RIVER FOREST, ILL. -- The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) / Rawlings announced their 2026 Division III All-Region Teams on May 26th with three Cougar athlete's name written on the list.
Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) and
Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) earned first team recognition while
Kyle Connelly (New Lenox, Ill.) earned third team recognition. In addition to earning first team, B. Mahler picked up the NCAA Division III Region VIII Position Player of the Year.
B. Mahler earned his spot on first team as a catcher for his record-breaking senior season. This year, he led the team in nearly every offensive category batting .472 and slugging .883. He co-led the team in single-season home runs with 16, notching his name second in the Cougar record book and the NACC record book for single-season home runs. This season, he broke the single-season record for RBIs (69), batting average (.472), slugging percentage (.883), and on base percentage (.567). B. Mahler led the NACC in slugging percentage, on base perctange, RBIs, and home runs while ranking in second in batting average, hits, and doubles. B. Mahler earned his fourth consecutive NACC All-Conference accolades while also being named the NACC Position Player of the Year. This is B. Mahler's first ABCA/Rawlings All-Region recognition while earning first team and Region VIII Position Player of the Year -- a feat that has not been done since 2017 when Bryan VanDuser earned this accolade.
J. Mahler earned his spot on first team as a third baseman after a strong senior season. This year, he batted .420 while starting and appearing in all 43 games for the Cougars. He co-led the team in single-season home runs with 16, notching his name second in the Cougar record book and the NACC record book for single-season home runs. J. Mahler picked up 76 hits, ten doubles, two triples, and 59 RBIs this season while slugging .505. In the field, he was responsible for 27 putouts and 88 assists in his first season as the starting third baseman. This is J. Mahler's second ABCA/Rawlings All-Region recognition after being named to second team last season as a designated hitter.
Connelly earned his spot on third team as a relief pitcher after having a successful sophomore campaign. Connelly threw 31.1 total innings for the Cougars, only allowing 10 earned runs and 23 hits. He had a team best 2.87 ERA with a 6-2 record in his 20 appearances. Connelly led the NACC in saves with a career-high seven, marking him fifth in the Cougar record book for single-season saves. He held his opponents to a .197 batting average against him, moving him to sixth in the Cougar record book for the stat. Connelly This is Connelly's first ABCA/Rawlings All-Region recognition.
Both Mahlers are eligible for ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-America teams which is set to be announced on Thursday, May 28th following the Opening Ceremony at the 2026 NCAA Division III World Series. All three Cougars are eligible for ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove and All-Defensive teams that will be announced on June 17th and June 18th, respectively. To read the full list of All-Region teams,
click here.
The Cougars finished 24-19 overall on the season and 17-7in the NACC while earning a spot in the 2026 NACC Tournament and falling one game short of the championship series, marking the team's most successful season since 2019. Updates, content, and coverage in the off season can be found at cucougars.com or on Instagram and X @cucbaseball.
