St. Bonifacius, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced the recipients of the 2026 All-Conference awards on Wednesday. Six Polars were recognized, including three All-Conference Team selections.
The three selections to the All-Conference Team were Bryan Gerbers, Tyler Olson, and Caden Esquerra. The Polars also earned two Honorable Mention selections with TJ Reilly and Easton McKenzie receiving recognition. Blayke Reyburn rounded out the group as a member of the All-Sportsmanship Team.
Bryan Gerbers had another monster season in his third year with the Polars. He hit .324 with a team-high 1.051 OPS. Gerbers led the team with 10 doubles, three triples, 40 RBIs, 18 walks, 67 total bases, and a .604 slugging percentage. He also tied for the team lead with five home runs and eight stolen bases. Along with his stellar offensive season, Gerbers showed his versatility defensively, playing all three outfield positions along with first and third base while also pitching 2.2 innings across two appearances on the mound.
Another third-year Polar joined Gerbers on the All-Conference Team. Tyler Olson took another step forward in his junior season after earning All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition a year ago. In 28 games, Olson hit a team-high .359 with a .489 slugging percentage and a .948 OPS. He totaled 33 hits, seven doubles, one home run, 23 RBIs, 14 walks, and a .459 on-base percentage.
Caden Esquerra had a stellar freshman season for the Polars at the shortstop position. Esquerra hit .325 with a .412 slugging percentage. He led the team in runs scored with 28 and hits with 37. He added seven doubles and one home run while his 47 total bases ranked second on the team behind Gerbers.
Easton McKenzie stepped up in a major way for the Polars in his second season with the team. The senior hit .347 with a .466 on-base percentage. He collected 33 hits with six doubles and one home run while drawing 14 walks and being hit by seven pitches. McKenzie was also stellar defensively with just three errors on 196 chances, giving him a .985 fielding percentage as the team's primary first baseman.
The second Honorable Mention selection was TJ Reilly. The sophomore earned his first opportunity as a consistent starter at the collegiate level and made the most of it, hitting .340 while tying Gerbers for the team lead with five home runs. Reilly posted a .981 OPS with a .573 slugging percentage. He totaled nine doubles, 35 RBIs, and 59 total bases, all ranking second on the team behind Gerbers. He also scored 23 runs, collected 35 hits, drew 10 walks, and stole four bases.
Blayke Reyburn rounded out the All-Conference honorees with his selection to the All-Sportsmanship Team. The senior transfer proved to be a valuable addition to the program and was honored for his character and attitude toward teammates and competitors both on and off the field. Reyburn appeared in 24 games, hitting .323 with four doubles while committing no errors in 28 chances defensively.
After significant roster turnover from the 2025 season, the Polars finished fifth in the conference and narrowly missed the conference tournament. With a young core returning and six players earning conference recognition this season, the Polars will look to build momentum heading into 2027 under Head Coach Colt Sedbrook.
