ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris baseball team had seven student-athletes earn Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) All-Conference honors, as announced Wednesday, May 13.
 
In his second season at Minnesota Morris, Bradie Black was named First Team UMAC All-Conference for the second year in a row. The senior shortstop batted .311 and had the best OPS on the team at .994. Black tallied 41 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 28 RBIs, and scored 27 runs. One highlight of the season was his walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning against Martin Luther College, helping him earn D3baseball.com Team of the Week honors.
 
"Bradie grew into a tremendous leader for our program this season," said head coach Matt O'Brien. "He led by example with the energy and passion he played with every day, but he also constantly kept our team going with his positivity and belief in the people around him. In my opinion, he was the best shortstop in the conference, and your best players make big plays in big moments. Being named to the D3baseball.com Team of the Week showed exactly the type of impact he had on winning baseball games for us."
 
Ben Meuser was named First Team UMAC All-Conference for the fourth time in his career. The senior from Burnsville, Minn., finished second on the team with a batting average of .326, totaling 45 hits, nine doubles, two triples, and six home runs. Meuser added to his program record with 33 RBIs to finish his career with 160 at Minnesota Morris.
 
"Ben will go down as one of the best athletes in Cougar Baseball history," stated O'Brien "What made him so valuable was his willingness to do whatever the team needed to win. He moved from first base to the outfield and became a two-time All-Conference outfielder after already earning All-Conference honors as an infielder, which speaks to both his athleticism and selflessness. I also thought he was the most feared hitter in our conference because of the way he could change a game with one swing or one big moment."
 
Breckin Silvain earned his second First Team UMAC All-Conference honor. The senior from Omaha, Neb., appeared in 18 games, pitching 32.1 innings with a 4.73 ERA. Silvain tied the program record for saves in a season with seven and ranks in the top 20 in all of Division III. Over the season, he struck out 31 batters to finish his career with 109 strikeouts, the fifth most in program history.
 
"Breckin Silvain had a historic season for our program," said O'Brien. "To make 18 appearances and throw over 30 innings out of the bullpen is asking a lot from a relief pitcher, but Breck embraced every opportunity we gave him. He's a winner, and he proved that all season by tying the school record for saves with seven, adding two wins, and closing out the first postseason victory in UMAC Tournament history for our program. In my opinion, he was the best reliever in our conference this season and should absolutely be recognized as an all-region performer as well."
 
Ryan McGie earned his second First Team UMAC All-Conference honor. McGie was dominant on both sides of the ball. At the plate, the senior batted .324 with 24 hits, six doubles, one triple, and three home runs. He also added 19 RBIs and scored 13 runs. On the mound, McGie led the team in wins with five and had a team-best 4.26 ERA. He threw 44.1 innings, recorded two complete games, and struck out 36 batters.
 
"Ryan McGie was outstanding down the stretch for us and pitched his best baseball when the stakes were the highest," stated O'Brien. "Over his final four starts, he went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA, allowing just six earned runs over 34 2/3 innings while striking out 36 hitters and walking only four. Ryan gave us confidence every time he took the mound, and he'll always be remembered as the starting pitcher in the first UMAC postseason win in program history."
 
For the first time in his career, Landen Meyerdirk was named First Team UMAC All-Conference. The junior center fielder batted .309 with 42 hits, eight doubles, one triple, and two home runs. Meyerdirk totaled 17 RBIs, led the team in runs scored with 37, and stole a team-best 23 bases. In the outfield, Meyerdirk was perfect on 103 chances, not committing an error, helping lead UMM to the best fielding percentage in program history.
 
"We asked a lot of Landen Meyerdirk this season, and he embraced every challenge that came with it," said O'Brien. "As our leadoff hitter and starting center fielder in 38 of our 40 games, he impacted the game in so many ways for us. He led our team in runs scored and stolen bases while finishing third in total bases, and his ability to create pressure offensively was a huge part of our success. Defensively, I truly believe he is the best center fielder in all of Division III baseball."
 
In his sophomore season, Travis Godfrey earned UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. On the mound, he started 11 games, leading the team in innings pitched with 55 and strikeouts with 47. Godfrey posted a 3-5 record with a 6.38 ERA and threw one complete game.
 
In his first season with Minnesota Morris, Kellan Oligmueller was named UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention. He led the team with a .354 batting average, totaling 35 hits, six doubles, and one home run. Oligmueller also tallied 17 RBIs and scored 21 runs.
 
Andrew Franson was named to the UMAC All-Sportsmanship Team.