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| Head coach Mike Leonard has the Middlebury Panthers flying high. Middlebury athletics photo |
By Jim Dixon, D3sports.com
Over the last five years more teams in Region 1 are making the playoffs than just 10 years ago. This is due to the rise in several programs, most notably Middlebury and Salve Regina. Along with Husson and Mitchell, these programs made the playoffs in at least four of the last five post-Covid years. A poll of regional coaches show that Salve Regina and Middlebury are the two best programs in the region followed by Babson and Colby.
With Salve Regina making the Super regional round in each of the last three years, another appearance this far in the NCAA Playoffs is the best bet in the region. Their closest challenger in the NEWMAC is Babson. Middlebury and Colby are expected to be looking for NESCAC supremacy with the Beavers having the edge over the Panthers. Mitchell and Husson have made the best of their NCAA playoff appearances, racking up wins but it would be a significant jump for either program to achieve an NCAA Regional title.
New Faces
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| Zach Sugar will be looking to take Husson ito the NCAA playoffs for the sixth stright time in his first year as the Eagles head coach. Husson athletics photo by Eric Ogden |
Tyler Fitzgerald, Dean: Fitzgerald, joins Bulldog Nation after spending one season with the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. There, he served as an Assistant Coach for the Division I River Hawks with his primary focus with the pitching staff. "I am incredibly excited to be named the next head baseball coach at Dean College and have the opportunity to be a part of the rich baseball tradition here in Franklin," Coach Fitzgerald said. "Dean is a sleeping giant in Division 3 baseball, and I am looking forward to taking the program to heights it has not yet seen. I am looking forward to connecting with current players and alumni this fall and creating an experience everyone involved with the program can return home to for life."
Zach Sugar, Husson: Husson announced the hiring of Zach Sugar as its next head coach. Sugar takes over a program that has won five consecutive North Atlantic Conference championships and made five straight NCAA Regional appearances. He previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under former head coach Chris Morris for seven seasons. "It is an honor to be named the next head baseball coach at Husson University," said Sugar. "I would like to thank Chris Grotton and Janine Gmitter for this opportunity. Husson is a special place with outstanding student-athletes. A huge thank you to my wife, Gabby, and son, Jaxon, for all your love and support. My family and I are beyond excited to continue being part of the Husson community."
Chris Morris, MIT: Chris Morris will open the 2026 season as the head coach of the Engineers. A former assistant coach for the Engineers, Morris joins MIT following a successful run as the head coach of his alma mater Husson. Morris joined Husson in August 2019 and put together a 125-79 (.613) overall record, leading the Eagles to five consecutive North Atlantic Conference championships and five-straight NCAA championship regional appearances. Morris was previously an assistant for three seasons at MIT, working closely with head coach Andy Barlow from 2015-2018 on nationwide recruiting efforts. Morris departed MIT in August 2018 to serve as recruiting coordinator and pitching coach at Brandeis University, directing the pitching staff and focusing on nationwide recruiting for the Judges for a year. "I am humbled and honored to become the next head coach at MIT. I would like to thank the search committee for entrusting me with the MIT baseball program," said Morris. "MIT is a very special place for my family, and we are so excited to be a part of the Engineer family again."
Chad Shade, Springfield: Shade has been named as the head coach and assistant professor of physical education at Springfield. Shade returns to Alden Street after serving as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Amherst over the past three seasons. Shade has also served as the manager of the Pittsfield Suns of the Future Collegiate Baseball League, as the graduate assistant and assistant director of player development at Division I Kansas State and as the assistant coach of the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League. "It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to be the next head baseball coach at Springfield College and return to Alden Street," said Shade. "There is a rich history in this program, and I look forward to continuing to build on what Coach Simeone has established over the past 29 seasons. I am grateful to him and Coach Cerasuolo for their support during my time as a student-athlete at Springfield and for their guidance as I pursued my passion for coaching."
Matt Reynolds, Wesleyan: Reynolds was introduced as the fourth head coach in the history of Wesleyan baseball in August and will be entering his first season with the Cardinals' baseball program in 2026. Reynolds, who has 21 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 11 as a head coach at both the Division I and Division III levels, brings a proven record of program building, alumni engagement, and student-athlete development. "I am honored to join Wesleyan as only the fourth head baseball coach in the last 84 years," said Reynolds. "Wesleyan's combination of academic excellence, athletic tradition, and alumni passion makes this an incredible opportunity. My vision is to build a program defined by our three pillars—Classroom, Competition, and Community—while competing for NESCAC Championships. I can't wait to get started."
Dan Tischler, Wheaton (Mass.): Tischler becomes just the second head coach in Wheaton College baseball history. The New York native spent the last two seasons on the staff of Division I Boston College as an Assistant Coach, where he helped the Eagles win 50 games over the past two campaigns. Tischler implemented the offensive philosophy for Boston College and worked with the infielders to post a .978 field percentage in 53 games. Prior to his stint at BC, Tischler emerged as one of the finest coaching prospects in college baseball after an 11-year stretch at Columbia University. "Kat and I are excited to be a part of the Wheaton Baseball family and the Wheaton College Community," said Tischler. "This program's rich history and track record of success are big reasons I was so enthusiastic for this opportunity. I am excited to get to work and continue to push Wheaton Baseball forward as its next head coach."
Key Games
Bowdoin at Endicott, March 16th - Bowdoin will be in Davenport Florida on their spring trip and will face the top team in the New England region. If this is going to be a special year, a win here will tell just how close Bowdoin is to the top of DIII Baseball. They have an earlier game with Babson and a game the next day with UW-La Crosse so when the team returns in late March, the coaching staff will know what kind of team they have.
Colby at Middlebury, March 27th - Colby travels to Middlebury in a contest of the top teams in the NESCAC from 2025.
Husson at SUNY Cobleskill, March 28th - The top contenders in the NAC meet for the first time for a doubleheader and another on Sunday. Getting to the NCAA Regional round will require a tournament win and finishing at the top of the standings is just the firt step towards the goal.
Mitchell at St. Joseph's (Conn.), April 25th - Much will be on the line when the GNAC favorites meet on the final weekend before the GNAC tournament.
Salve Regina at Coast Guard, April 25th - This weekend is where the NEWMAC title could be decided. The top ranked teams in the conference play a doubleheader.
Conference Previews
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| Mitchell outfielder Ryan Dennis batted .376 in his first year for the Mariners. Mitchell athletics photo |
Great Northeast Athletic Conference: Mitchell (13-3, 25-18) had their fewest wins in a season since 2014 and broke a three year string of 30 or more wins. They made it to the GNAC championship series and lost to Johnston and Wales. The Wildcats will not be in the GNAC this year so the path to the NCAA Playoffs looks clearer. Playing in their third season in the GNAC, they have made the championship game in each of the first two years and 2026 looks to be the same. Mitchell had two players in 2025 earn first-team All-GNAC honors with both at opposite ends if their career. Pitcher Eddie Kaftan graduated and signed a pro contract where outfielder Ryan Dennis (.376, 23 RBI, 31 SB) will be back on the Mitchell roster. The offense should be a strength as Dennis is surrounded by other All-Conference performers. Two starting pitchers, who accounted for 60% of the games started, and the top reliever finished their senior season in 2025. Add in a catcher who is no longer with the team and the coaching staff will have their growing pains. Look for a veteran group of position players with some depth to carry the team early. More arms will need to be developed to compete at the regional level.
Lasell (11-5, 25-16) and St. Joseph (Conn.) (10-6, 25-18) both made the GNAC tournament and lost to their opponent in the two pods title tilts. Look for both of these programs to provide the top opposition to Mitchell. Lasell will miss Tim Callahan, the 2025 GNAC Player of the Year and the rest of their senior members on the All-GNAC squad. With over a dozen players ending their final year of eligibility, 2026 will find a lot of new faces in new places. St. Joseph's has made the conference tournament in both of their two years in the GNAC and expect a third as they are heading into 2026 with a lot from last year. The list starts with third baseman Jack Kane (.428, 38 RBI), the reigning GNAC top rookie. Fellow infielder JJ Fox (.350, 28 RBI, 10 SB) had a breakout year as a junior with the bat with improved defense. The pitching staff did not feature a single senior last year and unless the portal took a thrower or two, expect a pitching staff that only improves with the experience garnered last season.
St. Joseph's (Maine) (9-7, 20-19), Rivier (9-7, 15-19) and Colby-Sawyer (7-9, 14-26) rounded out the rest of the eight team GNAC tournament. Anna Maria also made the tournament but is now playing in Region 2 with the MASCAC. St. Joseph's and Rivier both return key pieces to their teams in 2026 but look to Colby Sawyer to make a greater leap in this group of contenders. The Chargers are experienced and battle tested with deep runs in the GNAC playoffs the last 2 years. The squad, headed by first baseman Evan Dennis (.355, 39 RBI) is the same one that won a program record for wins in 2024 and have the potential to get that record closer to the 30 win mark. St. Joseph's should be a team to watch with seven returning players to the lineup. Keep your eye on their sophomore catcher, Nic Frink (.390, 8 HR, 35 RBI) and senior centerfielder Jared Wilhelm (.330 7 HR. 25 RBI). If Wilhelm stays heathy he could be the best player in the conference.
Norwich (6-10, 12-20), Dean (6-10, 13-27), Elms (4-12, 10-22), Albertus Magnus (4-12, 9-22) and New England College (4-12, 7-27) all missed the end of the season tournament. These team's performance is also reflects in a paucity of All-Conference honors. Dean led this list with Jadon Murakami (.345, 10 RBI) and Rylan Secovich (.369, 25 RBI, 30 SB) earning conference honors. Both were underclassmen and will be part of the Bulldog's success for years to come. New England College third baseman Jaken Pellerin (.373, 26 RBI) is the Pilgrim's top returner.
Predicted Champion: Mitchell
North Atlantic Conference: The biggest change this year for Husson (13-4, 24-16) was off the field as the school turned the reigns over to long-time assistant Zach Sugar. Will the season be just as sweet as before? We believe it will. Returning 10 key players from last year's squad the offence will feature veteran leadership with four seniors and two juniors in the lineup. Keep your eye on junior Matt Holmes (.292, 11 HR, 42 RBI) who is 15 home runs from tying the program record. He has two years to match or set the new standard. While the O is experienced, the pitching will be young as a number of key pitchers have graduated. Avery Lawrence (2-1, 2.91 ERA, 14K) is the top starter back on the mound with a bullpen that kept much of their ranks from 2025.
Thomas (12-6, 20-22) finished second to Husson but unlike the Eagles, a challenge for the top spot will be a huge task. Five players were named to the All-NAC squad last year and all five were in their final year of eligibility. The youth movement will be in full force in 2026. Looking back when all of the 11 graduating players were freshmen, the win total was just half of that in 2025. The top five batters were all seniors in 2025 with the only .300 hitter surviving is junior Hayden Dippner (.305, 17 RBI, 14 SB). It is a similar story with the pitching staff with the only non-seniors in 2025 with multiple wins got just six total starts out of the bullpen - Justin Conn (2-3, 3 saves, 4.89 ERA, 34K) and Jean Catala-Nieves (2-1, 9.88 ERA, 16K).
Lesley (11-5, 20-18) was the top seed out of the West division and saw four All-Conference players graduate. The top returners are all in the infield with senior third baseman Caden Shott (.377, 12 RBI) earning a midseason promotion to the starting lineup with his play. Reigning Rookie of the Year, second baseman Raymond Morales (.304, 17 RBI; 4-2, 1 Save, 2.61 ERA, 26K) was a starter from day one and should be a fixture at the position for the next three years. Morales is the top pitcher in wins returning and will be teamed with senior Roy Lenhard (3-4, 5.74 ERA, 35K) and sophomore Charles Ambroult (3-2, 7.18 ERA, 27K) as the top starting pitchers.
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| Korin Laurilla has season high in hits (3) and runs (4) in a April 27th contest with Lesley. SUNY-Cobleskil athletics photo |
SUNY-Cobleskill (8-4, 9-24) was the final team in the NAC postseason tournament and this year they could be a top seed in the division. The Tigers will have an experienced lineup with a focus on upperclassmen. Tony Woodie, a transfer from a top JUCO program, is projected to be one of the best to don a Cobleskill uniform. The best returners are in key defensive positions in catcher Korin Laurilla (.340, 25 RBI) and shortstop Jeffrey Gutierrez (.338, 17 RBI). On the mound the pitchers are still unproven and if they are good game managers, the Tigers should hit their way to a lot of wins.
Maine-Farmington (4-13, 10-26), Maine-Presque Isle (4-14, 7-20) and VTSU Lyndon (3-9, 12-22) missed the postseason and were well out of contention. The team best positioned to get out of the basement is Lyndon. They return seven seniors who have seen time on the mound, including ace Carlos Rodriguez (2024 stats: 2-2, 1.56 ERA, 41K) who is back from injury. With six starters back it gives the Hornets a chance to add more positional depth than in years past. Matt Gonyeau (.352, 21 RBI) has a chance to be the conference player of the year after hitting .319 in the summer. See him getting time on the mound as well with a 80+ fastball. UMPI has expanded its roster to a place it hasn't been in years thanks to a robust recruiting class. This is good news for a team that has not had double digit wins since 2016. The Owl's top player back is utility player Garrett Chadwick (.342, 15 RBI, 11 SP; 3-1, 4.75 ERA, 37K).
Predicted Champion: Husson
New England Small College Athletic Conference: Middlebury (10-2, 28-13) had the top record in the conference and a tournament run that netted them the conference bid to the NCAA Regional round. This was a tribute to their senior class headed by Kyle McCausland. This class accounted for 118 wins over the last four years. This highly honored group is gone and the only All-NESCAC 2025 honoree is relief specialist Stefano Yozzo (2-0, 4 Saves 1.42 ERA, 26K). Head coach Mike Leonard could see the cliff ahead and had a majority of his 2025 squad composed of sophomores and first year players. How the Panthers fare will depend on how quickly these young players take over the roles played last year by the veterans.
Colby (7-5, 23-14) was the top seed in the East division, earning the tiebreaker over Bowdoin. Their deep run ran to an end over a suddenly hot Williams squad. The Mules are headed in the same direction as Middlebury with a 2025 senior class filling many of the key positions and a large undergrad class waiting in the wings. Will Colby return to the level of play before this influx of talent? Only time will tell. They have a sole All-NESCAC infielder, Myles Gythfeldt (.408, 32 RBI, 13 SB) returning and after a freshman year full of success, he is just the kind of player to build the team around.
Amherst (9-3, 18-16) and Bowdoin (7-5, 24-11) were second seeds in there respective division for 2025 with both making an early exit. Both teams are poised to take advantage of the graduation of the Middlebury and Colby senior classes. Amherst has two top players back with their top pitcher E.J. Nevills (4-1, 1 Save, 2.40 ERA, 42K) and all-NESCAC outfielder Charlie LaFreniere (.347, 32 RBI). Bowdoin has more back than the Mammoths and it represents the top of their offense with senior leadership - Liam Foley (.363, 29 RBI), Lukas Tsai (.358, 25 RBI, 13 SB)and Will Bordes (.302, 27 RBI; 3-0, 1.04 ERA, 10K). Both Foley and Tsai earned their second All-NESCAC nod, showing that their 2025 seasons were no fluke. If the pitching can match to offense, the Polar Bears will be the hottest team in the conference.
Williams (7-5, 22-15), Trinity (Conn.) (6-6, 20-17) and Tufts (6-6, 16-21) all were lower seeds in the 2025 conference tournament and it was Williams that took advantage, losing in the title tilt to Middlebury 10-6. With a the core group back from last year and a solid finish, look for the Ephs to make a move up the standings. Key to their success will be Ryan Nakajima (.396, 42 RBI, 13 SB), Marcus Burrell II (.333, 17 RBI) and Luca Lopetrone (.326, 19 RBI, 10 SB). Toeing the rubber will be a couple pitchers with several years of eligibility left - Grant Greiner (3-2, 4.38 ERA, 39K) and Lucas Brandt (2-2, 5.82 ERA, 30K). Trinity, the only team in the NESCAC with a national title has a potential Player of the Year in Tyler Bernstein (.343, 17 RBI, 20 SB).
With a conference low two wins, Wesleyan (2-10, 11-24) edged Hamilton (2-10, 14-17) for the final playoff spot in the 2025 tournament. Bates (4-8, 12-20) finished well off the pace in the NESCAC East. The Cardinals of Wesleyan is adapting to a new coaching staff and the change is pointing to a better result. The junior class has the best offensive player and pitcher. Jake Acker (.302, 20 RBI) is the best hitter with Tanner Mahon (3-4, 6.82 ERA, 21K) the best hurler. In the senior class, utility player James Marsden (.290, 30 RBI; 0-3, 1 Save, 7.88 ERA, 18K) is the best of the bunch.
Predicted Champion:Bowdoin
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| The last game Salve Regina's Sean Mulligan pitched was a four hit complete game 2-0 win over UW-Whitwater that took a palrry 1:44 in the 2024 DIII World Series. d3photography.com photo by Ryan Coleman |
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference: Salve Regina (13-3, 36-9) is on quite the run. In the decade before Covid, Salve Regina hit the 20 win mark a couple times. Now 30 wins is the usual, occasionally hitting 40 in a season. The outlook for the team is to be more athletic than in years past. With Sean Mulligan (2024 stats: 9-2, 2.10 ERA, 96K) and LJ Keevan (transfer from UMass-Lowell) coming back from injuries, the pitching staff will be alright. Well more than alright with D3baseball.com 2026 Preseason All-American Kyle Carozza (6-0, 3.19 ERA, 74K), (Nolan Romanowski (5-1, 0.57 ERA, 34K) and Joe DeRienzo (5-1, 2.58 ERA, 39K) also toeing the rubber. The batting lineup saw some losses to graduation, five players, but there is plenty of experience to build around. Shane Williams (.373, 11 HR, 42 RBI, 15 SB) hits for average and power and has better than average speed. Senior teammates Evan O'Rourke (.330, 14 HR, 45 RBI, 12 SB) and Shea Donovan (.319, 16 RBI, 15 SB) have been there from the beginning of the program's resurgence. Expect good things for the Seahawks.
Coast Guard (12-4, 26-14) returns a ton of experience on the mound with 90% of last year's innings back and on the positional side, the lineup returns a lot of athletic pieces. The starting rotation will be anchored by 2x All-Region junior Vito Giordano (6-1, 2.21 ERA, 38K) who worked his way into the rotation in his first year and led the rotation last year. The rest of the pitching staff has excelled and there is plenty of experience up and down the roster. If the offense was in the same shape, the Bears would be our pick to top the NEWMAC but they have to replace their catcher and shortstop, both critical defensive positions, that were filled by excellent hitters and leaders in 2025. The offense will rely on an influx of young talent to surround Carson Cho (.398, 28 RBI), Nate Stafford (.317, 33 RBI) and Luke Percifield (.287, 29 RBI).
MIT (11-5, 19-20) and Clark (9-7, 25-14) finished in the middle of the pack but each had very different tournament results. Clark lost their play-in game while MIT lost in extra innings to Salve Regina in the conference title game. MIT head coach Andy Barlow had a good final season with Coaching Staff of the Year honors but 2026 is the start of a new coaching staff. The good news is that 2025 Rookie of the Year John Spivey (.318, 25 RBI) will be around for the next three years - unless he falls into the portal. Also returning for the Engineers is Zev Moore (.378, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 17 SB). Clark will also have two All NEWMAC performers returning in top pitcher Tommy Flaherty (7-0, 1 Save, 3.12 ERA, 65K) and infielder Dom Mariani (.378, 40 RBI).
Babson (8-8, 23-13) and Wheaton (Mass.) (9-7, 22-19) were the final two teams to make the NEWMAC tournament with both making an early exit. Wheaton (Mass.) will need to replace the production of Timmy Wagner who was the top batter in the NEWMAC in 2025. They also will need to play under just the the second ever head coach for the program as Dan Tischler was tabbed as Eric Poddelski's replacement. Coach Tischler will have the talents of infielder Casey Wensley (.395, 34 RBI) back but an influx of talent will be needed to get the Lyons back to the national stage. D3baseball.com 2026 Preseason All-American Zander Teator (.386, 34 RBI; 0-0, 6 Saves, 2.16 ERA, 14K) has been a standout player for years for Babson and he is joined this year with fellow NEWMAC honoree Jason Finkelstein (3-2, 3.30 ERA, 31K). The Beavers will start their season at national power Trinity (Texas) and it does not get easier with a top SOS in the offering. If Babson can find wins in their non-conference schedule, they are poised for a good NPI and an at large bid if they fail to win the conference this year. Rounding out the NEWMAC are Springfield (6-10, 14-22), WPI (2-14, 14-25) and Emerson (2-14, 8-22). These teams have a lot of work to do to change their fortunes.
Predicted Champion: Salve Regina