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| Spalding is picked by the SLIAC coaches to remain at the top of the SLIAC standings. They claimed the maximum number of first place votes to out-pace Webster who finished second in the preseason Conference poll. Aurora athletics photo by Gunner Mahoney |
By Jim Dixon
D3sports.com
It seems like every region has just 2 or 3 clear favorites for who will dominate in 2025 but in Region 8, there are five teams over three conferences that are expected to compete not just at the regional level but on the national stage. Aurora and Benedictine are solid teams in the NACC, Spalding and Webster are expected to dominate out of the SLIAC and Transylvania is the top HCAC team. These are just five of the fifteen teams that are mentioned when we asked coaches: Who are the top five teams in the region? Three more teams have also gotten support, CCIW members Augustana, North Central (Ill.) and Washington University in the UAA.
New Faces
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| Michael Kellar will have some big shoes to fill as he takes over for Dennis Martel, the only Region 8 head coach to win a National baseball Championship. Illinois Wesleyan athletics photo |
Michael Kellar, Illinois Wesleyan - After six seasons as an assistant coach, Kellar was officially elevated to Illinois Wesleyan's head coach following the retirement of longtime bench boss Dennis Martel. Kellar has served as the program's pitching coach for the past six years. During his time on Martel's staff, Kellar coached 21 All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin honorees and six all-region selections. He was critical in the development of Quinn Gudaitis, who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2022. "I cannot begin to thank Coach Martel enough for giving me the opportunity to coach alongside him for the last six years," Kellar shared. "As much success as he has on the field over his 30-plus years here, the real success is the Titan family he fostered during his tenure. With such a supportive group of administrators, coaches, and support staff, top-notch facilities and resources, and dedicated and talented student-athletes, Illinois Wesleyan is a premier Division III program in the country. I look forward to the challenge of carrying on the Titan tradition as the next head coach of IWU baseball."
Adrian Santiago, Milwaukee School of Engineering - MSOE hired Santiago as the head coach for the baseball team over the summer. Santiago brings experience from a variety of collegiate levels, most recently at Webster where he was the recruiting coordinator and head assistant coach. In 2022, the Gorlocks pitching staff led the Saint Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in every major statistical category from the mound, including the seventh best ERA in the nation amongst DIII schools. The Webster pitching staff featured three all-conference and two all-region pitchers during Santiago's tenure. "I am eager to contribute to the growth and success of our baseball program, and I look forward to working closely with our student-athletes and the entire administration to foster a positive and successful environment," said Santiago. "The administration's confidence in my abilities means a lot to me, and I am committed to upholding the standards of excellence that MSOE values." Santiago replaces Steve Sanfilippo, who was head coach of the Raiders since the 2014 season, with a career record of 208-203.
Conference Previews
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin: North Park (30-13) finished at the top of the standings but were heading home when the title and automatic playoff bid that comes with it were earned. The Vikings' best player last year, CCIW Player of the Year, Bobby Bartlett will not be back - taking his talents to Northern Kentucky for his final year of eligibility. The Vikings were sixth in the nation with 137 stolen bases and the top two thieves, senior Alex DiVito (.396, 5 HR, 43 RBI, 33 SB) and junior Joe Perona (.351, 5 3B, 36 RBI, 43 SB) are back. Two of three pitchers with 60+ innings are back but it is the pitching of junior RP Ethan Condit (5-2, 5 saves, 2.10 ERA, 36K) who could be the difference maker this season. This year, North Park shortstop Randy Ross will be enshrined in the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Millikin (29-16) will be rebuilding the pitching staff that earned the Big Blue a playoff bid after graduating most of their experience on the mound. The Big Blue will rely on transfers and freshmen to fill void and expect some bumps along the way. The strength will be with the bats as Millikin expects to be very athletic and able to generate runs in many ways as they mix in new young players blended with experienced and successful returners. Tyler Gade (.355, 10 2B, 32 RBI, 12 SB) and Sam Basur (.349, 3 HR, 39 RBI) will be part of a dangerous team with the bat.
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| The Vikings are coming off a 27-17 season, during which they placed second in the CCIW tournament after winning three elimination games. This is the second year in a row that Augie has earned points in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA preseason poll. Augustana athletics photo by Linh Hoang |
Augustana (27-17) and North Central (Ill.) (18-23) both made the CCIW tournament but had different levels of success. North Central lost out in the play-in round and Augustana fell in the CCIW Championship game to Millikin. North Central expects to gain experience from last season’s challenging schedule. Over the summer they have added depth on mound and like many teams, a few impact transfers. With Luke Lehman skipping his final season of eligibility to focus on an NFL career, the youth is evident in the Cardinal program with a player like sophomore Jackson Bland (.373, 30 R, 2 HR, 37 RBI). Key to North Central's success will be the play of senior John Michael Scumaci (.273, 36 R, 25 RBI). Another tough non-conference schedule should have the team ready for the challenges of CCIW play. Augustana is expected to move up the standings with the offense back filled to the brim with fifth-years and seniors. Tops with a bat is Daniel Mosele (.347, 3 HR, 40 RBI) who is back for his senior year. We will see which of these two team have the upper hand as they meet to open their respective CCIW slate.
Illinois Wesleyan (23-16) and Carthage (23-19) will experience the absence of a successful long-term coach retiring as new chapters open for each program. Coach Dennis Martel retired after the 2024 season and the Titans promoted from within, tabbing Michael Kellar to lead the program. This year will be the farewell tour of Carthage head Coach Augie Schmidt IV. Martel led the only Region 8 team to a title in an improbable run in 2010 and Schmidt has more appearances in the World Series than any other coach in the region.
Carroll (17-23), Wheaton (Ill.) (11-26), and Elmhurst (10-29) round out the bottom of the CCIW standings. Elmhurst will not bring back a lot of their starters from 2024 but has 26 players from last year's squad lacing up their cleats. A 13 man recuiting class should give the the Blue Jays some depth. Wheaton (Ill.) will have a large addition of new talent (19 newcomers) and the expectant emergence of returners who were previously blocked by 5th year players, will allow the Thunder to take the next step forward.
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference: Hanover (31-17) took the hard road to the NCAA playoffs in 2024. A mid tournament loss to Transylvania required the Panthers to win the final three game of the tournament, including two against the team that put them in the elimination bracket. The 2025 version of the Panthers' squad will be balanced offensively, can pitch and play a plus defense but will need a lot of new faces to produce. Senior C Reid Douglas (.305, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 12 SB) and HCAC Pitcher of the Year sophomore John Girard (6-3, 1 save, 3.60 ERA, 96K) is the top battery in the conference and possibly the region.
Transylvania (34-14) came up a game short in the conference tournament but a solid record and a plus strength of schedule netted them an at-large bid. An unofficial poll of regional coaches makes the Pioneers the favorite, not just in conference but in the region, to make the 2025 playoff field. To meet expectations, they will be without Trent Youngblood, a draft choice of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Good news is that Youngblood is the only one of six All-Conference performers who will not return in 2025. Senior OF Calvin Schubert (.348, 15 2B, 4 HR, 33 RBI, 16 SB) is the top offensive threat and Connor Arnold (3-3, 4.35 ERA, 50K) is the top starting pitcher back.
Rose-Hulman (25-19) engineered a third place finish in the regular season but ended their season 1-2 in the conference tournament. Senior OF Kade Kline (.354, 7 HR, 40 RBI, 18 SB) is their top offensive performer. As a four year starter he is on pace to finish his career as one of the top hitters in Rose-Hulman history. Five pitchers with key roles will be back with sophomore Brady Strawmyer (4-1, 5.57 ERA, 42K) in the starting rotation and senior Jonathan Oliger (2-0, 5 saves, 3.78 ERA, 13K) in the bull pen.
Mount St. Joseph (21-21), Anderson (25-19), and Franklin (20-22) rounded out the 2024 tournament field. Anderson was the only team in this group to make a run, finishing 2-2 while the others were 0-barbecue. The Ravens will be young and talented on the field with a veteran presence on the mound with pithers like Landen Southern (5-2, 4.70 ERA, 81K) and Carter Knoblauch (7-2, 4.76 ERA, 52 K). Head Coach Mathew Bair has found his 2025 squad to as close knit as and team he has coached. This intangible often leads to wins. Franklin will welcome more than a dozen newcomers to their team, joining the two dozen last year. With this influx of new talent, the Grizzlies are young but talented. Look to seeing this group improve daily as Franklin gets back to championship form.
Manchester (16-24) saw their bubble burst as the first team out of the conference tournament. Junior Joel Kennedy (.356, 8HR, 32 RBI) is the top hitter, both for average and power back for the Spartans. The pitching rotation is back intact but the quartet of upper classmen will need to show improvement over their 2024 season for a chance to chnage their postseason fortunes. Bluffton (13-27), and Earlham (15-22) were the HCAC cellar dwellers. There will be one less team in the conference as Defiance has moved to DII.
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference: Milwaukee Engineering (26-15) won the regular season title but did not have the resume for an at-large bid, losing the confernce playoff pass to NACC tournament winner Benedictine. To make the playoffs in 2025, a tournament win will be needed if they have the same mediocre SOS. New head coach Adrian Santiago has inherited a team with loads of talent but little to no experience. Gone is Tyler Gronert, the NACC Pitcher of the Year and if MSOE is to repeat, in this category, they have potential in Zach Brzezinski (3-2, 5.87 ERA, 15K) to replace Gronert as the team ace. In the fall, sophomore SS Joe Stried (.389, 4 SB in 18 AB) was the best player and big expectations are expected this season and for years to come.
Aurora (34-11) finished second in both the regular standings and in the conference tournament. The offense will not be the same without DH Nik Panico, the NACC Position Player of the Year, who graduated following the 2024 season. Super sophomore OF Joe Lukancic (.447, 18 2B, 36 RBI, 54 R) will be back and claimed a spot on the 2025 D3baseball.com Preseason All-American team.
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| Michael Paxton has hit 27 home runs for Illinois Tech in his three year career for the Scarlet Hawks. Illinois Tech athletics photo by Scott Wysoglad |
Benedictine (33-14) is expected to battle Aurora for the top of the conference. The Eagles lost two All-Americans to graduation but the cupboard is not bare. 1B Brennan Fisher (.366, 14 HR, 63 RBI) and OF George Betevis (.302, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 16 SB) are key players back this year swinging a bat. Look to the pitching for the strength of the team. SP Conner Knedall (6-1, 4.17 ERA, 44K) returns and Jack Bahn (2-0, 5.47 ERA, 30K) is heathy and expected to regain All-Region form this year. Their best pitcher might just be cooling his heels in the bull pen in Austin Pizer (7-1, 6 saves, 2.08 ERA, 40K).
Marian (24-15) and Illinois Tech (24-18) tied with Benedictine for third place last season. Illinois Tech returns two All-American caliber players, Michael Paxson (.374, 15 HR, 8 SB) and Tyler Gutsfeld (.371, 12 HR, 19 SB) to the starting line-up, along with an All-Region pitcher in Cam Bracewell (7-4, 1 save, 3.93 ERA, 87K). With speed on the bases and the capability to play high level defense, the Scarlet Hawks are ready to play with the top teams in the NACC. Marian returns much of their offense led by Tyler Gade (.355, 10 2B, 32 RBI, 12 SB) and Sam Bushur (.349, 3 HR, 39 RBI). The Sabres' top pitcher is senior SP Riley Richard (7-2, 3.12 ERA, 45K).
Edgewood (20-20), Concordia (Wis.) (19-22), and Rockford (17-24) were the final seeds in the 2024 NACC tournament but were not around on Championship Day. Rockford returns 12 starters on both sides of the game and a 26 man recruiting class this season. Keep your eye on 1B Kaden Bergstrom (.346, 11 HR, 35 RBI) and OF Joseph Stagowski (.336, 9 HR, 32 RBI, 9 SB). A quintet of upperclassmen return in the starting rotation but none are as good as senior RP Will Hissong (5-2, 5 saves, 4.91 ERA, 36K) in 2024 for the Regents. Edgewood has a rebuilt pitching staff for 2025. They will get back a couple of pitchers that missed some or all the season due to injuries. Getting them back and adding the 10 new guys will make Edgewood stronger and deeper on the mound. The Eagles have good depth and experience back at all spots in the lineup and you have the stage set for a move up the standings. Look for Kyle Prindle (.356, 10 2B, 33 RBI, 9 SB) to have a breakout year. Concordia (Wis.) enters 2025 with a good blend of youth and experience and wants to start this season like they ended the last. The Falcons' strength is on the mound with reliable senior pitching from Zach Slome (5-3, 5.63 ERA, 46K) and Luke Bruckner (3-3, 3.50 ERA, 32K). Concordia-Chicago (19-21), St. Norbert (15-24), Dominican (15-25), Wisconsin Lutheran (9-31), and Lakeland (8-32) all finished out of the 8-team conference tournament.
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: The SLIAC was once the dominan of the Gorloks but Webster (24-19) did not finish in the top two places in the standings for the first time since D3baseball.com came on line more than a decade ago. It is a retooling year on offense with a number of players back in key roles from a very good offense in 2024. One of these key players is Karl Peters (.324, 12 HR, 45 RBI, 24 SB) who plays a plus defense whether at shortstop or centerfield. The pitching staff wil be rebuilding as a number of newcomers step into big roles. If sophomore Ryan Greifelt (4-4, 5.61 ERA, 39 K) improves to the caliber of the pitchers that have come out of Webster program, you can see the dominance that Webster has shown in the past returning.
Spalding (31-14) was the top dog in the SLIAC, displacing Webster in 2024 and is expected to do it again in 2025. Success for the Golden Eagles starts with the contributions of 2025 Preseason All-Americans SS Ethan Tuttle (.434, 16 2B, 31 RBI, 21 SB) and C Hunter Strong (.394, 12 HR, 51 RBI). Four other players on offense played every game with three more who were role players and are ready to step into a bigger role. Pitching is in good shape for the Golden Eagles. A pair of juniors, Caden Krystofiak (6-1, 3 saves, 2.41 ERA, 94K) and Cameron Rayborn (9-3, 1 save, 2.97 ERA, 86K), who each started a dozen games over fifteen appearances are ready for the 2025 season.
Lyon (24-19) and MUW (22-15) are new faces in the SLIAC and the Lyon Scots finished a game off the pace for a regular season championship. That was all they could play for as they were not eligible for the conference tournament as they are in the process of reclassifing in the Division 3. Finishing near the top of the SLIAC, Lyon has worked hard in the fall in preparation for another run at the regular season crown. Job one will be finding replacements for SP Cam Gordon and Ayden Heitmann who chewed up 124 innings in 2024. Senior SP Patrick Babcock (5-3, 3.70 ERA, 60K) will assume ace duties as the Scots will depend on last years under classmen and the incoming recruiting class to fill the innings lost to the graduation pitchers. If Lyon matches their win total, the team will hand head coach Justin Cunningham a milestone 100th win.
Greenville (18-25) finished above .500 in the conference but like the rest of the league, finished below this mark for the full season. Westminster (Mo) (17-25) qualified for the end of the season tounament and made a run that ended a game short of the confernce championship tilt. Eureka (19-21), Blackburn (6-32), and Principia (9-29) all fell out of the six team tournament. Fontbonne (14-26) is closing their doors following the 2024-25 school year and this will be the Griffin's last hurrah.
University Athletics Association and Independents: After three disappointing seasons of not advancing to the postseason, UAA member Washington (24-15-1) is hungry to get back to the highwater mark - when they appeared in the DIII World Series in 2021. Head coach Pat Bloom will have six starters from the line up and on the mound to start the 2025 campaign among the 23 returning players. A dozen newcomers will be joining the team led by graduate students IF Colter Couillard-Rodak (transfer from Rose Hulman) and 1B Noah Reichman (transfer from Colby). Of the returning players, SS Shane Pellegrino (.356, 10 2B, 36 RBI, 16 SB) was the Bears' leading hitter the past two years and is poised to have a breakout year. WashU's top reliever, Hank Weiss (4-2, 4 saves, 4.34 ERA, 67K) is a member of the senior class that will make an impact for a successful season. Maranatha Baptist (0-33) has not won more than two games in a season in their last six years and this trend is expected to continue.