Lindenwood University’s baseball squad has once again demonstrated why it stands out both on the field and in the classroom. For the 2026 season, five Lions earned spots on the Academic All‑District Team, and each of them carries a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA.
Academic All‑America Contenders
Seth Benes and Josh Newell not only secured Academic All‑District honors but also earned Academic All‑America finalist status. Benes paced the conference with a 2.33 earned‑run average and struck out 75 batters, while Newell posted the lowest ERA among starters at 2.53 in conference play.
Veteran speedster Kam Edwards added a program‑record 54 stolen bases, underscoring his impact on the basepaths. Fellow teammate Filip Sarota contributed 32 RBIs and 11 doubles, providing depth in the lineup, and William Zareh delivered a dramatic walk‑off grand slam against Murray State that highlighted the team’s clutch performance.
The Lions closed the season with a 30‑28 record, marking the first time in the Division‑I era that the program has posted back‑to‑back 30‑win campaigns. The achievement reflects a culture where academic excellence and athletic ambition reinforce each other.
Lindenwood attributes its sustained success to a holistic approach that prioritizes student‑athlete development. As the team looks ahead, the blend of top‑tier scholarship and competitive drive positions the program as a model for collegiate athletics nationwide.