ST.  CLOUD, Minn. – Northeastern State's Blake Freeman is a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-Central Region selection. 

Freeman earned Third Team All-American from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and All-MIAA First Team honors in 2022 after batting .400 with 92 hits and stealing 27 bags.  The fifth-year senior has accumulated 240 hits and set program marks for hits and stolen bases. 

A total of 15 players were selected, with Freeman being one of ten who were NCBWA All-Region picks from 2022.  Southern Arkansas paced the region with four selections, followed by St. Cloud State's three and two from Oklahoma Baptist.

Starting pitcher Jeremy Adorno of Southern Arkansas and second baseman Sam Riola of St. Cloud State were the lone two players to be listed on all 15 ballots.

2023 NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region Team 
 
POS.        NAME                                     SCHOOL                                 CLASS     HOMETOWN 
C              Brett McGee                         Southern Arkansas              Sr.           Pittsburg, Texas 
1B           Dan Pruitt*                           Oklahoma Baptist                Sr.           Oklahoma City, Okla. 
2B           Sam Riola*                            St. Cloud State                     R-Sr.       Ham Lake, Minn. 
3B           Brandon Nicoll*                   Southern Arkansas              So.          Langley, British Columbia 
SS            Riley Orr*                             Southern Arkansas              Sr.           Springhill, La. 
OF           Brennan van Breusegen*  Central Missouri                  R-Jr.        Columbia, Ill. 
OF           Blake Freeman*                  Northeastern State             Sr.           Wichita, Kan. 
OF           Ryan Wickman                     Minn. State-Mankato         R-Sr.       Spring Green, Wis. 
DH           Kade Self*                             Oklahoma Baptist               Sr.           Shawnee, Okla. 
UT           Reid Rice                               Southeastern Okla. State  Sr.           Keller, Texas 
SP            Jeremy Adorno*                  Southern Arkansas              So.          Kissimmee, Fla. 
SP            Ryan Jares*                          Augustana                             Sr.           Windsor, Colo. 
SP            Luke Tupy*                           St. Cloud State                     R-So.       New Prague, Minn. 
SP            Max Spitzmiller                   Northwest Mo. State         Sr.           St. Charles, Mo. 
RP           Ethan Lanthier                     St. Cloud State                     So.          Northfield, Minn. 
 
Italics denote unanimous selection (Player appeared on all 15 ballots) 
Asterisk * denotes 2022 NCBWA All-Central Region selection 

The NCBWA Central Region committee consists of 15 voters with five representatives each from the GAC, MIAA and NSIC. Weekly regular season rankings will begin on February 13 and run through May 8. The Central Region of NCAA DII Baseball is comprised of three conferences – the Great American Conference, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – featuring 39 programs spanning nine states.