May 5, 2026 – Emporia State baseball had four First Team All-MIAA selections, while Colby Deaver was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year and Evan Abbott was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Logan Myers, Noah Steele and Grant Huffman along with Deaver were First Team selections, while Myers and Deaver were both unanimously selected.

Colby Deaver was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year along with a unanimous First Team selection. The sophomore from Blue Springs, Missouri led the MIAA in ERA (1.45), WHIP (0.84), strikeouts (86) and innings pitched (87.0) while posting a 10-2 record, which is tied for the best mark in the association. Deaver also leads the nation in ERA, WHIP, walks allowed per nine innings (1.03) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.60). He has posted nine quality starts, seven outings with eight or more strikeouts and six with no walks allowed. Deaver is the first Hornet since Seth Holman in 2018 to be named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year.

Logan Myers was unanimously selected First Team All-MIAA at Second Base, while also earning the Gold Glove at the position. Myers holds a .411 batting average which ranks fourth in the association, while tallying 21 doubles, 37 RBI, 66 runs and a .550 OBP from the leadoff spot this season. In addition to his ability at the plate, Myers has excelled in the field with a 1.000 fielding percentage while being involved in 32 double plays, the most by any non-first basemen in the league.

Noah Steele was named First Team All-MIAA at First Base. Steele has been one of the best hitters in the MIAA this season, posting a .397 average and .546 OBP, while tallying career-highs in home runs (16), RBI (65), walks (44), runs scored (58) and steals (11). Steele ranks third in home runs and RBI, while being tied for fourth in the association with Logan Myers in walks. Steele has 31 home runs for the Hornets over the past two seasons, which ranks fifth in program history.

Grant Huffman was named First Team All-MIAA as a relief pitcher, earning the lone spot for relievers. Huffman has anchored the Hornet bullpen with a 1.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP this season along with eight saves, all which leads all relievers in the association. Huffman’s eight saves are tied for seventh-most in the nation and the senior from Lee’s Summit, Missouri also holds a 3-0 record, which includes the win in the regular season finale against Northeastern State. Huffman made 20 relief appearances in the regular season, with 16 outings resulting in no earned runs for the opposition, including six with multiple shutout innings.

Evan Abbott was named Third Team All-MIAA in the outfield, along with being named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Abbott’s selection as the MIAA Freshman of the Year marks the third time in the past five seasons the honor has been awarded to an Emporia State freshman. Abbott hit .345 with a .421 OBP in the regular season, while tallying 15 doubles, eight home runs, 52 RBI and 68 hits in total. He recorded 20 multi-hit games, including ten with three or more and had seven games with four or more RBI.

Emporia State equaled Pittsburg State with four players on the First Team, and the four players to earn First Team honors is the most since four Hornets earned the honor in the 2015 season.

Emporia State will take on Missouri Southern in the MIAA Quarterfinals on Thursday, May 7 at Wendell Simmons Field in Edmond, Oklahoma. First pitch between the Hornets and Lions is scheduled for 7:00 pm. and will be the final quarterfinal matchup of the day.