BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State University Billings designated hitter
Kaden Bertram has been named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Third Team, becoming one of the nation's top student-athletes recognized for excellence both on the field and in the classroom.
Bertram becomes just the second MSUB baseball player in program history to receive an Academic All-American accolade, following Matt Dillon who was also a Third Team honoree in 2019 from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Academic All-America is the premier academic and athletic award in collegiate athletics. Established in 1952 and selected by College Sports Communicators, the program honors student-athletes who perform at an elite level in their sport while maintaining outstanding academic achievement. More than 44,000 student-athletes have earned Academic All-America distinction throughout the program's history.
To be considered for Academic All-America honors, student-athletes must first earn Academic All-District recognition by maintaining at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average while meeting significant athletic performance standards. From more than 30,000 annual nominations, approximately 2,000 student-athletes advance to the national ballot, where CSC members vote to determine the Academic All-America teams.
Bertram, a senior Business Administration major with an emphasis in Accounting from Beaverton, Oregon, earned Academic All-American honors after posting a 3.62 GPA. The senior slugger followed with one of the most productive offensive seasons in recent program history, helping lead the Yellowjackets to 26 wins and their second straight postseason appearance.
A First Team All-GNAC selection and National College Baseball Writers Association Honorable Mention All-West Region honoree, Bertram led the conference with 10 home runs while starting all 49 games for MSUB. He finished the season batting .423 with a .488 on-base percentage and .697 slugging percentage, good for a 1.185 OPS that ranked second in the conference.
Bertram paced the Yellowjackets with 52 RBIs, the second-highest total in the GNAC, while recording 74 hits, 16 doubles, one triple and 122 total bases. His 74 hits ranked third in the conference, while he also finished among the GNAC leaders in batting average (second), slugging percentage (second), on-base percentage (third), OPS (second), doubles (fourth) and hit-by-pitches (third).
The senior was one of the most consistent hitters in the conference throughout the season, reaching base at a high rate while helping anchor an MSUB offense that ranked among the top units in the GNAC. He also earned Academic All-GNAC honors for the second time in his career.
