GREENSBORO, N.C. – The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) along with Rawlings announced its 2025 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II Regional Awards, as Lewis second baseman Mikey Kocen was awarded Midwest Region Player of the Year and 17 other Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) players earned spots on the All-Region teams. GLVC student-athletes made up 18 of the 34 individuals recognized.
Kocen recorded his third Midwest Region Player of the Year honor to his trophy case after being named the Midwest Region Player of the Year for both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) and now ABCA. Kocen was also named GLVC Player of the Year for his performance this season. The second baseman played in 53 out of the possible 55 contests for the Flyers after leading the team with a .407 batting average, 79 hits, 61 runs scored, 16 doubles and four triples. Kocen also hit 19 home runs and 63 runs batted in which ranked second on the team.
Lewis featured the most First Team honorees, with outfielder George Bilecki and pitcher Brendan Lawry joining Kocen on the list. Illinois Springfield boasted two individuals on the First Team – catcher Ivan Dahlberg and relief pitcher Seth Masters. Drury third baseman Jackson Crider, Indianapolis outfielder Austin Bode, and William Jewell utility player Jordan Phillips claimed spots, as well, to give the league seven representatives on the First Team.
UIS was the lone team with multiple honorees on the Second Team, as first baseman Mark Kattula and pitcher Mark DeCicco received recognition for the Prairie Stars. Rounding out conference representation on the list was Drury second baseman Wyatt Morgan, Lewis third baseman Cole Nelson, McKendree infielder Peyton Bittle, Rockhurst utilityman Michael Laudando, Maryville hurler Braden Smith, and a trio of outfielders – Missouri S&T's Drew Baugus, Quincy's Matt Mateo, and Upper Iowa's Gunnar Wicklund.