GREENVILLE, S.C. – The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced its 2026 baseball All-Americans on Tuesday morning and for the first time in program history, Mid-America Christian junior pitcher Ibrahim Gonzalez was named the national Pitcher of the Year and was joined by Nick Hill, Liam Taft, and Jalen King on the All-America squad.
Gonzalez and Hill were selected to the First Team while Taft was tabbed to the Second Team and King corralled Third Team honors. It marks only the second time the Evangels notched at least four NCCAA All-America honors, joining the 2024 squad that saw Isaac Baez (First Team), Kyle Williams (First Team), Zane Robeaux (Second Team), D'Andre Gaines (Third Team), and Noel McGarry-Doyle (Third Team) earn the esteemed accolade.
As MACU enters its NAIA World Series contest against No. 1 Taylor on Tuesday, Gonzalez ranks as the NCCAA's leader in wins (12) and ERA (2.01) while also striking out the third-most batters (95). Not only does the Vieques, Puerto Rico product win total rank as the program record, but his ERA also ranks as the fourth-lowest since MACU moved up to the NAIA/NCCAA Division I level in 2008 and his strikeout total is the seventh-most in a single season.
Hill is also in the midst of a historic record-breaking season, as he shattered MACU's single season home runs (24) and RBI (75) records, both of which lead the entire NCCAA. The Lakewood, Calif. native also leads the NCCAA in doubles (20), marking the second-most in a season in MACU's record book while slashing for a .351 batting average to go along with a 1.248 OPS, which currently ranks as the fourth-highest on MACU's season list.
Being tabbed to the Second Team, Taft has not only shattered MACU's single season saves record with 13 on the season, but he recorded more than double of any other player in the entire NCCAA. So far this season, the Bakersfield, Calif. native has made 19 relief appearances, allowing only 15 hits and six earned runs while walking just eight and striking out 19 over 19.1 innings of work. His .205 opponent batting average currently ranks as the sixth-lowest in MACU's single season record book.
Rounding out the honorees, King has also found himself on MACU's record list. His 79 hits on the season is currently tied for the single season record and leads the entire NCCAA while posting a team-high .376 batting average. The Spokane Valley, Wash. native has also mashed 18 doubles this season, ranking as the third-most in a single season, as well as stealing the third-most bases (29), and scoring the fifth-most runs (63). King joined his teammate in Hill by holding a streak of 15 consecutive games where he recorded a hit, which ranks as the fourth-longest streak in program history.
Mid-America Christian is currently on its greatest postseason run in program history as the Evangels are competing in the Avista NAIA World Series for the first time ever and currently own a 43-14 record on the season, making it the most wins the Evangels have recorded in a season.
