Dagen Brewer, a senior outfielder for Pittsburg State University, has been crowned the Ron Lenz Player of the Year by the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association, a honor that underscores his dominant performance this season.
Bacon’s Breakout Season
Joining Brewer on the national stage, junior outfielder Eric Bacon also earned recognition, being voted to the third‑team D2CCA All‑America squad. Bacon posted a .404 average, scored 87 runs, logged 17 doubles, five triples, nine home runs, 74 RBIs and 20 stolen bases, while setting new school records for runs scored and hits with 95.
Both athletes contributed to a historic season for Pittsburg State, establishing a new single‑season record for runs scored and earning first‑team All‑MIAA honors. Bacon’s defensive prowess also earned him an MIAA Gold Glove award and All‑Region accolades from the D2CCA and the American Baseball Coaches Association.
The accolade follows Brewer’s selection to the first‑team All‑America outfield and his designation as the MIAA Player of the Year, as well as a recent nod from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, which named him the D2 National Player of the Year on May 20.
Brewer’s statistical line was nothing short of historic: he batted .442, scored 87 runs, amassed 24 doubles, hit 25 home runs and drove in a Division II single‑season record 107 runs batted in across 56 games. His .442 average and 107 RBIs placed him seventh nationally in RBI and slugging percentage, third in runs scored and on‑base percentage, and seventh in batting average.
These performances also positioned him seventh in D2 rankings for slugging percentage and on‑base percentage, while his 107 RBIs set a Division II single‑season record, underscoring the magnitude of his impact.
The recognition extends beyond individual honors, reflecting the university’s growing prominence within collegiate athletics and its collaboration with organizations such as the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America and the American Baseball Coaches Association.