SAN ANTONIO – Rey Mendoza from the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Central All-Region Second Team announced the All-America Committee on Tuesday.
 
Mendoza claimed a spot on the Central All-Region squad as one of only 42 student-athletes to make the cut and one of four designated hitters. Student-athletes on the central team scattered through Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and Oklahoma. Mendoza is the only Southland Conference player to earn Central All-Region status, however, five SLC foes from Nicholls, McNeese, and New Orleans appeared on the South All-Region Teams.
 
In his first season as a Cardinal, Mendoza made an immediate impact, earning the title of Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year. As the go-to player for UIW all season, he came in clutch with three walk-off homers to help the team to crucial victories and the highest SLC seed in program history at No. 2. He had a season-high three hits against McNeese and five RBIs against Houston Baptist University. Mendoza led the team in runs with 48 and in RBIs with 61 which put him first in the conference and in the UIW season record book.
 
A full list of the 2023 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Region Teams can be found here.
 
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