BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - SIUE has been picked as the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference preseason baseball favorite in a vote of OVC head baseball coaches and communications directors.
The Cougars picked up 10 first-place votes and 137 points in being picked first, one point ahead of Southeast Missouri, who received three first-place votes and 136 points. Eastern Illinois got four first-place votes and 132 points in being tabbed third while Little Rock picked up the other three first-place votes and 122 points in coming in fourth. The poll was rounded out by Tennessee Tech (98), Lindenwood (86), Southern Indiana (70), UT Martin (54), Morehead State (37) and Western Illinois (28).
A year ago Eastern Illinois claimed its fifth regular season crown (and first since 2009), finishing percentage points ahead of SIUE. SIUE won 18 OVC contests, the second-most in program history, and earned its highest-ever OVC Tournament seed (No. 2). In the OVC Tournament, No. 8 seed Little Rock went a perfect 5-0 (including winning two elimination games on the first day) to claim its first-ever OVC Tournament crown and its first NCAA Regional berth since 2011. The Trojans became the lowest seed to ever win the OVC Tournament (the previous low was a No. 5 seed twice). The Trojans then won a trio of games in the NCAA Regional, including topping No. 1 ranked LSU.
There are 18 returning players who were either first or second-team All-OVC selections in 2025. Additionally, each head coach selected two "Players to Watch" to represent their team in the preseason.
The 78th season of OVC baseball will get underway on Friday, February 13 with the first weekend of league play being held March 20-22.
The 2026 OVC Baseball Championship will feature the top eight teams squaring off at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Illinois from May 20-23. This marks the fourth-straight year and fifth overall time the event has been held at the venue; the Championship will be held at Mtn Dew Park through at least 2029.
This year's Championship has an adjusted bracket that now has the first two games as single-elimination (previously the first four games were single elimination). The bracket now includes 12 total games (if the "if necessary" game is played, it would mark a 13th game).
2026 OVC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
1. SIUE (10 first-place votes) - 137 points
2. Southeast Missouri (3) - 136
3. Eastern Illinois (4) - 132
4. Little Rock (3) - 122
5. Tennessee Tech - 98
6. Lindenwood - 86
7. Southern Indiana - 70
8. UT Martin - 54
9. Morehead State - 37
10. Western Illinois - 28
Teams voted on by league head coaches and communications directors; teams received 9 points for a first-place votes, 8 for a second-place vote, etc.
Returning All-OVC Selections
Below are a list of returning players who were first or second-team All-OVC selections in 2025.
Eastern Illinois
Tyler Conklin (RHP, Grad)
Mike O’Conor (INF, Sr.)
Lindenwood
Kam Edwards (OF, Fifth Year)
Josh Newell (RHP, Sr.)
Little Rock
Cooper Chaplain (2B, Sr.)
Ryan Geck (UTIL, Sr.)
Southeast Missouri
Jackson Kranawetter (LHP, Sr.)
Nathan Mertens (RHP, Sr.)
SIUE
Chase Bloomer (INF, Sr.)
Daniel Gierer (OF, Jr.)
Mack Mitchell (INF, Grad.)
Ryan Niedzwiedz (INF, Jr.)
Spencer Stearns (INF/RHP, R-Jr.)
Southern Indiana
Khi Holiday (OF, Grad.)
Parker Martin (INF, Jr.)
Clayton Slack (INF, Sr.)
Tennessee Tech
Jorsixt Jimenez (OF, Sr.)
Western Illinois
Liam Bushey (OF, Fifth Year)
2026 Players to Watch
Each team selected two "Players to Watch" to represent its team.
Eastern Illinois
Anthony Solis (RHP, Jr.)
James Love (1B/3B, So.)
Lindenwood
Jake Radosevich (C/DH, Sr.)
Charlie Isom-McCall (INF, So.)
Little Rock
Angel Cano (1B, Sr.)
Cade Martin (C, So.)
Morehead State
Caden Sheridan (C, So.)
Landon Waugh (RHP, So.)
Southeast Missouri
Cal Sullivan (C/1B, Jr.)
Brooks Kettering (INF, Jr.)
SIUE
Tim Teixeira (RHP, So.)
Ethan Willoughby (3B, Sr.)
Southern Indiana
Abdriel Figueroa (RHP, Jr.)
Jake Porter (LHP, Sr.)
Tennessee Tech
Owen Lee (INF, R-So.)
Reece McDuffie (RHP, Sr.)
UT Martin
TJ Grines (UTIL, Sr.)
Jacob Sitton (RHP, Sr.)
Western Illinois
Kenneth Perez (SS, So.)
Max Tripure (RHP, Sr.)