The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) released its NCAA Division II All-Region teams on Wednesday. Zion Pettigrew picked up his third Regional Player of the Year honor. Kal Youngquist and Chad Saner were also first-team selections, and Chris Mathieu was a second-team all-region pick.
 
Pettigrew, a third baseman, had one of the best offensive seasons in program history in 2021. He set school single-season records with a .440 batting average, .515 on-base percentage, and .940 slugging percentage. Despite the shortened season, Pettigrew still ranked in the top-five in UIS history with 20 doubles and 17 homers, and was top-10 with 55 RBI, 53 runs, and 141 total bases.
 
Youngquist, the team's designated hitter, broke the previous school record with a .420 batting average and .503 on-base percentage. His 58 RBI were the fifth-most in program history for a season, and his 22 doubles were third-best. He scored 50 runs and had 71 hits, including 11 homers on the year.
 
Saner, a starting pitcher, went 8-0 this past season with a 2.13 ERA and a .173 opponent batting average. He set a program record for lowest opponent batting average in a season. The eight victories tied for the fourth-most in program history for a season, and his ERA was also the fourth-best at UIS. Saner's 62 strikeouts were the seventh-most for a season.
 
Mathieu, an outfielder, was the team's top player during the postseason. He batted .458 with a .750 slugging percentage, and had six runs and nine RBI in six games. Mathieu finished his UIS career with 180 games played, the most in program history. He is third in UIS career records with 136 runs and 172 hits, and is fifth with 106 RBI. In 2021, Mathieu batted .370 with 50 runs, 43 RBI, and seven home runs.
 
UIS finished the 2021 season with a 37-8 overall record.