CHICAGO -- The University of St. Francis gained three spots on the all-league team and two of nine positions on the Gold Glove Team when the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2026 baseball postseason honor roll on Monday afternoon.

Headlining the list of three individuals that garnered the conference plaudits was senior pitcher Anthony Panzella, who was named to the All-Conference First Team as well as claiming a spot on the Gold Glove Team.

The right-hander posted a 9-2 record and an earned run average of 2.13 with a WHIP of 0.99.  The win total, ERA and WHIP are conference-best marks, while his 42 strikeouts rank him 15th-best amongst league competitors.  He also sits third in the conference in innings pitched with 72.0.

Joining Panzella on the 17-member First Team was teammate Jake Merda, who also received the same honor one year ago.

A senior catcher, Merda ranks among the Top 20 players in the league in seven offensive categories.  His top spot is a No. 7 billing in walks at 30.  He also is eighth in on-base percentage (.465), ninth in triples (2), eighteenth in doubles (10) and total hits (52), as well as nineteenth in batting average (.329) and slugging percentage (.456).

Merda's name can also be found on the Top 20 conference leaderboard in two defensive categories, which include is No. 13 ranking in putouts (199) and No. 14 showing in total chances (228).

Representing St. Francis on the 16-member Second Team was Nate Maliska.  The senior first baseman boasts the fourth-best hits total in the league at 64, while ranking sixth in at-bats (184), eleventh in batting average (.348), thirteenth in runs scored (39), and eighteenth in total bases (76).  His Top 20 league defensive numbers include a No. 3 ranking in putouts (347) and total chances (370), as well as a No. 15 billing in fielding percentage (.995).

Two Saints, meanwhile, were selected to the All-Conference Gold Glove Team.  That list was made up of Panzella and Max Montgomery.

Panzella was a double award winner matching his all-conference status with a spot on the nine-member Gold Glove Team.  Defensively, the senior pitcher has fielded all 17 chances cleanly for a perfect 1.000 percentage.

Montgomery, a senior second baseman, ranked twelfth overall in the league with 95 assists and totaled 100 putouts within his 199 total chances for a .980 fielding mark.

The Fighting Saints went 21-30 overall and 17-15 in conference play this spring to finish in fifth place among the league's nine teams.

For the all-conference release, go to CCAC.  For the complete awards list, go to List.

You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.