The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat baseball team celebrated academic success, with nine players recognized by the MIAA for their achievements on and off the field. Notably, senior pitcher Jayme Fritts achieved the prestigious MIAA Academic Excellence Award with a perfect 4.00 GPA, enhancing the team's reputation for academic excellence. The awards also highlighted the performance of senior pitcher Ben Haug, who earned Scholar-Athlete recognition due to his 3.63 GPA and All-MIAA honors in 2026. Overall, the conference recognized 163 student-athletes, with nine Bearcats making the Academic Honor Roll for maintaining GPAs of 3.00 or above.

By the Numbers
  • 10 individuals received the MIAA Academic Excellence Award.
  • 163 student-athletes were named to the Academic Honor Roll, including nine Bearcats.
State of Play
  • The Bearcat baseball program has a strong emphasis on academic achievement alongside athletic performance.
  • Recognition from the MIAA enhances both the reputation of the players and the university.
What's Next

The Bearcat baseball team will continue to strive for excellence both in athletics and academics, potentially increasing the number of student-athlete recognitions next season. Continued performance may lead to even higher team accolades in both categories.

Bottom Line

The academic achievements of the Bearcat baseball team underscore the significant balance between sports and education, showcasing that success on the field can go hand in hand with stellar academic performance.