SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota – Oral Roberts outfielder
Cooper Combs collected the opening Kwik Star Summit League Baseball weekly honors of the 2026 season, League officials announced Tuesday. Alongside him was North Dakota State righthander Parker Puetz. Both players received the first weekly award of their respective careers.
Puetz tossed five scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit in NDSU's season-opener at Florida Gulf Coast. The Volga, S.D., native struck out a career-high eight Eagles and only allowed two walks.
The Bison senior struck out a pair in each of the first, third and fifth innings in a game that went scoreless into the ninth.
Combs went 6-for-10 and hit safely in all three games of the season-opening series vs. Southern Illinois. The Fayetteville, Ark., native went 2-for-4 in the opener before going 1-for-3 with the game-winning run in game two that saw the Golden Eagles draw even.
In the series-clinching win, Combs went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and two walks. He delivered a go-ahead, RBI-double in the fifth, then tacked on an insurance run with a RBI-single in the sixth.
KWIK STAR PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Cooper Combs, Oral Roberts
Sr. | OF | Fayetteville, Ark.
• Batted .600 in a series win over Southern Illinois, hitting safely in all three contests
• Singled and the scored the game-winning run in a 1-0 game-two victory over the Salukis
• Went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and two walks in series-clinching win
• Garnered the first weekly honor of his career
Others nominated: Tanner Recchio (St. Thomas); Dante Smith (North Dakota State).
KWIK STAR PEAK PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Parker Puetz, North Dakota State
Sr. | RHP | Volga, S.D.
• Struck out a career-high eight in five innings of scoreless work vs. FGCU
• Surrendered just one hit and two walks, while striking out multiple batters in three frames
• Claimed the first weekly honor of his career
Others nominated: Nathan Love (Oral Roberts).
2026 Kwik Star Baseball Weekly Awards
February 17
Performer: Cooper Combs, Oral Roberts
Pitcher: Parker Puetz, North Dakota State
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