DALLAS (NCBWA) – Performances that saw a .727 on-base percentage, a program record 19 strikeouts and three homers to set a program single season record captured the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III honors for the week of April 21-27.
HITTER OF THE WEEK
Swarthmore College (Pennsylvania) sophomore Brad Johnston posted a .727 on-base percentage while hitting .625 and slugging 1.563. Johnston hit five homers and drove home 14 while crossing the plate 13 times in four games. The Newtown Square, Pa. resident homered in all four contests and twice recorded a five-RBI showing.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Mac Ciocco, Sr., DH, Penn State Behrend (Pennsylvania) drove home 19 runs over six contests and slashed .609/.654/1.130, racking up 14 hits to go with six doubles, two homers and 10 runs scored. Ciocco posted five multi-hit performances.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
SUNY-Cortland (New York) southpaw Luis Misla set a single-game program record by striking out 19 batters during a 5-1 victory over Plattsburgh State. Misla took a no-hitter into the ninth innings and was one out away before allowing three consecutive singles. The Tampa, Fla. native allowed just an unearned run to earn his eighth win of the season. During the victory, Misla crossed 200 career strikeouts, becoming the eighth player in program history to achieve the feat. Misla is the first pitcher in Cortland history to own two games with 16 or more strikeouts and has fanned double digit batters in six contests.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Nebraska Wesleyan University senior Theo Hughes threw a complete game shutout on senior day, allowing just two hits. Hughes fanned 13 of the 31 batters faced in tossing the first complete game shutout for Nebraska Wesleyan since 2023. The 13 strikeouts were the most by an individual in over a decade.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Bethany Lutheran College (Minnesota) freshman first baseman Xander Meissner earned his third award of the year and his first solo honor by connecting on three more homers to raise his season total to a program record 12, best among all freshmen around the country. Half of Meissner’s six hits were for homers. The Parker, Colo. native drove home nine and scored eight times while drawing four free passes to reach base at a .625 clip.
2025 NCBWA DIVISION PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
• Month of February: Dane Camphausen, Case Western Reserve (Hitter); Nick Tarantino, Millsaps (Pitcher); Ian Swanson, Methodist, North Carolina (Rookie)
• Week of February 24-March 2: Caleb Gray, Whitworth (Hitter); Jacob Davis, Kalamazoo (Pitcher); Aiden Berg, Martin Luther (Rookie)
• Week of March 3-9: Jack Gold, Pomona-Pitzer (Hitter); Mark Eddie, Buena Vista (Pitcher); Xander Meissner, Bethany Lutheran (Co-Rookie); Carson Orvis, Kalamazoo (Co-Rookie)
• Week of March 10-16: Brendan Tabor, Anderson (Hitter); Robert Nathan, William Paterson (Pitcher); Ethan McDonald, Eureka (Rookie)
• Week of March 17-23: Hunter Strong, Spalding (Hitter); Townsend Stevenson, Washington-St. Louis (Pitcher); Emerson Alberhasky, Wartburg (Rookie)
• Week of March 24-30: Andrew Rajkovich, Wisconsin-La Crosse (Hitter); Sam Fairhurst, Catholic (Co-Pitcher); Dalton Pickett, LeTourneau (Co-Pitcher); Graham Kasten, Concordia University Wisconsin (Co-Rookie); Xander Meissner, Bethany Lutheran (Co-Rookie)
• Week of March 31-April 6: John Spivey, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Hitter/Rookie); Cole Giesige, Albion (Pitcher)
• Week of April 7-13: Dane Jones, LeTourneau (Hitter); Jack Spring, Wooster (Pitcher); Nick Fassert, Amherst (Rookie)
• Week of April 14-20: Harry Genth, Haverford (Hitter); Jack Martin, Ramapo (Pitcher); Christopher Mondesir, Worcester State (Rookie)
• Week of April 21-27: Brad Johnston, Swarthmore (Hitter); Luis Misla, Cortland State (Pitcher); Xander Meissner, Bethany Lutheran (Rookie)