DALLAS, Texas – Former Oregon Tech catcher Tyler Horner received the highest honor for a collegiate student-athlete, earning College Sports Communicators NAIA Baseball Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for the second-straight year.
The award is selected as part of the prestigious Academic All-America team – as Horner becomes the first NAIA baseball player to win the award in back-to-back seasons and becomes OIT's first-ever three-time first-team Academic All-American.
In addition, former Tech shortstop Patrick Barry was honored by CSC as a second-team Academic All-American.
Horner, from Twin Falls, Idaho, posted a perfect 4.00 grade point average in mechanical engineering during his time at Tech – while on the diamond, has helped Tech to 4-straight 30-win seasons, including the recent 39-16 record, leading the club to their first-ever NAIA Tournament appearance.
He had one of the more prolific years in program history in 2025, narrowly missing the Cascade Conference triple-crown – ranking second in the league with a .399 batting average and 66 RBI, while adding a league-best 21 doubles and adding posting 13 home runs. Horner is a two-time CCC Player of the Year and a two-time NBCA NAIA All-American.
Barry earns the distinction for the first time, recording a 3.96 GPA in electrical engineering. The senior, from Reno, Nev., was a catalyst at the top of the Owls lineup, hitting .392 with 41 RBI – earning All-CCC honors, while being selected to the CCC Gold Glove Team.
The award is selected by a panel of sports communicators across the country and is based on both athletic and scholastic achievement.
Horner will advance to the NAIA Academic All-American of the Year ballot, with the award to be announced later this month. He joins Kalia Mick (2024 softball), Danielle De Castro (2020 track) and Meagan Webber (2002 softball) as OIT athletes who have earned the honor.
CSC Academic All-America First Team – C: Tyler Horner (Oregon Tech); IF: Mason David (Taylor), Steven Elsner (Bellevue), Caden Petry (Cumberlands), Alfonso Villalobos (Southeastern); OF: Simon Grinberg (Keiser), Ian Heck (York), Kaleb Kolpien (Taylor); DH: Charlie Updegrave (LC State); P: Parker McMan (Bellevue), Carter Sabol (Missouri Baptist). Second Team – C: Aaron Orzech (St. Xavier); IF: Gavin Baird (Keiser), Patrick Barry (Oregon Tech), Jaidan Quinn (Concordia-Nebraska), Bailey Quint (Columbia); OF: Zach Gaspar (Shawnee State), Kaden Kinsler (William Woods), Jack Matousek (Columbia); DH: Trey Tarver (Arizona Christian); P: Jake Boyer (Taylor), Alex Johnson (Concordia-Nebraska).