2026 Wingate vs Catawba

SAC College Baseball Preview 2026. Here's What To Know

SAC College Baseball Preview 2026. Here's What To Know

Here's everything to know about SAC baseball in 2026, including Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne’s preseason rankings, All-American picks, and how to watch.

Feb 2, 2026 by R. R. Ellis
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The South Atlantic Conference has long since become a regular at the Division II Baseball Championship, usually sending two teams to the competition. In 2025 the league sent three teams to the NCAA tournament: Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson-Newman

While C-N was bounced in the regionals, both L-R and Catawba made it to the Super Regionals, with the Bears ultimately moving on to the D2 College World Series. In the end, Lenoir-Rhyne fell to eventual national runner-up Central Missouri, losing two games in a row. 

In 2026, the SAC will be competing with one less team, with Limestone closing its doors in 2025. 

The SAC Coaches Poll predicts Catawba will win the conference with Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson Newman slated for second and third. 

Here's everything to know about SAC baseball heading into the 2026 season. 

How To Watch SAC Baseball In 2026

SAC baseball is streaming on FloCollege, FloBaseball and the FloSports app.

Live and on-demand coverage is available all season.

2026 SAC Baseball Season Overview

  • Teams: 12
  • Teams ranked in Preseason Top 25: 2
  • Programs with at least one preseason All-American: 3
  • Defending regular-season champion: Catawba (2025)
  • Defending conference tournament champion: Catawba (2025)

2025 SAC Baseball Final Standings

  1. Catawba — 25–5 SAC | 46–14 overall
  2. Lenoir-Rhyne — 23–7 SAC | 50–15 overall
  3. Carson-Newman — 21–9 SAC | 37–19 overall
  4. Coker — 17–13 SAC | 30–22 overall
  5. Limestone — 17–13 SAC | 27–26 overall
  6. Wingate — 15–15 SAC | 26–26 overall
  7. UVA Wise — 14–16 SAC | 26–24 overall
  8. Newberry — 14–16 SAC | 25–27 overall
  9. Lincoln Memorial — 13–17 SAC | 24–23 overall
  10. Anderson — 11–19 SAC | 24–25 overall
  11. Tusculum — 10–20 SAC | 17–32 overall
  12. Emory & Henry — 8–22 SAC | 17–33 overall
  13. Mars Hill — 7–23 SAC | 14–36 overall

SAC Regular-Season Champions

  • 2025: Catawba
  • 2024: Catawba
  • 2023: Newberry
  • 2022: Wingate
  • 2021: Catawba
  • 2020: Season cancelled
  • 2019: Newberry
  • 2018: Catawba
  • 2017: Catawba
  • 2016: Catawba
  • 2015: Catawba

SAC Tournament Champions

  • 2025: Catawba
  • 2024: Wingate
  • 2023: Newberry
  • 2022: Lenoir-Rhyne
  • 2021: Wingate
  • 2020: No tournament
  • 2019: Catawba
  • 2018: Lincoln Memorial
  • 2017: Lincoln Memorial
  • 2016: Catawba; Tusculum
  • 2015: Wingate

SAC Teams Ranked In 2026 NCBWA Preseason Poll

  • No. 5 Catawba — 46–14
  • No. 6 Lenoir-Rhyne — 50–15

SAC Teams Ranked In 2026 D2 Baseball Preseason Top 25

  • No. 10 Catawba — 46–14
  • No. 13 Lenoir-Rhyne — 50–15

2026 NCBWA Preseason All-Region (SAC)

  • Nathan Chrismon, SS — Catawba
  • Mackenzie Wainwright, OF — Lenoir-Rhyne
  • Braeden Harrison, OF — Anderson
  • Kolton Casson, SP — Carson-Newman

2026 D2 Baseball Preseason All-Americans (SAC)

First Team

  • Mackenzie Wainwright, OF — Lenoir-Rhyne
  • Kolton Casson, SP — Carson-Newman
  • Chad Harvey, RP — Wingate

Second Team

  • Ryan Higgins, SP — Carson-Newman

NCBWA Preseason National Poll 2026

  1. Tampa — 55–10
  2. Central Missouri — 48–14
  3. UT Tyler — 49–13
  4. Northwest Nazarene — 46–16
  5. Catawba — 46–14
  6. Lenoir-Rhyne — 50–15
  7. East Stroudsburg — 41–15
  8. Northwood — 40–22
  9. Colorado Mesa — 42–14
  10. Florida Southern — 38–14–1
  11. Minnesota State — 51–8
  12. Angelo State — 48–10
  13. North Greenville — 45–15
  14. Cal State Monterey Bay — 39–19
  15. Grand Valley State — 43–14
  16. Pittsburg State — 42–12
  17. West Florida — 36–21
  18. Felician — 43–22
  19. Point Loma — 39–18
  20. Seton Hill — 40–18
  21. Young Harris — 40–17
  22. Millersville — 44–10
  23. Indianapolis — 34–24
  24. Westmont — 43–14
  25. Thomas Jefferson — 40–17

Receiving Votes:

St. Edward’s (37–23); Delta State (33–20); Davenport (42–15); Francis Marion (40–13); Bentley (33–15); Arkansas Tech (32–23); Belmont Abbey (41–17); Lubbock Christian (34–23); West Chester (35–17); North Georgia (41–17)

2026 D2 Baseball Preseason Top 25

  1. Tampa — 55–10
  2. Central Missouri — 48–14
  3. East Stroudsburg — 41–16
  4. UT Tyler — 49–13
  5. Northwest Nazarene — 46–16
  6. North Greenville — 45–15
  7. Northwood — 40–22
  8. Florida Southern — 38–15–1
  9. Minnesota State — 51–8
  10. Catawba — 46–14
  11. Angelo State — 48–10
  12. Colorado Mesa — 42–14
  13. Lenoir-Rhyne — 50–15
  14. Point Loma — 39–18
  15. Millersville — 44–10
  16. Cal State Monterey Bay — 39–19
  17. Westmont — 43–14
  18. Grand Valley State — 43–14
  19. Seton Hill — 40–18
  20. Indianapolis (UIndy) — 34–24
  21. Felician — 43–22
  22. Belmont Abbey — 41–17
  23. Davenport — 42–15
  24. California (Pa.) — 38–15
  25. West Florida — 36–21

Receiving Votes:

Ashland (37–19); Arkansas Tech (32–23); Augustana (39–16); Carson-Newman (37–19); Francis Marion (40–13); Jefferson (40–17); Lubbock Christian (34–23); Molloy (35–19); Mount Olive (30–21); North Georgia (41–17); Rollins (29–19–1); Slippery Rock (31–19); Southern New Hampshire (32–16); West Chester (35–17); Young Harris (40–17)

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