-UMAC First Team and was selected as the 2010 Pitcher of the Year in leading the Vikings to a 16-4 conference mark with 102 total strikeouts. Hallahan ranks second in Vikings history for career ERA (2.47) and strikeouts (161) and is tied for third for career wins (14).
Adian Kummet, College of St. Scholastica (2009*)
Kummet pitched just one season while at St. Scholastica during the NCAA era, but his four-year body of work led him to be drafted by the Cinncinati Reds in the 31st round of the 2009 MLB Draft. In his final season, Kummet was named ABCA Second Team All-American and Honorable Mention by D3Baseball.com. Over his career, he garnered four All-UMAC First Team accolades and was the 2007 Pitcher of the Year. Kummet ranks third in program history for career wins (24) and saves (9).
Matt Lewis, College of St. Scholastica (2009-2011*)
Lewis earned top regional and national accolades during a successful career leading the Saints to success from the mound. He was first picked twice All-UMAC First Team and was the 2011 Pitcher of the Year. In that same season, Lewis was selected Honorable Mention All-America by D3Baseball.com and was named to the 2011 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team. In 2010, Lewis was also ABCA All-Region Third Team. He currently ranks second in Saints' history for career wins (25).
Brian Minks, College of St. Scholastica (2014-2017)
Minks helped lead St. Scholastica to consistent success in the UMAC and regionally during the end of the first 10 years of the NCAA era. He was a three-time All-UMAC First Team honoree and selected as the 2016 Player of the Year. During 2016, Minks earned First Team All-Region honors from the ABCA and D3Baseball.com. He also picked up ABCA Third Team recognition as a senior and currently ranks third all-time at St. Scholastica for career doubles (54).
Steven Neutzling, College of St. Scholastica (2015-2018)
Neutzling is one of the most decorated conference players during the NCAA era for baseball. During his four-year career, Neutzling earned All-UMAC First Team honors each season and was picked the 2015 Rookie of the Year and the 2017 Player of the Year. He earned a total of four All-Region accolades between both awarding bodies including ABCA First Team in 2018. Currently, he ranks third all time in RBI (165). Neutzling also owned a streak of reaching base safely for 65 consecutive games.
Tyler Osborn, University of Northwestern (2014-2017)
Osborn is one of the most honored players in Northwestern program history. He was a four-time All-UMAC First Team player for the Eagles leading them to three-straight UMAC tournament appearances. Twice Osborn was selected All-Region Third Team by D3Baseball.com in 2016 and 2017. Osborn currently owns Northwestern program records for career runs (142), hits (201), triples (15), RBI (135) and total bases (332).
Andy Peterson, University of Northwestern (2011-2014)
Peterson led Northwestern to four-consecutive UMAC postseason tournament appearances during his solid four-year career on the mound. He was a three-time All-UMAC First Team selection and was both the 2014 Player and of the Year and Co-Pitcher of the Year after boasting a 1.55 ERA that season. Peterson finished his career with 20 career wins, 18 complete games, 239.2 innings pitched and 178 career strikeouts.
Justin Schwecke, Bethany Lutheran College (2009-2010*)
Schwecke is one of the top players in Bethany Lutheran and UMAC history. During the NCAA era, Schwecke was named All-UMAC First Team and was the Player of the Year in both 2009 and 2010 after leading the Vikings to runner-up conference seasons. He is one of just two players to twice earn Player of the Year in the NCAA era. Each of those seasons he led the UMAC in hits. During his four seasons, Schwecke set program records for career runs (148), hits (192), doubles (47), triples (16), RBI (150), total bases (310) and stolen bases (43).
Jake Ziel, Martin Luther College (2011-2014)
Ziel was a dual-threat at the plate and on the mound during his four-year career at Martin Luther. He was a two-time All-UMAC First Team selection and the 2014 Co-Pitcher of the Year. That same season he was also named ABCA All-Region Third Team. In 2013, he led the Knights to their only postseason appearance during the NCAA era. Ziel is the program leaders in strikeouts (205) and innings pitched (200.2). Offensively, he is fourth in career hits (117) and runs scored (68).
Coach of The Decade
Corey Kemp, College of St. Scholastica
Kemp has led St. Scholastica to unmatched success during the first 10 years of NCAA Division III membership for the UMAC. Under his direction, the Saints won nine-straight UMAC regular season titles (2010-2018) and eight-consecutive tournament championships (2010-2017). The Saints qualified for eight-straight NCAA regional tournaments recording two regional wins four times. Kemp has been voted by his peers as Coach of the Year in five seasons and has coached six UMAC Player of the Year honorees.
Team of The Decade
College of St. Scholastica, 2017
The 2017 St. Scholastica baseball team recorded a perfect 16-0 conference season and won both the UMAC regular and postseason championships. The Saints finished 34-10 that season and went 2-2 in the NCAA Regional tournament. During the regular season, the Saints recorded four victories over nationally-ranked programs including No. 11 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In the UMAC tournament, the Saints outscored opponents 30-3 with the three runs tied for the fewest runs allowed in a conference tournament in program history. The team members were Martin Alcoverde, August Anderson, Seth Anderson, Riley Bernsdorf, Trevor Bernsdorf, Ben Christofferson, Drew Colvard, Jared Davidson, Tyler Duex, Jacob Dzubay, James Fuerniss, Jake Fugere, Joe Gonrowski, Adam Grotbo, Matthew Grove, Michael Grove, Derek Haedrich, Dan Hansen, Braydon Hanson, Matt Hanson, Kevin Kunik, Haydn lanoue, Jeff LeMay, Tommy Lentz, Luke McKeon, Brian Minks, Tim Munn, Steven Neutzling, Chris Olson, Eric Pearson, Nick Peterson, Michael Piletich, Thomas Revering, Grant Rindal, Isaac Rocha, Kevin Sampson, Jake Sande, Drew Sathrum, Jake Seibert, Sam Sorenson, Alek Stone, Jordan Thompson, Jake Turner, Cole Tyman, Aaron Weber, Conor Wollenzien, Aidan Zurn and Joey Zwak. Head coach was Corey Kemp.
*Only seasons a student-athlete competed during the 10-Year timeframe (2009-2018 for baseball) in the UMAC are listed.
Throughout 2018-19, the UMAC will recognize individual athletes and one coach for each conference sport on All-Decade Teams and name one team as Team of the Decade. Individuals and teams were nominated by UMAC full and associate member institutions and the teams were selected by a committee of administrators and coaches from the UMAC. The All-Decade recognition is part of the UMAC "10-Year Celebration" commemorating the first 10 years of NCAA Division III membership for the UMAC.
All-Decade Team Archives
"10-Year Celebration" Page