Winnipeg joins North Star Athletic Association in baseball

June 3, 2015

MADISON, S.D. – Cory Anderson, the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) commissioner, is proud to announce that the University of Winnipeg will join the NSAA conference in the sport of baseball, beginning of 2015 fall season.  The Wesmen will become a provisional member of the NSAA conference.

The University of Winnipeg joined for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) during the national convention in spring of 2014.

“It continues to be exciting times for the North Star Athletic Association,” said Anderson.  “The addition of University of Winnipeg strengthens our footprint and puts us in position to explore championship sport growth.  I am enthused by the NAIA postseason impact this will have for the NSAA in gaining an additional automatic bid for baseball.”

With the addition of Winnipeg will give two automatic bids for the North Star Athletic Association conference.  The regular-season champions and conference tournament postseason champions each will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Baseball National Tournament Opening Round.

The North Star Athletic Association now have 10 members in the baseball conference.  The NSAA conference includes three new members – Bellevue (Neb.), Waldorf (Iowa) and Viterbo (Wis.) – along with six other current members – Dakota State (S.D.), Dickinson State (N.D.), Jamestown (N.D.), Mayville State, Presentation and Valley City State.

This spring a total of 58 Canadians would have played in the Canadian-heavy conference ... with 32 at the University of Winnipeg:

Winnipeg Wesmen
OF Keller Anderson, Quadra Island, BC
OF Jesse Braun, Abbotsford, BC
LHP-1B Aaron Couvier, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP-1B Curtis DePena, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Tim Dunn, Carman, Man.
INF Jared Esau, Grunthal, Man.
OF Liam Grier, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Jason Kirkland, Portage la Prairie, Man.
INF Marc Lepore, Toronto, Ont.
RHP Miguel Letain, Dauphin, Man.
OF-LHP Tyler Lyons, Winnipeg, Man.
INF Adarm Nocita, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Chase Palka, Winnipeg, Man
RHP-INF Cole Paquin, Regina, Sask.
INF-C Drake Pilat, Winnipeg, Man.
INF-RHP Kyle Pososki, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Matthew Schneider, Stonewall, Man.
RHP Austin Smith, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Garett Virtue, Winnipeg, Man.
C-INF Alex Whiteside, Mount Albert, Ont.
RHP Zack Campbell, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Zach Dram, Winnipeg, Man.
C-1B Ethan Plante, Winnipeg, Man.
LHP Erik Swanson, Stonewall, Man.
LHP Alain Andre, Winnipeg, Man.
INF Brendan Gaunt, Surrey, BC
C Rory Mitchell, Winnipeg, Man.
INF-RHP Matthew Smith, Winnipeg, Man.
OF-RHP Paul Esteves, Winnipeg, Man.
INF Brendan Gaunt, Surrey, BC
INF Chris Hourihan, Winnipeg, Man.
INF James Zamko, Surrey, BC 

Mayville State
OF Mitchell Willoughby, London, Ont.
RHP Kody Rock, Canora, Sask. 
INF Eric Benson, Oak Bluff, Man. 
RHP Dylan Johnson, Fort Fraser, BC 
INF Riley Penner, La LaRiviere, Man.
RHP Aaron Dick, Langley, BC 
C Zach Mihic, Langley, BC 

Jamestown
RHP Scott Beever, Rivers, Man.
RHP Brendan Ethier, Calgary, Alta.
C-3B Matt McCue, Bradford, Ont.
LHP Jeremy McPhee, Calgary, Alta.
1B-C Tyler Wiwchar, Winnipeg, Man.
INF Ryan Adkins, Victoria, BC

Valley City State
C Justin Odlum, Morden, Man.
RHP Devon Wu, Newmarket, Ont.
RHP-OF Mike Gershman, Beausejour, Man.
LHP Chad Leskiw, Selkirk, Man.

Dickinson State
OF Evan Loranger, Sherwood Park, Alta.
RHP-3B Tyler Czech, Stirling, Alta.
INF Landon Briscoe, Vancouver, BC 

Waldorf
3B-OF Dalton Kaake, Maple Creek, Sask.
LHP Dave Erickson, Sherwood Park, Alta.
INF Zach Johnson, Cranbrook, BC

Dakota State
OF Drew Birss, Winnipeg, Man.
RHP Mitch Bouchard, Harrow, Ont.

Bellevue 
INF Dyer Boyne, Collingwood, Ont.