Baseball | 6/22/2026 11:29:00 AM

June 22, 2026 - Colby Deaver continues adding to his accolades for the 2026 season as he was recognized by the ABCA as the Division II Pitcher of the Year. The honor marks his fifth national pitcher of the year honor, after receiving the award from the NCBWA, D2CCA, D2 Baseball and NCAA.com.

Deaver had a DII-best 1.50 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 8.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio while also posting an 11-2 record with 102 strikeouts in 96 innings. The Blue Springs, Mo. native also never allowed more than three earned runs in an outing all season. Deaver started the season without allowing an earned run in his first five starts and through his first 34.1 innings on the mound.
 
In his final outing of the season, Deaver started the MIAA Quarterfinals against Missouri Southern, and struck out a career-high 16 batters, which tied the most by a pitcher in Division II during the 2026 season, as he tossed a complete game. He also added ten quality starts, eight outings of eight or more strikeouts and six outings without allowing a walk.