BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – With the 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) season in the books, the conference announced its annual baseball awards on Tuesday.

The Cardinals made headlines for not only the upset of the playoff tournament but for notching six conference postseason awards. 

Earning the prestigious All-Conference honors is senior Gavan Schulte, junior Connor Tulley, and freshman Connor Olson. Nodding Honorable Mention honors is senior Josh Costello, junior Kasey Carlson, and freshman Brady Patten.

Schulte, the left fielder from Sartell, Minn., is making his postseason awards debut on top. He played in all but one game this season recording a batting average of .313, second on the team in hits with a total of 45, and tied the team high in runs with 28 scored. He had a season best four RBI's against Trine and a season best four putouts in the season finale against Saint John's. The Cardinal received player of the week honors during the opening weekend and received All-Academic Honors in the fall.

Tulley, the right handed pitcher from St. Charles, Minn., is picking up back-to-back All-Conference honors for making his mark on the mound in his 11 appearances, 10 starts. He earned four wins this season striking out 34 limiting his opponents to a .294 batting average, and faced over 200 batters. The junior is also an academic weapon receiving academic All-Academic honors this fall.

Ringing around the All-Conference honors is right handed pitcher Olson. The freshman from Menasha, Wis., made 14 appearances, his first career chance was against Wartburg on March 2, where he pitched an inning and recorded a strikeout. He went on to strikeout 21 total batters and picked up two wins and a save, limiting his opponents to a .234 batting average. Olson recorded a season best five strikeouts in the win against Hamline.

Receiving his first postseason award with an Honorable Mention honor is the short-stop from Victoria, Minn., Costello. Costello has been a crucial piece to the Cardinals offense and defense his career. This season, he played and started in all 42 games where he had a team high .328 batting average and led the team in RBI's at 29 and runs scored at 28. He recorded 137 assists and turned 28 double plays.

Carlson, from Rochester, Minn., is earning his first conference award with an Honorable Mention honor after making 12 appearances at the mound. He racked up a team best seven wins this season, which leads the conference, and struck out 32 batters. Carlson's opponents recorded a batting average of .247 across the 198 batters faced and recorded a WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) of just 1.08.

Patten, the right-handed pitcher from Verona, Minn., rounds out the Honorable Mention honors with his first conference recognition after making 14 appearances on the mound. He recorded an ERA of 2.05 while striking out eight but was a crucial piece to the Cardinals opening MIAC baseball playoff win over Bethel, his second of the season. Patten led the conference in saves with an astonishing five saves.

After falling to the eventual MIAC Champs, the Macalester Scots', the Cardinals claimed two players to the MIAC Baseball All-Playoff team.

Daniel Sherman and Dom Najacht earned these honors for playing a key role in getting the Cardinals past the Royals and almost clinching the come-from-behind win over the Johnnies. 

Sherman, the senior from Richfield, Wis., is earning his first conference recognition after having some of his best at bats of the season. He went 10-for-13 from the plate, a batting average of .769, and recorded two RBI's while crossing the plate six times over three games. He assisted on seven putouts and was the energy guy all weekend.

Najacht earned his first postseason awards as a freshman. The second baseman from Madison, Wis., turned three double plays against the Royals in the Cardinals game one win with a perfect fielding percentage over three games. At the plate, five RBI's and batted an average of .455 (5-for-11) while stealing two bases.

The Cardinals closed out their 25 win in the MIAC Baseball Playoffs, their first appearance since the 2024 season, and a 12-8 conference record. It was all with the help of these Cardinals.