ROCK HILL, S.C. - Head coach Adam Skonieczki and the Lenoir-Rhyne baseball team have been picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference this year, as voted on by the conference coaches. 

The Bears made an historic run last season, winning the first Southeast Regional in program history before bowing out in the national semi-finals. They set the NCAA record for home runs (137) and were third all-time in total bases (1,366). 

Mackenzie Wainwright returns after posting one of the best offensive seasons in DII history last season, setting new DII single season records for hits (121), and total bases (234). He won both SAC and Southeast Region Player of the Year honors. Joining Wainwright on the Preseason All-Conference team is starting pitcher Kellen Gradisar and catcher Nathan Kidder, who were both valuable pieces in last year's run to Cary. 

The Bears are scheduled to open their 2026 campaign this weekend when they play host to Pitt Johnstown at Durham Field. A three-game home series with Columbus State will take place in early February before Wingate comes to Hickory on Feb. 13-14 to open SAC play. The Bears will host reigning SAC Champions and preseason favorite Catawba on Feb. 27-28. 

The opening rounds of the SAC Tournament will take place at the campus sites of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on May 1-3. The winners of those two pods will face off in a best-of-three series in Asheboro on May 8-9. 

2026 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Catawba - 126 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Lenoir-Rhyne - 122 points (4 first-place votes)
3. Carson-Newman - 112 points
4. Wingate - 102 points
5. Coker - 87 points
6. Lincoln Memorial - 78 points (1 first-place vote)
7. Newberry - 71 points
8. UVA Wise - 70 points
9. Anderson - 56 points
10. Tusculum - 45 points
11. Mars Hill - 28 points
12. Emory & Henry - 27 points

Preseason All-Conference
OF – Mackenzie Wainwright, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Braeden Harrison, Anderson
OF – Sam Hunter, Catawba
1B – Logan Floyd, Carson-Newman
2B – Cole Nathan, Carson-Newman
SS – Nathan Chrismon, Catawba
3B – Terick Bumgarner, Mars Hill
C – Nathan Kidder, Lenoir-Rhyne
DH – Sean Shelly, Catawba
SP – Kolton Casson, Carson-Newman
SP – Kemper Nix, Catawba
SP – Kellen Gradisar, Lenoir-Rhyne
RP – Ryan Whitson, UVA Wise

Players to Watch
Anderson: Mac Ketchin, Zach Stover, Walker Noland, Dom Bello, Levi Medford
Carson-Newman: Johno Pierce, Bradley Soto Diaz, Jackson Underwood
Catawba: Matthew Connolly, Casey Gouge
Coker: Casey Cleghorn, Rocco Wojcik, Peter Adams, Gavin Johnson, Owen Brockner, Patrick larson
Emory & Henry: Jacob Nester, Jaret Hoppes, Kyle Fields, Drew Lanzo, Rhett Barker, Ky Gregoire
Lenoir-Rhyne: Seth Christmas, Michael Joyce, Matt Procopio
Lincoln Memorial: Brooks Hagedorn, Easton Barnett, Alex Kowalski, Brady Morse, Eli Edds, Caleb Jordan
Mars Hill: Peyton Starkey, Chapel Matson, Austin Kutz, Mel Rubiera
Newberry: Jacob Clark, Keilor Osbon, Andrew Peck, Bryson Nuckols
Tusculum: Ryan Ortega, Mason Johnson, Evan Cage, Owen Canter, Brice Anders, Walker Pedante 
UVA Wise: Jacob Boyle, Ryan Whitson, Houston Sarvis, Joshua Morgan
Wingate: Chad Harvey, Jake Courville, Gavin Groppuso, Jalen Evans, Will Farrell, Cam Harris