RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Just ahead of the 2026 regular season, the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA) released its annual preseason all-region teams and in that release, Arkansas Tech's Cole Dawson and Tyler Sardelli were tabbed to the All-Central Region team at their respective positions of shortstop and first base.
 
Both enter this season as their final one in Green and Gold and are looking to build off their successful 2025 campaigns that helped lead the Wonder Boys to a GAC regular season championship and a third-straight appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament.
 
A post-season second team all-region pick last year by the NCBWA and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Dawson led the team in hitting at .390 (83-for-213). He added eight doubles, three triples and two home runs to go along with 36 RBIs and 62 runs scored. Dawson also played and started in all 53 games at shortstop for the Wonder Boys and had 147 assists and 80 putouts.
 
Sardelli was also a constant in the Wonder Boys' lineup as he too played and started in all 53 games at first base en route to being second team all-region by the ABCA. He was the team's second-leading hitter at .380 (78-of-205) and had the highest slugging percentage at .624 thanks to 12 doubles, four triples and 10 home runs. Sardelli also drove in 48 and scored 62 runs.

Dawson and Sardelli are set to open their season along with their teammates this coming weekend at the Houston Winter Invitational, hosted by Central Missouri at the home of Houston Astros, Daikin Park.
 
 
Preseason All-Central Region Team

C	Collin Helms, Harding
1B	Tyler Sardelli, Arkansas Tech
2B	Jackson Merovsh, Washburn
SS	Cole Dawson, Arkansas Tech
3B	Logan Lacey, Harding+
OF (3)	Issac Pegors, UMary
	Levi Lampert, Southwest Minnesota State
	Noah Steele, Emporia State
DH	Dagen Brewer, Pitt State
UTL	Louis Magers, Minnesota State
SP (3)	Ashton Michek, Augustana
	Sam George, Minnesota State+
	Will Kates, Northwestern Oklahoma
RP	Braden Cannon, Wayne State^
	Brandon Chavez, Fort Hays State^

+ - Unanimous selection
^ - tie in voting