FRISCO, Texas – McNeese right-handed pitcher Eric Nachtsheim is the 2026 Southland Conference Baseball Student-Athlete of the Year, the league announced Thursday. The announcement comes along with the release of the academic all-conference teams.
Nachtsheim compiled a 8-4 win-loss record, 129 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA. He was named the 2026 SLC Relieft Pitcher of the Year and was a first team All-SLC selection. Nachtsheim was named to the College Baseball Foundation's initial National Pitcher of the Year award watch list in March and named to Baseball America's Week 4 National Team of the Week.
Nachtsheim finished with a 3.97 GPA, majoring in Pre-Medicine.
The All-Academic teams are nominated by head coaches, sports information directors and academic/compliance staff members from each Southland Conference institution. Student-athletes must possess a 3.25 cumulative GPA, have completed one full semester at the nominating institution to qualify for All-Academic selection, and have competed in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests on the season, excluding pitchers. Student-Athlete of the Year nominees must have earned at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least one semester at the nominating institution.
2026 Southland Baseball Student-Athlete of the Year: Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese, Sr., 3.97 GPA
2026 Southland Baseball All-Academic Team
Luke Bard, HCU, Sr., 3.68 GPA
Louis Castano, HCU, Sr., 3.85 GPA
Levi Castilleja, HCU, Sr., 3.85 GPA
Nico DeFazio, HCU, Sr., 3.32 GPA
Katcher Halligan, HCU, Gr., 3.57 GPA
Drake Anderson, UIW, Gr., 3.45 GPA
Christian Enriquez, UIW, Gr., 3.92 GPA
Cole Tabor, UIW, Sr., 3.47 GPA
Colin Cymbalista, UIW, Sr., 3.53 GPA
Preston Newberry, UIW, R-Jr., 3.40 GPA
Travis Lutz, Lamar, Sr., 4.00 GPA
Tab Tracy, Lamar, Sr., 3.84 GPA
Beau Durbin, Lamar, Sr., 3.80 GPA
Ethan Oceguera, Lamar, Sr., 3.79 GPA
Jarret Williams, Lamar, Fr., 3.41 GPA
Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese, Sr., 3.97 GPA *
Jakob Blackwell, McNeese, Sr., 3.97 GPA
Brady Corcoran, McNeese, So., 3.73 GPA
Parker Morgan, McNeese, Sr., 3.85 GPA
Connor Walker, McNeese, Fr., 3.91 GPA
Eli Tidwell, UNO, Jr., 3.91 GPA
Dathan Cummings, UNO, So., 3.90 GPA
Dylan Biddick, UNO, Jr., 3.60 GPA
Owen Smith, UNO, Jr., 3.56 GPA
Luke Lycette, UNO, Sr., 3.33 GPA
Caston Thompson, Nicholls, Jr., 3.91 GPA
Carter Jenkins, Nicholls, Sr., 3.83 GPA
Dawson Richard, Nicholls, Jr., 3.79 GPA
Greyson Shafer, Nicholls, Sr., 3.68 GPA
Casey Artigues, Nicholls, Sr., 3.48 GPA
Brooks Leonard, NWST, Jr., 3.59 GPA
Joe Siervo, NWST, Sr., 3.42 GPA
JT Simonelli, NWST, Jr., 3.92 GPA
Jacob LeBlanc, NWST, So., 3.67 GPA
Cater White, NWST, So., 4.00 GPA
Blake Lobell, SLU, Sr., 3.64 GPA
Peyton Woods, SLU, Jr., 3.73 GPA *
Connor Cuff, SLU, Jr., 3.36 GPA
Logan Freche, SLU, Fr., 3.50 GPA
Mark Henning, SFA, Sr., 3.91 GPA
Jhett Creel, SFA, Jr., 3.67 GPA *
Jack James, SFA, Sr., 3.79 GPA
Cody Templeton, SFA, Sr., 3.87 GPA
Brennan Greer, SFA, Jr., 3.57 GPA
Chase Mayer, TAMUCC, Jr., 3.50 GPA
Cade Sanchez, TAMUCC, Sr., 3.41 GPA *
Christian Smith-Johnson, TAMUCC, Sr., 3.36 GPA
Isaiah Afework, TAMUCC, Jr., 3.80 GPA
Easten Smith, TAMUCC, Sr., 3.42 GPA
Rocco Garza Gongora, UTRGV, R-Jr., 3.56 GPA
Armani Raygoza, UTRGV, R-Jr., 3.43 GPA *
Julius Ramirez, UTRGV, Jr., 3.33 GPA
Thomas Williams, UTRGV, R-Sr., 3.48 GPA
Easton Moomau, UTRGV, Jr., 3.69 GPA
*First Team All-Conference Selection