Eureka’s Cody Baer Receives D3hoops.com All-Region Honors

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the second straight year, Eureka's Cody Baer (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap/Southwestern Illinois) is a D3hoops.com All-Region honoree.

The senior big man was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region 8 Second Team on Tuesday and became only the second Eureka player in program history to receive the honor twice, following Shea Feehan (2018 All-Central Region Second Team and the 2017 All-Central Region Third Team).

It's the fourth season in the past five seasons that the Red Devils have had a representative on the team. The complete list now includes: Craig Negangard (2004 All-Midwest Region Third Team), Michael Zasada (2010 All-Midwest Region Second Team), Mark Lessen (2013 All-Midwest Region Second Team), Shea Feehan (2018 All-Central Region Second Team and 2017 All-Central Region Third Team) Dakota Bennington (2020 All-Central Region Third Team), Ian Milsteadt (2022 All-Region 8 Second Team) and Baer (2023 All-Region 8 First Team and 2024 All-Region 8 Second Team.

Baer, who previously earned First Team All-St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors for the second straight year, was one of only two players in the SLIAC to average a double-double this season.The 6-foot-10 second-year Red Devil from Peoria, tallied thirteen double-doubles throughout the year and led the conference in boards per game (10.8) and total rebounds (271) for the second straight season.

His 10.8 boards per game average this season ranks third-best in program history, trailing only behind Chris Eaton's 11.7 in 1993-94 and Baer's own 11.6 in 2022-23. Baer's total of 271 rebounds is the fourth-most in program history, trailing only Eaton's 363 (1993-94) and 275 (1992-93) and Baer's own 290 last season.

This season, Baer led the league in total points scored, accumulating 526 points in 25 games played. He finished second in the conference in points per game, averaging 21 in all contests, and posted 20 or more points a remarkable thirteen times. His season-high was 33 points at Greenville on Feb. 14.

He also ranked first in the conference with an 82-percent free-throw percentage, putting away 132 of 161 tries from the line. Plus, he dished 39 times this season – 10 more than a year ago.

Baer was also a powerful presence on the defensive, ranking sixth in the SLIAC with 28 blocks and also notching 21 steals.

Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various Division III institutions. There were 812 players nominated nationwide. The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for a predetermined number of players in their region. It's the 23rd season D3hoops.com has named All-Region teams.