Wayne State College senior shortstop Nate Cunningham has been named to the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) All-Central Region voted First Team by selected sports information directors within the region.  With his First Team selection, Cunningham now advances to the All-American ballot. 
            A graduate of Elkhorn North HS, Cunningham earned All-NSIC First Team honors and was voted by league coaches as the NSIC Player of the Year following a standout senior season, posting a .359 batting average with 15 home runs and 54 RBI while ranking in the top 10 of the NSIC in nine major statistical categories.
            He was the lone Wildcat to start and play all 52 games this season and led the NSIC in hits (71) and at bats (198), tied for third in home runs, fifth in slugging percentage (.682), seventh in batting average, eighth in runs scored (53) and RBI and ninth in stolen bases.
            Cunningham had 24 multi-hit games and 15 games with multiple RBI and was named NSIC Player of the Week March 16^th after going 9 for 15 (.600) at the plate in a three-game sweep over Minnesota Crookston with two home runs, one triple and 11 RBI.  He is the first Wildcat player since Joe Wendte (went – ee) in 2009 to be named NSIC Player of the Year in baseball.
            Wayne State finished the 2026 season at 29-23 overall and was fifth place in the NSIC with a 21-16 league mark. 

National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
Central Region
First Team
C - Jackson Fliflet, Minnesota-Crookston^
C - Grant Nottlemann, Pittsburg State^
1B - Carter Olson, Southeastern Oklahoma
2B - Logan Myers, Emporia State
3B - Landon Meyer, Southwestern Oklahoma^
3B - Troy Berg, Augustana^
SS - Nate Cunningham, Wayne State
OF - Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
OF - Camden Tanner, Arkansas-Monticello
OF - JJ Bush, Southeastern Oklahoma
OF - Brayden Luikart, Missouri Southern
DH - Josh Bay, Southern Nazarene
UT - Louis Magers, Minnesota State
SP - Colby Deaver, Emporia State
SP - Mariano Gomez, Augustana
SP - Logan Sandoval, Northwestern Oklahoma
SP - Sawyer Allen, Central Missouri
RP - Eric Woodley, Arkansas Tech
RP - Cole Smith, UMary
^ - tie in voting
 
Second Team
C - Eli Marvin, Arkansas-Monticello
1B - Noah Steele, Emporia State
2B - Ryan Kirk, Southeastern Oklahoma
3B - Will Doherty, Missouri Southern
SS - Jake Berkland, Minnesota State
OF - Isaac Webb, Pittsburg State
OF - Cole Yearsley, Minnesota State
OF - Tui Amosa, Oklahoma Baptist
OF - Ian Luce, Washburn
DH - Drake Lee, Central Oklahoma
UT - Derek Woolwine, Fort Hays State
SP - Zach Voss, Pittsburg State
SP - Ethan Roark, Henderson State
SP - Kyle Lane, Harding
SP - Owen Schneider, Missouri Southern
RP - Grant Huffman, Emporia State
RP - John White, Arkansas-Monticello
 
Player of the Year | Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
Pitcher of the Year | Colby Deaver, Emporia State
Coach of the Year | Chris Klimas, Rogers State