| J.P. Feyereisen represented
UW-Stevens Point on the 2014 D3baseball.com preseason All-American
team. UWSP photo by Jack McLaughin |
By Ryan Smith
for D3baseball.com
The Midwest is once again stacked with a number of teams that can contend not only to be the best team in the region, but potentially in the country.
The WIAC looks to be one of the elite conferences in the nation in 2014. UW-Stevens Point enters the season as the fourth-ranked team in the D3baseball.com preseason Top 25 following a deep run in the world series last May. The Pointers will get a challenge from conference foe and defending WIAC regular season champs, No. 15 UW-Whitewater. The WIAC might have a dark horse contender in UW-Oshkosh. The Titans finished third in 2013 and will be sparked by new head coach, Kevin Tomasiewicz, who replaces Tom Lechnir after 25 seasons.
St. Thomas looks to defend its MIAC crown and could end up being the best team in the region as the Tommies will begin 2014 as the No. 9 team in the preseason rankings. Concordia-Chicago won 39 games a season ago and will begin the season firmly within The top 25 at No. 16. The Cougars are the favorites to repeat as NACC champs.
| St. Scholastica will play
four of their first six games against teams that made the 2013 NCAA
playoffs. St. Scholastica photo by Ryan Coleman |
St. Scholastica will start the season outside of the top 25 but the Saints still won’t be sneaking up on anyone, as they look to extend their streak of consecutive UMAC titles to 18. When the dust settles and all is said and done, look for the Pointers to be the last team standing again in 2014.
New Faces
Nick Bursik, UW-Superior: The Yellowjackets promoted Bursik last July to be the head coach on an interim basis. An alum of Superior, Bursik pitched for the Yellowjackets and was the team's pitcher of the year in 2011. He spent last season as an assistant, working with the pitching staff.
Ernie May, Northland: May becomes the head man for the Lumberjacks in 2014 with more than 20 years of collegiate experience having coached at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels. Most recently May has served as an assistant coach at Trinity (Conn.) and during his tenure, the Trinity Bantams qualified for the 2012 NCAA Division III World Series.
Eddy Morgan, Concordia (Wis.): Morgan comes to the Falcons from UW-Superior, where he is the school’s all-time leader in career victories. In seven seasons at the helm, Morgan guided the Yellowjackets to 105 wins. The Yellowjackets went just 3-35 in 2006 before Morgan inherited the program.
Stein Rear, Carroll: Rear comes to Carroll after serving three years as the head coach at Northland, where he compiled a 41-64 record. Rear inherited a program that had just five returning players in 2011. Prior to his stint at Northland, Rear spent five seasons on the coaching staff at his alma mater, UW-Whitewater.
Kevin Tomasiewicz, UW-Oshkosh: For the first time since 1988, someone other than Tom Lechnir will be standing in the dugout for the Titans. As a standout pitcher at UW-Whitewater, Tomasiewicz became the WIAC all-time leader in victories with 35. Tomasiewicz spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at North Park where the Vikings qualified for the 2012 regionals. Tomasiewicz will be charged with replacing Lechnir, who put together a 728-292-1 record and led Oshkosh to the 1994 national championship.
Conference Summaries
| If Steve Maher regains his
2012 form, St. Thomas could find themselves with a walnut and
bronze for their trophy case. d3photography.com photo by Ryan Coleman |
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The St. Thomas Tommies (34-7, 19-1 MIAC) ran away with the MIAC title and were considered amongst the favorites to take home the national title, but a 7-3 loss to Case Western Reserve ended the Tommies' season. This year, St. Thomas comes in ranked No. 9 in the D3baseball.com preseason top 25, and looks to cash in another MIAC title and contend for a national championship. The Tommies boast three players tabbed as second team All-Americans this preseason, catcher J.D. Dorgan (.365), outfielder Tim Kuzniar (.387) and starting pitcher Steve Maher (4-2, 2.53 ERA).
Augsburg finished second in MIAC play in 2013 with an 11-9 mark in conference play. The Auggies return infielders Ryan Sward (.363) and Gordan Kappers (.323) as well as pitcher Tyler Beck (5-4, 4.83). 2013 All-Midwest Region outfielder Gary Mariscal (.370, .978 fielding percentage) will return for his senior campaign. Augsburg will have to replace the production of an All-Region caliber player in second baseman Louie LaChappelle.
Concordia-Moorhead also finished 11-9 last season and will look to challenge St. Thomas for the top spot in MIAC play. This season will be the end of an era for the Cobbers as coach Bucky Burgau, the MIAC all-time wins leader, announced he will be retiring following this season, his 36th as coach. Burgau will rely on left fielder Devin Johnson (.390) to carry the Cobbers this season.
Bethel returns 10 starters from their 2013 squad but lost the services of outfielder/pitcher Matt Rowley. The Royals will need for their pitching staff to mature in a hurry as they will be starting the season with all sophomores in the rotation. Mike Schultz, a catcher and designated hitter, is Bethel's best hitter returning in 2014.
| Steve Cox had a school record
13 saves in 2013 for Concordia-Chicago. Concordia-Chicago athletics photo |
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (formerly the NATHC) added a word to its name this season and will be referred to as the NACC for 2013-14 and beyond. The conference features several strong programs at the top, but Concordia-Chicago is the clear front-runner again. The Cougars finished 2013 with a record of 39-7 (18-4 NATHC) and begin 2014 ranked No. 16 in the D3baseball.com preseason top 25 poll. Concordia is led offensively by Dan Eichholzer (.378 career average), a first team All-NATHC player in 2012, who is back after missing most of last season. The Cougars are led on the mound by second team All-American closer Steve Cox, who had a school record 13 saves in 2013. Concordia’s top starter is Dan Kluss (8-1, 2.49 ERA), a first team All-NATHC performer last season.
Benedictine looks to challenge the Cougars after a runner-up campaign in 2013. The Eagles finished the season 32-12 and just one game back of Concordia in NATHC play with a 17-5 mark. Chris Jordan (5-2, 2.15 ERA) is the reigning conference pitcher of the year and sits atop the Eagles' rotation. Outfielder Tim Hendricks (.422, 78 hits), a first team all-conference player, returns to give Benedictine some offense.
The Aurora Spartans also look to take home the conference crown following a third place finish a season ago. The Spartans (25-13, 17-5 NATHC) return All-NATHC performer Eric Palmer, who had a 3-1 record to go with a 2.40 ERA and 53 strikeouts. Aurora also return second team All-NATHC shortstop Tanner Oymaian (.363, 22 stolen bases).
Rockford should stay near the top of the conference standings in 2014. The Regents bring back third baseman Cole Logemann among eight of their starting nine. Add in four of five starters plus their closer from 2013 and you have a team that has title aspirations in 2014.
The Falcons of Concordia (Wis.) will be hoping that new head coach Eddy Morgan will be able to duplicate his success with UW-Superior. Concordia (Wis.) finished a game ahead of Wisconsin Lutheran in the conference standings but it was the Warriors that put a run together in the conference tournament. With most of the starting rotation back Wisconsin Lutheran could be a dark horse contender in the NACC.
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference
The WIAC once again is shaping up to be a conference with serious national contenders. The conference features two top 15 teams in the D3baseball.com preseason poll. UW-Whitewater, the WIAC regular season champs from 2013, are ranked No. 15 while UW-Stevens Point, fresh off of a deep World Series run, is ranked as the No. 4 team in the country. The Pointers will carry one of the best rotations in the nation featuring the past two WIAC Pitchers of the Year. J.P. Feyereisen (7-2, 2.69 ERA), a D3baseball.com honorable mention All-American, took that title in 2013. The 2012 winner, Cam Seidl (5-3, 1.67 ERA in 2012), returns after sitting out last season with Tommy John surgery. Rightfielder Jimmy Coady (.390, 51 RBI) returns after being named the MVP of the Midwest Regional.
| Jared Fon will be key to
UW-Whitewater's chances in 2014. UW-Whitewater athletics photo |
UW-Whitewater looks to defend its conference title and advance to the NCAA World Series. The Warhawks will be led by third baseman Jared Fon (.354 average) and centerfielder Dylan Friend (.357), both All-WIAC selections a year ago. The pitching staff will be anchored by Scott Plaza (6-1, 2.60 ERA). The biggest challenge for the Warhawks will be trying to replace first baseman Marty Herum, who signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The UW-Oshkosh Titans will aim to continue their rebuilding project with Tomasiewicz at the helm. Oshkosh has the luxury of outfielder Bobby Kachel (.386, 11 home runs) returning in the middle of the order. Kachel is a D3baseball.com honorable mention preseason All-American. Oshkosh also returns Michael Swift, who hit .409 a season ago. The Titans have to replace third team All-American Tyler Kamps (.388), Doug Beattie (.358), and Michael Polcyn (.377), who transferred to Ripon. Oshkosh returns its top two pitchers in Joe Pavlovich (5-1, 4.15 ERA) and Travis Sindles (4-1, 5.66 ERA) as well as the addition of Ben Messenger (5-1, 3.91 ERA), a transfer from UW-Stevens Point.
UW-La Crosse had a Cinderella run in 2012 but last season fell behind the big three (Stevens Point, Whitewater, and Oshkosh). With four tough opponents to start the season, the Eagles will know quickly how their 2014 season will be headed. UW-Superior will start the season with a new head coach with their program leader in wins have left in the summer for Concordia (Wis.). UW-Stout was one of four teams in the WIAC with a sub .500 conference record. With all their regular starters with at least 30 starts graduated, the Blue Devils will join UW-Superior and UW-Platteville again at the bottom of the conference standings.
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
It was the same old song in the UMAC in 2013, as St. Scholastica claimed its 17th consecutive conference title since joining the league in 1997. The Saints are once again set up to defend their UMAC title, after rolling through conference play with a 14-0 record. The Saints lose five first team All-UMAC players from a year ago, but still figure to be the best team in the conference behind the bats of Austin Colvard (.342), the UMAC Rookie of the Year, and Pad Getchell (.333) and the arm of closer Thomas Rogers (1.96 ERA). St. Scholastica must replace UMAC Player of the Year Kyle Flagstad.
Northwestern finished second a year ago, going 10-4 in UMAC play. The Eagles look to knock off St. Scholastica behind the arm of Andy Peterson (6-3, 2.52 ERA), a first team all-conference performer a season ago. Northwestern also returns Bryan McCallum (.352), a first team All-UMAC utility man.
Minn-Morris brings back 13 players from its 2013 squad, including seven from the starting nine. After finishing at the back of the conference standings with Crown and North Central (Minn.), the Cougars will need to find a rebuild their rotation if they want to improve in 2014.