|
| Cortland is swinging for another playoff appearance. They have made the Regional round every year since 1993. Cortland athletics photo by Erin Locascio |
By Jim Dixon, D3sports.com
This season would mark the fifth straight year a member of Region 3 has not made the final eight teams in the DIII World Series with Cortland last making the trip in 2021. The favorite to make a run is the same Cortland Red Dragons but we have said this before. The Joe Brown led team has the longest current playoff streak with 32 straight appearances and we expect to see them make it 33. The early word is that Ithaca will be their top in-region competition, The Bombers have the second most playoff appearances in the Region over the last twenty years.
|
| It took Frank Jagoda fifteen years to get back to Fredonia. The new Fredonia head coach graduated from the school in 2010 and is back in the fold for this season. USA Baseball photo |
The teams expected to make an NCAA Regional is not confined to the two traditional powers. Brockport and St. John Fisher in the Empire 8, RPI and RIT in the Liberty League are teams along with Cortland and Ithaca that regional coaches think will have a shot. While Ithaca's conference challengers are numerous none are clear favorites for this years title. In the SUNYAC Oswego is getting attention as Cortland's top threat for conference supremacy. The Skyline will get their representative into the playoffs with conference favorites Farmingdale State, Merchant Marine as early picks as the best in the region.
New Faces
Nick Pontari, Brockport: SUNY Brockport officials announced the hiring of Pontari as the 13th head coach in the history of the Golden Eagle program. Pontari, a Brockport alumnus, former assistant coach, and team captain, returns to his alma mater to lead the program he helped build—this time as its head coach. He succeeds his longtime mentor and the all-time winningest coach in program history, Justin Beach. Pontari most recently served as the head coach at Russell Sage College, where he launched the program in 2020. "This is a proud day for Brockport Baseball. As a former player, coach, and leader within our program, Nick Pontari understands exactly what it means to be a Brockport Golden Eagle," said former head coach Justin Beach. "During his time as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, he played a vital role in building the foundation for our culture and success. Nick understands and believes in the core values that brand Brockport Baseball." "I'm blessed to have the opportunity to return to Brockport, my Alma Mater, where I had the chance to finish my athletic career and begin my coaching career. Coach Beach, and this program taught me so many life lessons, values, and helped shape my life and prepare me for the real world, while competing at the highest level possible on the field," said Pontari.
Frank Jagoda III, Fredonia: Fredonia named Jagoda as its new head coach in November. A Fredonia State alumnus who grew up in the area, Jagoda has served as the interim head coach of the program since September. He brings to his new position more than 15 years of coaching, scouting, and player-development experience across college, professional, and international baseball. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to lead the Fredonia State Baseball program," he said. "I'm looking forward to building on the momentum we've built as a staff and a ball club during the interim process, both on and off the field, as well as the recruiting trail. We will continue to move it forward each and every day."
Matt Marsh, Sage: Russell Sage found their new head coach in Arkansas. Marsh comes to the Capital District from Hendrix College He served as the assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for the Warriors for the past two seasons, guiding hitters, baserunners and infielders, while running the offense and being heavily involved in recruiting efforts. "I am incredibly excited to be able to serve the Russell Sage baseball program as head baseball coach," said Marsh. "I am grateful to be a part of a program that has come so far so quickly and be back in the northeast where so many of my ties are in baseball, recruiting and family. I look forward to continuing to build the program and honoring the great work of Coach Pontari."
Key Games
Cortland vs Rowan in Philadelphia, Pa. on February 28th - The Red Dragons have not started the season with a win string in the last few years and if they can sweep the Rowan Profs as well as the previous weekend's D3 showcase, they will be on the way to a special season with wins over teams that won nine previous championships and a 6-0 record.
Clarkson at Rochester Tech, March 20th - The two top challengers to Ithaca meet in a weekend three-game series opening up on Friday with a doubleheader to follow on Saturday. Both teams will get their chance with Ithaca with the Bombers playing each on the next two weekends.
Brockport at St. John Fisher, April 8th - The two top teams in the Empire 8 meet for the first time in a mid-week game. They will play a doubleheader at Brockport two weeks later.
Farmingdale State at Merchant-Marine, April 19th - The two teams that are expected to be at the top of the standings meet in a doubleheader and if either team sweeps, this should be the edge needed to earn a regular season title and top seed in the Skyline tournament.
Cortland at Oswego on April 21st - This is the third game of the season between SUNYAC rivals and the Lakers's final SUNYAC contest before the tournament seeding. Expect the seeding for the top of the tournament to be on the line.
Conference Previews
|
| Kyle Blake is one of a group of juniors ready to carry the Golden Eagles. Blake earned a regular spot in the lineup last year and should spend his final two starting most of the games. Brockport athletics photo |
Empire 8: Brockport (21-1-1, 36-5-2) made the best of their first year in the Empire 8, winning the regular season and the post-season tournament. Justin Beach opted for another position with Brockport athletics but has left his successor at head coach in great shape, well sorta. They will have big holes in the starting pitching to plug but there are players who showed promise that return in 2026. Junior Eric Servellon (4-1, 4.40 ERA, 29K) is the top reliever for the Golden Eagles. The good news is that the offense will be able to carry the team, especially in the early part of the season. Tops on the team is junior in Kyle Blake (.396, 37 RBI). The youth movement is alive and well at Brockport with just three seniors on the 2026 roster.
Sage (18-6, 27-15) was second to Brockport in both the season and in the tournament and they saw their head coach in 2025 opt for the open position at Brockport. They have just a couple All-Empire 8 players returning and time will tell if their progress each year will continue under new field boss Matt Marsh. Senior catcher Collin Casey (.280, 34 RBI) will lead the offense and their top pitcher comes in as a reliever - senior Aidan Green (2-2, 4.85 ERA, 28K).
St. John Fisher (15-8-1, 21-19-1) made a quick exit as the third seed in the Empire 8 tournament. This should not be expected to happen in 2026. The team took meaningful steps forward in 2025 and the team starts this season with a strong foundation. Starting with the future, Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, Jordan Perry (.321, 48 RBI) will be back in the outfield. Outfielder Jackson Frey (.346, 23 RBI) and third baseman Brendan Bucello (.368, 24 RBI) are also back for their junior year. Any foundation is finished with senior leadership and the Cardinals have it on offense in Jack Griffin (.383, 49 RBI) and on the mound in Ethan Fulton (6-4, 3.41 ERA, 61K). The direction of the program is upward and expect the Cards to challenge Brockport for conference supremacy.
Utica (12-11, 18-16-1), Houghton (11-13, 24-21), SUNY Poly (10-14, 14-22) rounded out the bottom of the Empire 8 tournament and their performance in the regular season nearly mirrored their performance in the regular season. Utica and SUNY Poly return two All-Conference players, with Utica's on the mound and SUNY Poly's in the batting line up. It is Houghton that has the greatest potential to crack the top of the standings with five All-E8 players on the 2026 roster. Catcher Christian Tortorici (.354, 41 RBI, 23 SB) returns for his final year of eligibility. Qingyang Feng (.359, 37 RBI, 16 SB) and Nate Hall (.387, 39 RBI, 18 SB) will be junior batters for the Highlanders. On the mound, Houghton has starter Aiden Talcott (4-1, 2.55 ERA, 19K) and reliever Nate Tyler (3-2, 1 Save, 3.96 ERA, 32K).
Keuka (10-14, 16-20), Elmira (7-17, 13-25) and Alfred (2-22, 4-32) finished up the season watching their conference mates play for the league's bid to the NCAA Playoffs. Alfred did not place any player on the conference honor role with Elmira getting back catcher Connor Stone (.319, 7 HR, 29 RBI) and speedy outfielder Kaden Bolt (.291, 11 RBI, 18 SB). Keuka second baseman Alex Evans (.377, 17 RBI) is also an All-E8 performer coming back. Keuka will be looking to escape the basement by adding more depth but with less experience compared to the previous year. Key to their success will be some transfers to the lineup and others to adding to the pitching depth. Elmira will feature a mix of young and veteran players in 2026. They will have a blend of power and speed, and added depth on the mound.
Predicted Champion: Brockport
Liberty League: Ithaca (16-5, 26-15) ended a three year string of 30 win seasons last year but still finished with the best Liberty League record. They were poised to earn the conference pass into the Regional round but lost twice to tournament champion RPI in the final games. These days all championship teams start with pitching and the Bombers have plenty young pitching in the stable. Junior Jack Picozzi (3-2, 3.81 ERA, 65K) starred in the conference season and was awarded Pitcher of the Year honors. He will be teamed up with sophomore Ethan Murle (2-1, 4.43 ERA, 35K). With starting pitching as a plus part of the team, they return junior Camden Laney (.344, 27 RBI) and sophomore Ethan Fantel (.371, 22 RBI), two of their top three hitters. The team is in good hands this year and the next.
|
| Senior pitcher Liam Riordan was 6-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 12 starts in his first year for Rensselaer. RPI athletics photo by Megan |
RPI (12-6, 21-16) made the playoffs for the first time since 2015 but it might be a short streak. Part of their success was was the play of outfielder Ian Oehlschlaeger, the top hitter for average (.438) and power (25% of the teams home runs). Oehlschlaeger opted for D1 Northeastern so he is off the team in 2026. Another 2025 freshman, third baseman Michael Lebenson (.361, 29 RBI) takes the honors as the top player for the Engineers. It will be hard to replace the contribution of the players who graduate and left via the portal. Head coach Jason Falcon will be looking for the same recruiting success he had last year in the 13 member recruiting class.
Skidmore (12-6, 21-17-2) held the tie breaker over RPI for the top team in the division and swept their quarterfinal series with Rochester. The Thoroughbreds fell to both RPI and Ithaca setting up a championship game between the victors. A top divisional finish is in the cards for Skidmore. It will not be the offense that is the team's strength with only one All-Liberty League performer in EJ Stefanelli (.338, 20 RBI) returning. Good news is that he is a sophomore this year and should be a fixture in the lineup until 2028. The top two starters in junior Chase Siegel (9-1, 4.11 ERA, 59K) and senior Quinn Hocom (4-0, 4.58 ERA, 71K) will give Skidmore a good chance to win most of the three game conference series.
Clarkson (10-8, 18-15), Rochester Tech (11-9, 22-14) and Rochester (10-10, 16-17) finished in this order behind Ithaca in the west division of the Liberty League. Only Clarkson escaped out of the quarterfinal round but went 0-2 in the double elimination portion of the tournament. Both Clarkson and RIT will bring back key members of their offense in 2026. Catcher Joe Figliolino (.323, 30 RBI), shortstop Beau Vardion (.382, 32 RBI) and outfielder Aidan Kuefner (.295, 22 RBI, 15 SB) will be swinging bats for Clarkson. For the Tigers, RIT returns outfielder Jackson Rusiecki (.353, 27 RBI,) and two infielders Jarin Moses (.248, 10 HR, 43 RBI) and Charlie Slaymaker (.324, 33 RBI). RIT has the best pitcher in the duo in senior Luc Rising (4-1, 3.28 ERA, 39K). Rochester on the other hand will be short on experience, with no seniors on the roster, having graduated several key pieces last year. The team will have its bumps early in the season but hold judgement to see if the team turns the corner in mid-season.
Union (8-10, 22-18) and Vassar (5-11, 14-19) rounded out the tournament field with Union getting out of the quarterfinal round unscathed. Union took a hit to the infield and pitching staff with graduation but found solutions in their new recruits and transfers. With a successful fall, the coaches are finding the team to be deeper than in 2025. Part of the returning players will be catcher Caleb Miller (.287, 27 RBI, 23 SB) and shortstop Dylan Swarts (.331, 26 RBI). Vassar will not have the same depth as in 2025 as the team will be very young and have 5-7 freshmen in the lineup each day. The most experience will be on the mound and will carry the team early. The Brewers return one player from last year's All-Star team, outfielder Jensen Bergman (.363, 21 RBI, 10 SB).
Hobart (8-11, 18-17), St. Lawrence (6-11, 11-23) and Bard (2-13, 4-28-1) combined for as many wins as the regular season champion. Neither of these teams have made the NCAA Regional round since 2007 and the last 20 win season from the group was in 2013. Hobart maintains the best experience with a pitching staff that led the conference in ERA with the likes of pitcher Teck Nash (2-4, 4.31 ERA, 37K), a strike throwing righty goes 6-7 innings every outing and a chance to win. First baseman Sean Garvin (.339, 26 RBI) is the best hitter in an offense that will be improved with a 12 member incoming class. St. Lawrence will open with an experienced squad and as they look to get past the log jam in the middle of the conference standings. The top batter is John Gannon (.231, 22 RBI) a sub-par season in 2025 is behind him and the head coach is looking for the player in 2024 where his OPS was 300 points higher. The strength of the team will be in the starting pitching with David Zuhlsdorf (1-4, 4.66 ERA, 37K) and Boden Driscoll (3-2, 5.26 ERA, 31K).
Predicted Champion: Ithaca
|
| USMMA sophomore Luke Kruer was chosen as the program's first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conf. Rookie of the Year for the 2025 season. He earned the same honor for the Skyline Conference. Merchant Marine athletics photo |
Skyline Conference: Merchant Marine (16-4, 28-15) got through the winners bracket of the Skyline tournament and was poised to take home the tournament title along with a regular season triumph but two losses on the final day of the tournament and they stayed home while Farmingdale State got to play on. The Mariners will be expected to be competing with Farmingdale State again for the top spot in the standings. Rookie of the Year Luke Kruer (.364, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 25 SB) will be a fixture for years and should improve with more playing time. He is joined with infielders Landon Troutt (.347, 19 RBI, 18 SB) and Christian Gamez (.265, 31 RBI) as well as outfielder Tommy Chiappetti (.339, 33 RBI, 18SB; 4-1, 2.61 ERA, 24K). Chiappetti will get turns in the starting rotation and if the game sours be able to call on relief specialist Caden Pierce (0-1, 7 Saves, 2.66 ERA, 21K). Newcomers like Jason Brown, Michael Brown, Ryan Melton and Tommy Byrne will provide youth that has explosive abilities on offense and play solid defense.
St. Joseph's (L.I.) (15-5, 25-17) earned two quick losses to put a damper on a second place finish in the regular season. The losses were not as great as those that came on graduation day. The All-Star list was full of Golden Eagles but all were at the end of their eligibility with just one name remaining to return for the 2026 season. First baseman Joe Thatcher (.375, 25 RBI) will be the familiar face on a scorecard that will be filled with new names. The rebuilding process usually sees a dip in the win totals and with the team ahead and the one behind in the standings with plenty of veteran players, the Golden Eagles are expected to slip down the standings unless the recruiting class is filled with ballers.
Farmingdale State (14-6, 26-16) took home tournament honors by winning a play-in game and then needing two wins on the final day, did just that outscoring Merchant Marine 8-2. The Rams are looking to take the end of the season success into a solid start to 2026. Veteran players swinging a bat will include outfielder Richie Heyder (.441, 35 RBI) and infielder Kaolis Delacruz (.376, 20 RBI). On the mound, a top starter, Derek Watts (7-1, 2.59 ERA, 23K), and reliever, Michael Camardi (4-0, 1 Save, 1.39 ERA, 34K), are also back for another season.
Mount St. Mary (13-6, 22-18-1), SUNY-Maritime (13-7, 22-18) and Manhattanville (10-9, 20-20) were the final teams to make the 2025 end of the season tournament. Looking over the non-seniors in the 2025 conference All-Star squad there are just a few with Anthony Mezzaucella (.410, 23 RBI, 16 SB) from Manhattanville and two from SUNY-Maritime - Jack Kellner (2-0, 1 Save, 2.59 ERA, 17K) and Owen Weber (.338, 7 HR, 35 RBI). Maritime will have a combination of returning starters and impact newcomers. The pitching staff is senior dominated with starter Andrew Heiderstadt (5-2, 4.69 ERA, 48K) and relievers Kellner and Sean Mylan (1-1, 1 Save, 7.13 ERA, 30K). Catcher Mike Frazzetta is the only key loss to graduation but freshman Guytano Kiesel, the Suffolk County Catcher of the Year, is slated to make the starting lineup.
To make the 2025 tournament, a winning record was needed and the bottom six teams in SUNY-Old Westbury (9-11, 19-16), SUNY-Purchase (9-11, 13-24), Mount St. Vincent (8-12, 17-18), St. Joseph's (Bklyn.) (2-18, 5-24) and Yeshiva (0-20, 1-27) all finished below this mark. It is not to say there were not special players - Purchase's Liam Daly won Player of the Year honors nor was their any drama. Who can forget Yeshiva and Lehman, both sporting long losing streaks meeting for a doubleheader. They split with each ending and then later both quickly restarting losing streaks to end the season. Purchase will return six led by All-American Liam Daly (.496, 7 HR, 454 RBI, 16 SB). Almost half the squad is comprised of new blood with transfers playing key roles with the goal of a marked improvement in the win column. Mount Saint Vincent has had head coaching changes in back to back years which has disrupted the team results. With that now history the squad had a superb fall and has shown significant growth. Key to the new season will be returnees Zach Turko (.384, 18 RBI, 10 SB) and Michael Iocco (1-1, 4 Saves, 2,79 ERA, 18K). Other players to watch this year are SUNY Old Westbury's Mike Petrucelly (.309, 8 HR, 31 RBI) and RJ Azarieh (.435, 30 RBI; 3-1, 2 Saves, 4.35 ERA, 13K) as well as Yeshiva catcher Jake Arnow (.424, 12 RBI).
Predicted Champion: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
|
| Dylan Rosenberg set career marks in batting average, on base percentage and slugging after given a regular starting spot in the Laker's lineup. Oswego State athletics photo |
State University of New York Athletic Conference: Cortland (15-3, 31-13) will bring a lineup with speed, high OBP, and contact and they will have to click from game one. A round robin against the best teams in the nation in Greensboro, N.C. opens the season and they do not see a game at home until Game 17 when they open the SUNYAC season with Plattsburg. The rebuilt offense will feature two transferring players in Trey McGowan (.429, 21 RBI) from Oswego and Tristan Gatchalian (.400, 32 RBI) from Marywood. Returning players Talon Elkins (.385, 11 RBI) and Nolan Smith (.340, 33 RBI) will be counted on to provide continuity from last season. Pitching has always been a strong phase of any Joe Brown team and the 2026 version of the Red Dragons will feature the deepest pitching staff, despite the departure of Luis Misla and Dylan Beers. To get ready for the 2026 season, Cortland made their third trip to the Dominican Republic in January.
Oswego State (14-4, 28-15) has had only one 30 win season since they put up three in a row in 2016-18 in a five year playoff run. Last season they made the NCAA postseason with an 42nd NPI ranking and with another strong showing, they could make it two SUNYAC teams again in the NCAAs. Graduation put some holes in the outfield and pitching staff but there are plenty of players to fill the gaps on a squad that returns 24 players from last year. Even though some key contributors are now gone, the Lakers will have a strong core of experienced players who understand the standard and what it takes to compete. Add in a talented group of incoming freshmen and transfers and there will be depth, athleticism, and competitiveness up and down the roster. Look for infielder Daniel Winchester (.363, 35 RBI, 29 SB) to compete for conference honors. Surrounding Winchester will be speedsters Dylan Rosenberg (.352, 33 RBI, 21 SB), Emil Sander (.304, 23 RBI, 20 SB). Jonah Shearer (2-1, 3.38 ERA, 20K) and Matt Carner (2-1, 3.18 ERA, 6K) are the top senior starters on the mound.
SUNY New Paltz (14-4, 27-15) proved that their 2024 season was no fluke as they were one of the top teams in the conference. With plenty of returning talent, expect the games with Cortland and Oswego to take on added significance. Top seniors for the Hawks swinging a bat are Matt Sarni (.320, 25 RBI) and Fabian Apicella (.346, 21 RBI). On the mound, the best of the 2026 pitchers are young. SUNYAC Rookie of the Year Kiran Paingankar (4-2, 2.95 ERA, 46K) will be toeing the rubber again. Add in Junior Michael Weed (6-2, 2.92 ERA, 55K) and you have a potent 1-2 combo for this and the following year.
SUNY Oneonta (9-9, 25-17-1) was the final team in the SUNYAC and while they are in expected to make another trip, they will need to see significant gains to find their way to the top of the conference. The Red Dragons had large losses after graduation last spring but will return key players across the infield and three arms that had a lot of success. Team captains third baseman Nick Jacoby (.335, 30 RBI, 13 SB) and reliver Jake Quigley (4-2, 5.54 ERA, 28K) set a good tone in the fall and their leadership will be on display with a large transfer/freshman class. Plattsburgh State (4-14, 12-21), Fredonia (4-14, 11-23) and SUNY-Canton (3-15, 6-23) finished well off the pace and could be expected to miss a shot at the conference auto bid again. While not title contenders, key your eye on Plattsburg outfielder Colin Ross (.338, 16 RBI).
Predicted Champion: Cortland