The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced its All-Midwest Region teams on Friday, the first of three organizations to release all-region awards for the season. Four Prairie Stars earned recognition for their 2025 campaigns: catcher Ivan Dahlberg and first baseman Mark Kattula were named to the first team, while shortstop Ethan Bowers and relief pitcher Seth Masters earned spots on the second team.
Dahlberg and Masters were also two of four UIS players named to the GLVC All-Tournament Team, helping the Prairie Stars reach the GLVC Championship game as the last unbeaten team in the bracket. UIS finished the 2025 season with a 36-16 overall record and a 23-8 mark in conference play.
Ivan Dahlberg – First Team Catcher
A repeat first team All-GLVC selection, Dahlberg had another standout year both offensively and defensively. He posted a .344 batting average, led the team with 16 home runs, and drew 40 walks, helping him reach a .500 on-base percentage and a .696 slugging percentage—both among the top 10 in UIS single-season history.
He played in 48 games, the starting catcher in most of them, with 280 putouts, 22 assists, and 10 runners caught stealing, which ranked No. 7 in the GLVC. He also ranked No. 5 in batting average, No. 6 in slugging percentage, No. 7 in on-base percentage, and No. 4 in home runs. With another 40-walk season, he now ranks fifth all-time at UIS for single-season walks and sits third in career walks after his junior season. Nationally, he ranked No. 44 in NCAA Division II in walks.
He was named ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Region and All-Defensive Team in 2024.
Mark Kattula – First Team First Baseman
Kattula led the Prairie Stars with a .385 average, collecting 80 hits—a mark that ranks in the UIS single-season top 10. In 51 games and 208 at-bats, he reached base at a .432 clip, adding 18 doubles, 4 home runs, 41 RBIs, and 49 runs scored.
A consistent force at the plate, Kattula struck out just 16 times all season and held a 27-game on-base streak earlier in the year. He was a strong defensive presence at first base, finishing with 201 putouts, 5 assists, just 3 errors, and 11 double plays. In the GLVC rankings, he was No. 2 in hits, No. 6 in doubles, No. 7 in runs scored, No. 8 in RBIs, and No. 9 in batting average.
Kattula was named second team All-Region by the NCBWA in 2024.
Ethan Bowers – Second Team Shortstop
In his first season at UIS, Bowers quickly became a catalyst at the top of the lineup and earned first team All-GLVC honors. He batted .327, tied Kattula for the team lead with 108 total bases, and stole 23 bases in 25 attempts. He totaled 64 hits, including 12 doubles, 1 triple, and 10 home runs.
As the team's starting shortstop, Bowers contributed to 16 double plays and finished with 53 putouts and 118 assists. He recorded 21 multi-hit games and provided steady play on both sides of the ball.
Seth Masters – Second Team Relief Pitcher
Masters had a breakout year out of the bullpen and was named first team All-GLVC for the first time in his career. He pitched 26.2 innings, compiled a 2.36 ERA, and held opponents to a .192 batting average.
He recorded 10 saves, placing him second on the UIS single-season list and bringing his career total to 11 for third all-time, cementing his name in the UIS record book. He appeared twice in the GLVC Tournament and helped lock down wins throughout the year.
Founded in 1962, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball and annually recognizes the top players across NCAA divisions.