BEVERLY, Mass. - The Conference of New England Baseball season opens in 2026 with national momentum and championship expectations. Endicott College, ranked among the nation’s top five for much of last year, captured the 2025 CNE title and enters as the team to beat. Nichols College turned in a strong season of its own, advancing to the championship series and positioning itself as a leading contender.
With proven talent returning across the conference, another competitive race for the CNE crown is on deck in 2026. Here's a look at what each team looks to bring to the CNE this season:
Curry College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 17 | graduated: 11 | newcomers: 21)
2025 Results (8-25, 4-12 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: 9th place
The Colonels will enter the 2026 season nearly a completely different team, as Co-Head Coaches Ryan Kirkpatrick and CJ Willis have 21 newcomers on the team. The Colonels will look to use the new talent brought in to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Of the returners Devin Grove will be the bat to watch, as he was fourth on the team last season with a .274 batting average. On arm to look out for is Mike Riordan. As a freshman last season he appeared in 10 games and posted a 3.77 ERA.
Endicott College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (Returners: 30 | Departures: 24 | Newcomers: 22)
2025 Results (45-6, 16-0 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: National Semifinalists
This year's squad received the highest-ever preseason ranking in the D3baseball.com Preseason Poll. The No. 2 overall national ranking surpassed last season's No. 3 preseason ranking, the previous best. The Gulls were also ranked No. 3 in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll, which marks their second-highest ever preseason ranking from that organization.
Right-handed pitcher Evan Scully (Maynard, Mass.) gets the ball in game one on Friday afternoon. The senior was named a D3baseball.com Preseason First Team All-American, the organization announced in January. Last season, Scully earned a spot on ABCA's All-America Third Team, and D3baseball.com's All-America Fourth Team. Scully will be followed in the rotation by Brady Stuart (Maynard, Mass.) and Matt Pappalardo (Pelham, N.H.) for games two and three, respectively.
Head coach Bryan Haley ushers in a total of 22 newcomers to this year's team, 19 of which are freshmen and three are transfers.
Senior shortstop TJ Liponis (Scarborough, Maine) was named the captain of the 2026 squad. Liponis enters his senior year with 154 career games played. Among other impressive career feats, he is currently ranked fourth all-time in program history with 400 assists from the shortstop position.
Kyle Grabowski (Westfield, Mass.) returns to the middle of Coach Haley's lineup for another season. The graduate student is among the top of the program's career leaderboards in many stat categories, including fifth all-time in career RBI (143), eighth in at-bats (595), ninth in home runs (19) and total bases (297), and 10th in hits (189) and doubles (39).
Gordon College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 14 | graduated: 8 | newcomers: 13)
2025 Results (15-24, 6-10 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: T-6th place
Gordon returned 14 veterans and welcomed 13 newcomers for the 2026 season. Tyler Wilson started all 39 games last spring and batted .307 while ranking second on the team with 25 RBIs. Brett Moore posted a 4-1 record on the mound last season in 15 appearances.
Led by first-year head coach Matt Antonelli, Gordon begins the 2026 season February 27 at Saint Joseph (CT).
Johnson & Wales University
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster
2025 Results (28-15, 14-2 GNAC) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: GNAC Champions, NCAA Salisbury Regional
The JWU (Providence) baseball team begins year one under head coach Colby Greenhalgh off a 28-win season and their fourth conference championship in five years. Junior Jeff Valdez Jiminez (.310 average, 42 RBI) helps anchor an offensive which graduated a trio of all-conference performers in Trevor Juan, Owen Davis, and Xavier Botelho. Senior Rayn Ducey (.304 average, 32 RBI) and sophomore Yedan Diaz (.297 average, 27 RBI) also return for the Wildcats while the rotation is highlighted by senior Brett Nickerson (7-2, 3.94 ERA). Transfers Kiefer McGrath (Post), Nevin Belanger (Franklin Pierce), Jack Dwyer (St. Thomas Aquinas), Michael Cobb (Bridgewater St.), Justin Hernandez (Worcester St.), and Brayden Bears (CCRI) all hope to make an immediate impact with their new club.
Nichols College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 26 | graduated: 14 | newcomers: 25)
2025 Results (26-18, 11-5 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: Runner-up
The Nichols College baseball program returns for the 2026 season after coming just short of its goal a year ago, advancing to the conference championship game before finishing as runner-up. The Bison, who finished last season with a 26-18 (11-5 CNE) record, will be coached by Tim Mayo, who returns for his 8th season with the Bison.
Leading the returners is senior third baseman Julian Galvan, who earned CNE All-Conference Second Team honors in his first season with the Bison. The Torrance, California native ranked 12th in the CNE with a .357 batting average, recording 56 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 25 RBI, and 31 runs scored.
Behind the plate, senior Liam Flynn returns as a two-year captain. Flynn, the CNE All-Conference Second Team catcher, delivered an outstanding 2025 campaign, batting .348 with 55 hits, 15 doubles, eight home runs, 44 RBI, and 40 runs scored. His .595 slugging percentage ranked 7th in the conference, while his .468 on-base percentage was 10th best. Flynn’s 1.064 OPS placed him 6th overall in the CNE.
At second base, Anthony Hackert returns for his third season after earning CNE All-Conference Second Team honors in 2025. He hit .319 and stole 13 bases, finishing among the conference leaders in stolen bases.
On the mound, the Bison welcome back graduate student Clark Churchill, a 2024 CNE All-Conference Second Team selection who missed last season due to injury. Right-hander Aidan Whitten also returns to the pitching staff and captains the Bison after sitting out 2025 with an injury, adding experience to the rotation.
Roger Williams University
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 46 | graduated: 13 | newcomers: 17)
2025 Results (16-23, 6-10 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: No. 6 Seed, Loss to No. 2 Nichols in CNE Semifinals
Entering his sixth season leading the Hawks, Head Coach Kevin Kelley comes into the season after the Hawks posted a 16-23 record, going 6-10 in the CNE during the 2025 campaign, securing the No. 6 seed in the CNE Tournament.
The Hawks will return junior Jonathan Quinn who posted a 2.76 ERA in 11 appearances last season, throwing for three complete games, with 59 strikeouts for the Hawks.
Quinn will also see Ryan Camp return after earning First Team All-CNE honors. The Hawks will look to the youth movement in 2026, seeing a roster loaded with six transfers and 11 first-years.
Suffolk University
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 23 | graduated: 6 | newcomers: 11)
2025 Results (14-25, 7-9 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE First Round, Sixth Seed
Led by 12th-year head coach Anthony Del Prete, Suffolk baseball opens a 40-game schedule in 2025-26, seeking its sixth consecutive appearance in the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament.
The Rams finished fifth in the league standings a season ago, going 14-25 overall and 7-9 in CNE play, before bowing out in the second game of the double-elimination conference tournament with a 10-9 extra-inning loss to Hartford.
The Rams return a veteran core of 22 players, including graduate infielder Cole Hilliard, who hit .292/.409/.354 with 33 hits, 22 RBI, 17 runs, and seven stolen bases last season. Junior Colin Flynn is another familiar face, who brings speed to the lineup as he swiped 13 bases and recorded a .288/.362/.379 slash line with 38 hits, 21 RBI, and 18 runs
On the mound, Suffolk returns two of its top three arms in Nic Arnett and TJ Dimitriou, along with All-CNE Third Team bullpen arm Jack Raimo (4.50 ERA, 4 saves, 26.0 IP).
University of Hartford
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 37 | graduated: 4 | newcomers: 11)
2025 Results (20-22, 9-7 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2024-25 Postseason Finish: CNE Second Round, Third Seed
The University of Hartford baseball program enters the 2026 season ready to compete after falling short in last year’s postseason. Hartford returns 37 student-athletes from a team that made a strong run, with only two key departures in Jake Santiago and CNE Rookie of the Year Ryan Sheehy. Head coach Steve Malinowski begins his fifth season leading the Hawks. The staff will look different, however, as one of the top assistant coaches TJ Ward accepted the head coaching position at Saint Peter's University.
Junior JJ Romatzick (Straford, Conn.) headlines the six returning CNE All-Conference selections from last season. Romatzick ended 2025 slashing .385/.485/.443 (AVG/SLG/OBP) with one home run, 36 RBIs, two triples, 10 doubles on 65 hits, to go along with 34 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Other key bats returning include senior Jackson Ciccone (Danbury, Conn.), senior Jeremy Mangiameli (Middlefield, Conn.), junior Tyler Shannon (Madison, N.J.), senior Cameron Boardman (Daegu, South Korea) and senior Patrick Joseph (Pomona, N.Y.).
On the mound, ace junior Anthony Bubba (Jefferson, N.J.) returns to Hartford after posting a 5-1 record over 13 starts. Over 62.0 innings, Bubba led the team with a 3.34 ERA and struck out 46 while walking just 12. His WHIP on the season was 1.40.
Other key starters coming back include senior Joe Dooley (West Hartford, Conn.) who returns to action from injury in his senior season. Sophomore starter Justin Gouin (North Haven, Conn.) will also be looking for a breakout season. In the bullpen senior Michael Featherstone (Ramsey, N.J.) is the featured member of the relievers after making the CNE All-Conference Second Team last season. Featherstone went 2-3 across 16 relief appearances, posting a 5.06 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP over 26.2 innings. Featherstone also struck out 24 batters while issuing 10 walks. Other arms in the bullpen to look for include sophomore Evan Gentile (Berlin, Conn.) and junior Tyler Blumetti (Southington, Conn.).
The Hawks open up the season on February 28th at Trinity College.
Wentworth Institute of Technology
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 27 | newcomers: 13)
2025 Results (15-22, 5-11 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: No postseason
Justin Kelley enters his fourth season at the helm of the Wentworth baseball team. The Leopards finished the 2025 season with a 15-22 overall record and 5-11 mark in conference play, just missing the postseason tournament.
The Leopards will see the return of several key players from last season. Matthew Favazzo enters his senior season after hitting .338, leading the Black & Gold with 49 hits ,35 RBI, and seven doubles in the 2025 season. Nick Cullinan also returns for his senior season after recording 35 hits and 17 RBI in 103 at bats, hitting .340 on the year.
On the mound, Wentworth will have Nigel Cross and Alec Peruzzi returning for the 2026 season. Cross had a 4-5 record last year with a team-high 47 strikeouts and 3.36 ERA. Peruzzi struck out 37 batters with a 5.52 ERA, finishing the year with a 0-2 record.
Wentworth welcomes 13 newcomers to the team for the 2026 season, eager to make an immediate impact and help the Leopards make the postseason tournament. The season begins on March 1 against Chatham in Davenport, Florida.
Western New England University
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 36 | graduated: 12 | newcomers: 19)
2025 Results (22-20, 8-8 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: CNE Quarterfinals (Fourth Seed)
The Western New England baseball team, led by Head Coach Dan Gomez in his 13th season, aims to get back to the CNE Title Game in 2026, where the Golden Bears appeared in during the 2024 season. WNE posted a 22-20 record last season, going 8-8 in conference play, winning once in last season’s CNE Tournament before bowing out in the quarterfinal round.
Multiple Golden Bears who led the offense last season return to the lineup and are expected to continue to make an impact for the Blue and Gold. Senior Ryan Montini (Prospect, Conn.) slashed .325 last season, playing in all 42 games. Montini hit two home runs and picked up 33 RBIs, second-most for the Golden Bears, while recording ten doubles. Leo Paragarino (Danbury, Conn.) saw action in 32 games as a freshman last season, hitting .317 at the dish, collecting six doubles and 20 RBIs. Jack Gamache (Northborough, Mass.), Connor Cowern (Ashland, Mass.), Antonio Galizia (Brewster, N.Y.), and Tyler Kornacki (North Haven, Conn.) all look to help WNE offensively.
The Golden Bears will look different on the hill with their starting aces absent due to graduation. Canon Marshall (Enfield, Conn.), who did not give up an earned run and recorded a pair of saves last season, is slated to continue making an impact out of the bullpen, along with teammate Lucas Kamoen (Killingworth, Conn.), who held opponents to a .255 batting average. Tanner Wall (Brookfield, Conn.) and Greg Nivison (Monroe, Conn.) will look to pick up the pieces lost in the starting rotation.
The Golden Bears welcome 17 true freshmen to the 2026 roster and a pair of transfer student-athletes, with the season slated to begin on Wednesday, March 4, at Springfield College.