La Crosse, Wis. - Four members of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team have been named to the 2023 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III All-Region 9 Team it was announced Tuesday. Sophomore outfielder Anthony Vivian of Dodgeville (H.S.) was voted to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team while sophomore right-handed pitcher Isaiah Katz of Fall Creek (H.S.) was named to the All-Region Second Team. Sophomore third baseman Jack Olver of DeForest (H.S.) and freshman right-handed pitcher Tyler Schmitt of Madison (Memorial) were voted to the All-Region 9 Third Team.

It is the second all-region accolades this season for all four players after earning D3baseball.com All-Region 9 Team honors. Vivian and Schmitt were voted to the D3baseball.com All-Region 9 Second Team, Katz to the All-Region First Team and Olver to the All-Region Third Team. Katz was named the D3baseball.com Region 9 Pitcher of the Year. 

The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-America teams will be announced on Thursday, June 1. First Team All-Region selections are eligible for All-America honors. The ABCA Region All-Defensive teams for all divisions will be announced on Monday, June 19. The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams for all divisions will be announced on Wednesday, June 21.

Vivian is hitting .360 in 44 starts this year with a team-high 19 home runs. His 19 home runs are a single-season record, breaking Mac Born's record of 16 in 2022. Along with leading UWL in home runs, Vivian leads the Eagles in RBI (54) while ranking second in total bases (123) and tied for second in walks (20). He is also tied for third in runs (41) and fifth in hits (59). 

He has at least one hit in 37 games this season and started the season with a team-best 17-game hitting streak. Vivian, named to the 2023 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Frihas 17 contests with multiple-hits, including five games with three hits. He is tied for the UWL lead with 15 multiple-RBI games this year, recording nine games with at least three RBI. Vivian went 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs and five RBI against St. Olaf College (Minn.) on April 13. He went 2-for-4 with two home runs and a season-high six RBI in UWL's victory over UW-Stevens Point on May 27 to clinch its bid to the NCAA Division III World Series. 

Selected the 2023 (WIAC) Pitcher of the Year and a first team all-conference choice, Katz is 7-0 on the year with a 3.45 earned run average while recording a team-high three complete-games. He also leads UWL in wins (7), starts (12), innings (75.2) and strikeouts (69) while holding opponents to a .267 batting average. Katz pitched his first complete-game in UWL's 6-4 win at UW-Whitewater on April 22, going 9.0 innings, allowing four runs. He went 7.0 innings in a 12-2 victory over UW-Eau Claire on May 5, allowing one earned with eight strikeouts.

Katz pitched 7.0 innings in the Eagles' 14-4 win over UW-Whitewater in the WIAC Tournament on May 11. He went 7.0 innings, allowing three runs. He had a season-high 12 strikeouts versus Bethel University (Minn.) on March 19 and matched it with 12 strikeouts in 7.0 innings in earning a victory in UWL's 10-0 win over Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.) on May 19 in the NCAA Division III Regional. He became the fifth player in school history to be named the WIAC Pitcher of the Year, joining Joe Ohm (1997), Andy Elskamp (2000), Caleb Boushley (2016) and Zach Pronschinske (2019). Katz was named to the 2023 All-WIAC First Team.

Named to the 2022 All-WIAC First Team, Olver was an all-conference honorable mention selection this year. He has started all 47 games this year, leading UWL in at-bats (215), runs (51), hits (80) and doubles (14). His .372 batting average and 52 RBI both rank second with his 13 home runs third.

Olver is second on the team in multiple-hit games (23) and tied for the team lead in multiple-RBI games (15). He is currently on a 21-game hitting streak and has at least one hit in 43 of his 47 games played.  Olver went eight-for-18 (.444) with three home runs, seven runs and six RBI in UWL's three-game Super Regional series with UW-Stevens Point. He was also selected to the 2022 D3baseball.com All-Region Second Team. 

Voted the 2023 WIAC Newcomer of the Year, Schmitt is 6-2 this season with a 3.90 ERA while holding opponents to a .203 average. He is the second player in school history to be named the WIAC Newcomer of the Year, joining Born who was selected in the first year of the award in 2021. Schmitt is second for UWL in wins (6) and innings (62.1) while being third in strikeouts (52) and tied for third in starts (10).

Schmitt threw the eighth no-hitter in school history in UWL's 10-0 win over UW-Platteville on April 3. He pitched 7.0 innings, allowing five walks while striking out seven. Schmitt has pitched at least 6.0 innings in seven of his 10 starts, including four games going 7.0 innings. He had a season-high eight strikeouts against UW-Eau Claire on May 6. 

The ABCA All-America team was first recognized in 1949 and now includes nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division, and high school. ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007.

Founded in 1945, the ABCA is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 40 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.

Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings' unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Ball Supplier and Batting Helmet of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and an approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®.