Michael Page hit safely in 14 of Naperville Central's 15 conference games this spring, batted .385 with 14 doubles and three home runs, and helped the Redhawks reach the Class 4A state semifinals for the first time since their 2010 state championship. Next fall, he won't go far. The senior outfielder committed to North Central College, the NCAA Division III program on Benton Avenue, less than three miles from the high school where he just finished his final season.

Page is one of 11 first-team selections on the 2026 Naperville Sun Baseball All-Area Team, published Monday, June 23, by the Chicago Tribune. Five Naperville Central players made the first team, matching Naperville North with five selections. Benet and Waubonsie Valley each placed four, while Metea Valley and Neuqua Valley landed one apiece.

"It was just awesome," Page said after the state semifinal at Slammers Stadium in Joliet. "The atmosphere with so many people, so many fans, and playing like that on the biggest stage is always great."

Coach Mike Stock called Page "the best hitter I've seen consistently all season." Page went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored the Redhawks' only run in the semifinal loss to Maine South, then came off the bench in the third-place game against Mount Carmel and ripped a pinch-hit triple to right center.

Naperville Central finished 30-11 and earned the program's third state trophy, its first since 2010. The roster carried 17 seniors. According to the Tribune's coverage, no player on the team held a Division I commitment entering the postseason.

Grant Umbright, the Sun's Player of the Year, anchored the pitching staff with a 9-1 record, 2.03 ERA, and 71 strikeouts in 48⅓ innings. His fastball topped out at 94 mph. He also batted .324 with four home runs and 30 RBIs. Umbright, the last of three brothers to play for the Redhawks, committed to John A. Logan College.

The All-Area first team stretches well beyond Central's dugout. Metea Valley junior Tyler Gluting led all selections with a .432 average, eight home runs, and a commitment to Oklahoma. Waubonsie Valley junior Shane Torres hit .471 with 35 RBIs and earned conference player of the year honors; he committed to Oakland University. Benet junior Quinn Rooney batted .385 with four home runs and 31 RBIs and is headed to Notre Dame.

Naperville North's Max Steele (.375, 47 strikeouts in 37⅔ innings, committed to Benedictine) and sophomore Lawton Close (conference pitcher of the year, 2.56 ERA, 46 strikeouts in 46 innings) gave the Huskies a potent one-two punch on the mound. Benet senior Gio Calandriello returned from Tommy John surgery to go 5-2 with a 2.71 ERA and 45 strikeouts. Neuqua Valley's Andrew Barkley posted a perfect fielding percentage across 68 chances while batting .348.

Cooper Page, Michael's teammate at shortstop, rounds out Central's first-team contingent with a .314 average and 36 runs scored. Waubonsie Valley's Scott Gillen stole 22 bases and scored 38 runs.

Eleven more players earned honorable mention across all six schools, including Naperville North's Cohen Jeppson, Sam Steele, and Caden Vorwick.

Junior outfielder Jermaine Kenady, one of three returning Naperville Central starters, already has his sights set on next spring: "We still want to do more. It's not going to be the first time you're all going to see us."

This week in Naperville sports

The IHSA spring season has concluded. For Park District summer programming and fall soccer registration, visit napervilleparks.org. For North Central College summer athletic events, visit northcentralcollege.edu/athletics. The Naperville Park District's Autumn 2026 Program Guide releases Wednesday, July 29.