BASE: Mitchell Picked to Finish First in 2026 GNAC Preseason Poll
WINTHROP, Mass. – Mitchell College was picked to finish first in the 2026 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Preseason Poll as voted by the league's 11 head coaches. The Mariners look to bounce back from a runner-up finish in last year's postseason play as they earned 114 points in this year's poll, inclduing eight first-place votes.
Finishing behind them very closely at two is the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) as the Blue Jays earned 109 points and the remaining three first-place votes as USJ will look to be heavy contenders this upcoming season.
Saint Joseph's (Maine) collected 92 points in this year's poll for a third-place finish as the Monks will certainly be a team to watch this year followed by Lasell, who is in fourth with 85 points and will also be a team that look to be title contenders.
Colby-Sawyer came in fifth with 83 points followed by Rivier (71) at the sixth spot as both teams look to shake up conference play this year.
Norwich (48), Elms (42), Dean (31), Albertus Magnus (29), and New England College rounded out the final 7-11 spots as they will look to be gritty in a competitive field of teams this season.
Dean gets the GNAC Baseball season started on Monday, Feb. 16 as it begins its non-conference slate against Fitchburg State with the conference schedule getting underway on Saturday, March 21. The teams will play a 20-game schedule featuring doubleheaders on weekend games (pending weather).
The top eight teams at the end of the regular season earn berths into the 2026 GNAC Baseball Championship Tournament as the eight teams will be split into two double-elimination pods. The first day of Pod Play will take place on Thursday, April 30th and will follow up with day 2 on Saturday, May 2 and the Finals will be on Sunday, May 3 with the two pod champions advancing to the 2026 GNAC Baseball Championship Series. The best-of-three GNAC Championship Series is scheduled for Thursday-Friday, May 7-8. The winner of the GNAC Championship Series will be named the 2026 GNAC Baseball Champion and earn the league’s automatic qualifier into the 2026 NCAA Division Baseball Championship.
2026 GNAC Baseball Preseason Poll
| 1. | Mitchell | 114 (8) |
| 2. | University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) | 109 (3) |
| 3. | Saint Joseph's (Maine) | 92 |
| 4. | Lasell | 85 |
| 5. | Colby-Sawyer | 83 |
| 6. | Rivier | 71 |
| 7. | Norwich | 48 |
| 8. | Elms | 42 |
| 9. | Dean | 31 |
| 10. | Albertus Magnus | 29 |
| 11. | New England College | 22 |
ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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