|
| Mitchell has won a game in each of their last four trips to the NCAA Regional round and the last two years, a game away from advancing to play in the Super Regional for the first time in school history Wheaton (Mass.) athletics photo |
By Jim Dixon, D3sports.com
No. 2 Salve Regina comes into 2025 with a lot of promise. A top 10 finish in 2024, their first appearance in the DIII World Series and a team that is returning with most of the key pieces from last year's squad has fans expecting big things this season. The Seahawks are not the only team that is counting on continuing their recent success. Mitchell has been the top team in the GNAC and that is expected to continue. The last two years, Mitchell has won their first two games in the regional round and were one game from the Super Regional weekend. Husson has not shown the same success but is the perennial favorite out of the North Atlantic Conference. No team in the NESCAC has had national success since Trinity (Conn.) won it all in 2008 but the team that comes out of the conference on top could change this.
|
| Since graduating in 2017, Bill Whaley served as former head coach Frank Pecora's top deputy for the Norwich Cadets. Norwich athletics photo by Jasmine Olson |
New Faces
Cody Mercier, Lesley - Lesley announced the appointment of Mercier as head coach of the Lesley baseball program. "I am very excited to be joining the Lynx family and getting the opportunity to be a part of such a prestigious University," said Mercier. Mercier takes over the helm of Lynx Baseball following six years in the private sector, AAU scene and high school landscape where he served in various roles. Most recently, he was a head coach for the Merrimack Valley Prospects AAU program, taking pride in developing young student-athletes physically and mentally both on and off the field.
Billy Whaley Norwich - Norwich officials announced the promotion of former assistant coach and Norwich baseball standout Billy Whaley '17 to head baseball coach. During his playing days at Norwich, Whaley became one of the top pitchers in program history, earning him Great Northeast Athletic Conference First Team All-Conference accolades. "As a former player and assistant coach, this is a program I hold close and care deeply for," Whaley said. "Also, I am indebted to Coach Frank Pecora for his coaching, mentorship, and leadership throughout my playing and coaching career. I am excited for the chance to build upon the foundation he established, and I look forward to the future of Norwich Baseball."
Bryan Stark, Tufts - This summer Tufts officials introduced Stark as the next head coach of the Jumbo baseball team. "I'm humbled to become the next head coach at Tufts University," said Stark. "My wife, daughter and I am thrilled to be joining the Jumbo community!" Stark was most recently the Associate Head Coach at Division I Harvard University, spending the last 10 years in Cambridge with the Crimson. During his time at Harvard, he served as the Recruiting Coordinator and was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2019. He helped recruit six players drafted in MLB Draft and also coached teams that set program records in home runs (2019) and field percentage (2017).
Conference Previews
|
| Aidan Vining is 13-6 with a 3.40 ERA and 194 strikeouts in his three years as a member of the Johnson and Wales. Johnson and Wales athletics photo |
Great Northeast Athletic Conference: Mitchell (34-13) won the conference bid to the NCAA Playoffs as the top seed in a marathon conference tournament that stretched to 15 games. If the Mariners are to make a fifth straight trip to the NCAA Playoff, many question marks will need answers heading into the 2025 season. A glance at the 2025 roster shows almost as many incoming players (18) as returning players (21). Although Mitchell has plenty ofcapable arms on the pitching staff, replacing Cam Varney will pose a challenge. Chris Gibbs (10-2, 1 save, 3.15 ERA, 73K) will be a good start as he moves into the staff ace spot and gives the team a good chance to win whenever he takes the mound. Much of the same for the lineup after the graduation of Cole Lalli and Angel Galindez. First baseman Michael Ficocelli (.365, 1 HR, 32 RBI) is the top returner.
Johnson and Wales (27-13) was the top team in the second GNAC playoff pod and the seeding proved right as they lost to top seeded Mitchell in the GNAC tournament final. Senior Riley Hasson and sophomore Aidan Vining were named the GNAC Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively but only Vining (6-2, 3.86 ERA, 76K) will return in 2025. Vining will have some support on the staff as GNAC honoree Justin Markell (3-0, 4.76 ERA, 16K) is also back for another season with the Wildcats. Senior Trevor Juan (.367, 5 HR, 30 RBI) will be counted both for his bat and his glove which put him on the All-GNAC team and All-Region defensive team. Helping out the pitching staff will be senior C Owen Davis (.324, 6 HR, 51 RBI). While Mitchell is reloading, this could be the opportunity Johnson and Wales is looking for to secure a regular season title.
Colby-Sawyer (25-17), Lasell (21-20) and Anna Maria (16-24) all made the conference tournament field of eight. Lasell and Anna Maria went 0-2 with Colby-Sawyer reaching the pod championship game. For Anna Maria, they will have their deepest pitching staff in some time led by seniors Nick Choate (3-5, 4.62 ERA, 90K) and Michael Shorey (5-5, 6.27 ERA, 42). If Choate has another solid year, he is in reach of the career strikeout record. For the offense, they will be athletic in the field. Sophomore OF Andrew Denison (.364, 7 RBI, 17 SB) is expected to a big jump this year for the AMCATS.
Out of the trio of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (17-22-1), Norwich (14-24) and St. Joseph's (Maine) (14-25), St. Joseph's (Maine) was the only team to miss the tournament. Norwich had the most success as they advanced as far as their pod championship game, losing to second seeded Johnson and Wales. The Monks of St. Joseph will enter 2025 with a young but promising squad. Once the season gets underway, it will take some time to determine roles but the potential of the ball club is to move up several rungs in this year's standings. Junior CF Jared Wilhelm (.382, 3 HR, 27 RBI) is the Monks' top player. Saint Joseph (Conn.) is coming off their first season in program history. Making the end of the season tournament and winning a game was huge and expectation are high for how they will perform this season. Other than losing Luke Fox to graduation, the entire pitching staff returns as well as an offensive lineup with some talented young players who will get sprinkled in. Tops in the squad is sophomore Dom Scalia (.331, 5 HR, 334 RBI). He was the best statistical performer last season and left the coaching staff wanting more. With a healthily pitching staff and the development of some depth pieces, winning a conference title is not out of the equation for this group.
Elms (16-21), Rivier (10-22), Albertus Magnus (12-23), New England College (6-28), and Dean (12-23) round out the rest of the conference. The best player from this bunch is Rivier OF Luis Colon (.404, 4 HR, 32 RBI). He has the potential to elevate the program to a possible tournament berth.
|
| Hunter Curtis has found success on the diamond and in the classroom as he was tabbed as a member of the North Atlantic Conference Winter/Spring All-Academic Team. Husson athletics photo |
North Atlantic Conference: Husson (25-12) will be looking to add a sixth-consecutive championship to their program. They have a veteran group that has won at a high level and with a tough non-conference schedule, they should be well positioned to meet this goal. Graduate student 1B Jackson Curtis (.369, 10 HR, 36 RBI) has been a mainstay in the lineup since stepping on campus. He will be complimented by a pair of juniors in Hunter Curtis (.378, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 11 SB) and Cam Rendell (.326, 1 HR, 17 RBI). Three senior/graduate pitchers will stand tall on the mound in the starting rotation: Matt Wallingford (5-3, 1.72 ERA, 47K), Alex Smith (5-1, 1 save, 3.11 ERA, 34K) and Connor Abood (6-2, 4.78 ERA, 38K).
Lesley (23-16) has a lot to be excited about with a roster full of returning talent and new talent joining the squad this year. The combination of youth and experience should play well for the season, giving the Lynx championship dreams. On the experience side of the ledger is senior Colby Jacobs (.267, 1 HR, 27 RBI, 12 SB) and graduate student 1B James Brandon (.385, 8 HR, 37 RBI) who are strong leaders for the team, and key offensive assets going forward. For the incoming youth, freshmen INF Raymond Morales and Charles Ambroult are key recruits as is sophomore P Scott Scherrer who needed to find a school when Wells closed this summer. Sophomores INF Owen Kalagher (.310, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 23 SB) and C Kevin Dorsey (.303, 12 RBI, 7 SB) will also be key contributors in 2025.
Thomas (16-17) will be a senior heavy team with lots of experience. Thomas was the top statistical offense in the conference last season with everyone returning. Swinging a big bat is 3B Tony Meza (.333, 31 RBI), their best overall player, and 2B Jason Bartlett (.411, 2 HR, 20 RBI). If the pitching can perform on the level that Andrew Pruell (6-1, 3.47, 50K) did in 2024, the Terriers will compete for the conference championship. SUNY-Cobleskill (18-23) will play fast and should finish inside top 25 in stolen bases. The Tigers will not post a high slugging percentage but should get back to a better than .300 hitting team average. Senior David Flora (.359, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 17 SB) will be looking to get back to 2023 form when he was the conference Player of the Year. The Tigers found some good transfers on the mound to replace a lot of graduates from last year.
NVU-Lyndon (7-27), Maine-Farmington (10-29), and Maine-Presque Isle (4-26) were out of contention in 2024. Lyndon will have a strong returning group coming back and should be deeper positionally than in years past. A strong balance of returners and newcomers will keep the pitching staff moving in the right direction despite missing the contributions of Carlos Rodriguez who is out with an injury. Sophomore CF Evan Duncan (.391, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 10 SB) is a 5 tool player and should be more consistent with a year of college baseball under his belt. We bid farewell to three schools. SUNY-Canton has moved to the SUNYAC in Region 3, SUNY-Poly opted for the Empire 8 and the closure of Eastern Nazarene who finished 13-21-1 in their final season.
New England Small College Athletic Conference: Colby (29-12) was the top team in the East Division and despite a third place finish in the NESCAC tournament earned a bid into the NCAA Playoffs. The Mules will be challenged to match a 2024 season that saw them ranked in the Top 25 and their first appearance in the NCAA Playoffs. Out of their five All-NESCAC selections, that included the Player of the Year, just two from the third team remain on the roster. Junior INF Patrick Shrake (.387, 27 RBI) and SP Derek Woods (6-2, 2.84 ERA, 41K) will be tasked with leading a team to greater heights. If head Coach Jesse Woods can maintain the momentum from the 2024 season with a young 2025 squad (15 freshmen and 12 sophomores) he could be repeat as the Region 1 Coach of the Year.
|
| The Middlebury Panthers were floating on air when they won the NESCAC tournament in 2024. Middlebury athletics photo by Steve Malley |
Tufts (25-16) will bring back six starters on offense and three key pitchers back in 2025. Two of these pitchers will be at the end of their careers, bringing in the experience and conditioning one sees in older players They are Jacob Lapp (6-2, 1 save, 2.70 ERA, 22K) and Silas Reed (7-2, 3.92 ERA, 75K). With a bat, senior Henry Fleckner (.353, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 19 SB) will lead the offense. He is surrounded by junior talent which should keep the Jumbos at the top of the standings this season and the next.
Tops in the West Division was Middlebury (32-13), who fought off a challenge by Trinity (Conn.) in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC tournament and then held off Tufts for a conference title and entry to the NCAA playoffs. The Panthers led all teams with five first team All-NESCAC selections with two seniors in the infield and their DH. The best of the rest should be back in 2025 and are truly the best. Senior OF Kyle McCausland (.327, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 121 SB) was the 2023 NESCAC Player of the Year and 2025 D3baseball.com Preseason All-American SP Justin Lessing (5-1, 1.99 ERA, 76K) was the 2024 NESCAC Pitcher of the Year. While another 30 win season might not be in the cards, a top finish in the NESCAC is.
After their quarterfinal sweep of Bowdoin, Amherst (25-11) finished their season with two losses in the double elimination tournament. A look down the rosters should show three All-NESCAC players headlined by two-time first team utility player Jack Sampedro (.331, 2 HR, 28 RBI; 2-0, 3 saves, 2.96 ERA, 26K). Joining Sampedro is infielder Jack McDermott (.324, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 14 SB) and outfielder Charlie LaFreniere (.403, 2 HR, 26 RBI). If the quality of the returning all-Stars are any indication, the Mammoths will challenge Middlebury for West division supremecy.
Among Bowdoin (18-17), Trinity (Conn.) (14-22), and Bates (12-17), only Trinity was able to make a little noise in the NESCAC tournament. All three will need an influx of fresh talent if they want to play much in the postseason. Trinity led with four All-NESCAC selections but the sole first teamer has graduated as has their most consistent player. Junior OF Dylan Schnitzer (.392, 1 HR, 29 RBI, 10 SB) and sophomore IF Aidan Stern (.331, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 29 SB) remain with the team in 2025. Bowdoin will also return two players honored in 2024 in senior IF Kevin Murray (.333, 6 HR, 27 RBI) and junior DH Lukas Tsai (.443, 9 2B, 15 RBI). While the offense for all three teams have solid returners, it is the pitching that needs the most help as all have ERAs hovering near 6.00.
Hamilton (13-15), Wesleyan (Conn.) (21-13), and Williams (10-22) will need to improve from their 2024 efforts. For Hamilton, it will be a youth movement as they are very young both on the bump in starting pitching and around the horn. The team will need to rely on veterans like OF Taylor Kaufman (.323, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 20 SB), C Greg Kopp (.337, 1 HR, 18 RBI), and 1B Michael Tallarida (.347, 7 HR, 23 RBI). The 13 man recruiting class will allow the lineup to be a little more versatile than last year. To score runs, the Continentals will need to rely on their speed game. Heading the Wesleyan Cardinals is Ernie Little (.362, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 30 SB), the first player with back-to-back All-NESCAC honors in his first two seasons and first All-Region player since 2017. William's senior catcher Henry Juan (.364, 3 HR, 23 RBI) is also a two-time All-NESCAC player and All-Region performer.
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference: Salve Regina (40-10) missed out on the conference bid but was an easy choice for an at-large selection to the NCAA Playoffs. The Seahawks are returning one of the best pitching staffs in the country. Sean Mulligan (9-2, 2.10 ERA, 96K), Brayden Clark (5-1, 4.33 ERA, 55K) and Joe DeRienzo (6-2, 3.23 ERA, 67K) are just the top of the rotation that is deep and talented. In the bullpen the story is the same with Kyle Carozza (0-0, 11 saves, 1.74 ERA, 41K) and Jason Arrigo (9-2, 2.70 ERA, 65K). Salve Regina also is bringing back 8 of 11 top position players from their World Series team. The lineup has names familiar to most D3 baseball fans in Christian Homa (.382, 4 HR, 48 RBI) and Hunter Yaworski (.383, 6 HR, 40 RBI). Expect the Seahawks to compete for the NEWMAC title and much more.
|
| Relief specialist Ryan Karman was honored by D3baseball.com as a Preseason All-American. Coast Guard athletics photo |
Babson (30-13) will return six starters and four key pitchers and should stay at the top of the standings. Graduate student 3B Brant Savage (.333, 8 HR, 37 RBI) has put together two of the best offensive seasons in program history over the last two years and nothing less is expected in 2025. Savage just part of one of the best infields in D3 baseball. Senior 1B Justing Guest (.313, 2 HR, 20 RBI) represents the youth as the rest of the infielders are graduate students: 2B Tanner Santos (.344, 28 RBI, 21 SB); SS Jack Julian (.277, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 11 SB). The pitching also is experienced but it is sophomore Jason Finkelstein (8-3, 4.80 ERA, 61K) with the most wins and junior Zander Teator (4-1, 6 saves, 2.57 ERA, 26K) with the most saves. It will be hard to keep up with Salve Regina but Babson is well poised for an effort.
Coast Guard (24-11) also returns a lot of pieces from last year who had some great performances on a team that tied a school record for wins. The key to this year’s team will be the development and maturity of the returning underclassmen coupled with a senior class that has a lot of experience. Nate Stafford (.431, 5 HR, 44 RBI) and Carson Cho (.323, 1 HR, 23 RBI) are coming off great freshman years and more will be expected with a year already under their belts. Of the upperclassmen class, junior Rick Barkley (.298, 10 HR, 41 RBI) has proven to have a big bat for Coast Guard and needs two more home runs for a school record. Improving the consistency & depth on the mound is a focus of the coaching staff. Returning pitchers include junior SP Harrison Milbert (6-0, 3.30 ERA, 65K) and sophomore RP Ryan Karman (3-2, 4 saves, 1.71 ERA, 29K).
Wheaton (Mass.) (24-14), WPI (20-17-1), and MIT were the final seends in last year's tournament with only Wheaton (Mass.) surviving the play-in round. Wheaton went on a run, only to lose twice to Babson on Championship Day. Wheaton had much of their 2024 starters back headed by seniors Timmy Wagner (.343, 5 HR, 26 RBI) and Tommy Beauregard (.306, 13 RBI, 10 SB) on offense. Junior Ben Oliveira (6-2, 3.45 ERA, 35K) is the top Lyons' starter and Jackson Walsh (4-1, 2 saves, 4.31 ERA, 11K) and Liam Goldthwaite (0-0, 5 saves, 1.54 ERA, 28K), the best of the bullpen staff.
MIT (17-20) lost their top three hitters to graduation but return two key pitchers from season ending injuries a year ago. Back is graduate student C Tyler Godfrey (.274, 16 RBI), a team leader, catalyst for the offense and solid behind the plate. the offense will welcome a transfer outfielder from Oswego, CJ McCarthy who is taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility to add a graduate degree to his education. Tops on the mound will be Brian Rapanan (3-2, 4.25 ERA, 68K) and Chase Rubin (2-3, 5.66 ERA, 29K). If an improved pitching staff is supported with a sound defense, MIT has the potential to compete for a conference championship. A conference championship would be an excellent parting gift for retiring head coach Andy Barlow.
Clark (21-18) and Springfield (16-21) performed better in their non-conference schedule than in the NEWMAC. Emerson (6-26) found wins in either part of the season hard to come by. Clark was the only team in this trio that placed any of their athletes on the All-NEWMAC list, pitcher Max Gitlin and outfielder Carter Doran. Only Doran (.340, 2 HR, 29 RBI) is back for Clark. All three teams will be looking into the incoming freshman/transfer class to find a couple stars that could lift them higher in the standings.