Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin – After a record-setting season, the Grinnell College baseball program claimed three of the four major awards as the All-MWC Baseball honors were announced on Thursday morning.
The Pioneers’ Stuart Cash was named Position Player of the Year, while Cash’s teammate, Connor Pink, was honored as the league’s Newcomer of the Year and Grinnell head coach Tim Hollibaugh was selected as Coach of the Year. Beloit College’s Ben Schweit was recognized as the Pitcher of the Year.
Cash exploded onto the scene for one of the league’s most potent offenses. In just 17 conference games, Cash led the MWC in batting average (.464), on-base percentage (.554) and stolen bases (20). He was also second in OPS (1.395) and slugging percentage (.841) while holding top five marks in home runs (6) and total bases (58).
Schweit was one of the conference’s top pitchers all season long. He started six conference games across a league-high 45.2 innings while throwing three complete games – the rest of the MWC only combined for two. He paced the conference in walks allowed (4), strikeouts (45) and strikeouts looking (25). Schweit was also top five in the MWC in ERA (second, 2.76), saves (fourth, 1), runs allowed (t-fourth, 18), earned runs allowed (t-third, 14), home runs allowed (t-third, 1) and batting average against (fifth, .261).
Pink started 14 MWC contests and made 16 appearances, hitting .404 (tied for seventh in the MWC). He had an OPS of .960, slugging .500 with 11 RBI, 18 runs, six walks and two stolen bases. On the mound, he recorded three saves in MWC play -- second-most in the conference.
Hollibaugh led Grinnell to a trio of firsts in 2026 – the Pioneers won their first ever Midwest Conference regular season title, first ever tournament title and secured their first ever NCAA Tournament berth in the process. With last Saturday’s victory in the MWC Tournament championship, Hollibaugh earned his 500th career win to become the second coach in MWC history to win 500 career games at one school. At 26-15 overall (16-5 MWC), the Pioneers head to Granville, Ohio this weekend (May 15-17) for NCAA Regionals at #1 Denison.
The full list of individual major awards and All-Conference Team selections can be found below.
2026 Midwest Conference Baseball All-Conference & Major Awards
Pitcher of the Year
Ben Schweit, Beloit
Position Player of the Year
Stuart Cash, Grinnell
Newcomer of the Year
Connor Pink, Grinnell
Coach of the Year
Tim Hollibaugh, Grinnell
First Team All-Conference
CJ Filipek, Lawrence University (First Base/Junior)
Ketch Mills, Illinois College (FIrst Base/Sophomore)
Ben Schweit, Beloit College (Pitcher/Junior)
Wyatt Raymond, Grinnell College (Outfield/Sophomore)
Connor Goodson, Grinnell College (First Base/Senior)
Stuart Cash, Grinnell College (Third Base/Junior)
Tyler Barker, Illinois College (Outfield/Senior)
Jack Alport, Beloit College (Outfield/Senior)
Aidan Parkins, Monmouth College (Third Base/Senior)
Will Lyng, Beloit College (Pitcher/Sophomore)
Nate Walker, Illinois College (Utility/Senior)
Nikolas Ruden, Grinnell College (Second Base/Senior)
Logan Fleener, Illinois College (Outfield/Junior)
Nathan Zumbrunnen, Lawrence University (Pitcher/Sophomore)
Second Team All-Conference
Caleb Smith, Cornell College (First Base, Outfield/Junior)
Crete Slattery, Ripon College (Utility/Junior)
Nicholas Muskopf, Illinois College (Shortstop/Junior)
Nate Pacetti, Cornell College (Pitcher/Senior)
Aiden Scott, Monmouth College (Third Base/Senior)
Jace Wilkerson, Monmouth College (First Base/Junior)
Chase Schrader, Illinois College (PItcher/Junior)
Aiden Wood, Beloit College (Designated Hitter/Sophomore)
Seth Brankey, Beloit College (Outfield/Junior)
Sage Beebe-Jenny, Lawrence University (Outfield/Sophomore)
Zach Almaguer, Monmouth College (Catcher/Sophomore)
Anthony Buonaura, Illinois College (Pitcher/Junior)
Ben Gutowski, Lawrence University (Outfield/Senior)
Brady Wotruba, Ripon College (Pitcher/Sophomore)