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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

Baseball Standing for Anthem
Vinny O'Connor

Baseball Selected Eighth in 2026 Conference Preseason Poll

| By: Phoebe Winters

Embry-Riddle ranks eighth in the SSC Preseason Poll with 41 voting points

ORLANDO, Fla. – The conference coaches have voted, and the Embry-Riddle Eagles are selected to finish eighth in the 2026 Sunshine State Conference Baseball Preseason Poll.

The Eagles received 41 voting points and sit three-points behind Barry and Florida Tech, who are tied for sixth with 44 voting points. The Tampa Spartans, reigning conference champions, were picked as the preseason favorites for the sixth consecutive year. They received 99 voting points and nine out of 10 first place votes from the league's 11 head coaches. Embry-Riddle sits ahead of Saint Leo (27), Palm Beach Atlantic (21), and Eckerd (20) in the preseason rankings. 

Head Coach Dave Therneau embarks on his second season at the helm of the Eagles and his 12th overall with the program. He is joined by Associate Head Coach Chuck Stegall, who is in his 19th season with Embry-Riddle, Assistant Coach Brady Bogart, and Volunteer Assistant Coach Matt Swiderski. Therneau and company will look to improve upon last season's 25-24 overall finish and 10-19 conference record.

The 2025-26 season will kick-off with a homestead series against the North Georgia Nighthawks. North Georgia finished with a 23-4 conference record to tie for a first-place finish in the Peach Belt Conference. 

Conference play will begin for the Eagles on Friday, Feb. 20, with a trip to St. Petersburg, Fla. to face Eckerd in a three-game series. 

The Eagles' 2026 roster boasts a strong mix of returners and new faces. Notable returners include senior pitcher Tristan Harley, who finished with a 4.50 ERA last season, and senior outfielder Noah Clymer who recorded the second-highest batting average for the Eagles last season with 0.348 clip. Among the new faces joining the Eagles squad are two-time Puerto Rico National Team member Diego Hornedo, Daytona State College transfer Derek Lopez, and University of Florida transfer Cole Bullen.

Bullen was a member of the 2023 JUCO World Series Championship team as the College of Central Florida Knights' primary catcher. Bullen batted a 0.306 average coupled with a 0.431 on-base clip as a Knight and played under Bogart at the Villages Charter School in 2021. 

First pitch of the 2026 season is scheduled for Jan. 30, at 6:00PM EST. The Eagles will play host to North Georgia for a three-game series. 

2026 BASEBALL SSC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
 
PLACE TEAM TOTAL FPV *
1 Tampa 99 9
2 Florida Southern 92 2
3 Rollins 77 0
4 Lynn 75 0
5 Nova Southeastern 65 0
T6 Barry 44 0
T6 Florida Tech 44 0
8 Embry-Riddle 41 0
9 Saint Leo 27 0
10 Palm Beach Atlantic 21 0
11 Eckerd 20 0
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