The Mid-American Conference (MAC) officially recognized the intersection of elite athleticism and academic dedication on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, by announcing the 2026 Baseball Academic All-MAC Team. Among the 114 student-athletes honored across the conference, Eastern Michigan University saw 11 of its own players named to the list.
This year’s recognition is particularly significant for the Eagles, as it represents the program's highest number of honorees since the 2021 season, when 12 players were selected. The 11 selections also tie Eastern Michigan with Ball State for the third-highest total in the conference, trailing only Western Michigan and Kent State.
Meeting the standard
The Academic All-MAC honor is not easily earned. To qualify, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 and participate in at least 50 percent of the team’s contests for the season. Furthermore, the award is reserved for established students; freshmen and transfers in their first year of residence are ineligible for consideration.
In a testament to the rising academic culture within the clubhouse, all 11 Eagles honored this year earned the award for the first time in their respective careers. The list of 2026 honorees includes:
- Ethan Davis (Brownstown, Indiana)
- Emmett Gillies (Columbus, Ohio)
- John Hale (Ashland City, Tennessee)
- Fischer Hendershot (Flushing, Michigan)
- Bruce Jellison (Hartland, Michigan)
- Drew Jones (Cleveland, Ohio)
- Michael Pfeiffer (Brownsboro, Alabama)
- Cal Rutherford (Canton, Michigan)
- Ben Schechterman (Aurora, Ohio)
- Ty Stecko (North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania)
- Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pennsylvania)
Notably, John Hale and Bruce Jellison added this conference honor to their resumes just one week after being named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team on June 2.
A tradition of excellence
The baseball program continues to be the standard-bearer for men's athletics at Eastern Michigan. During the 2026 winter semester, the team posted a 3.481 GPA, the highest of any EMU men’s team for the term. Their cumulative GPA of 3.545 also ranks as the highest among all men's programs at the university.
These individual and team accolades contribute to a historic run for the entire EMU Athletic Department. For the seventh consecutive term, the Eagles set a department-wide cumulative GPA record, reaching 3.517 in the 2026 winter semester. Currently, every single Eastern Athletics program maintains a cumulative GPA above 3.00.
