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Eastern Connecticut State University

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spring season previews

Outlook Bright for Warrior Teams on Brink of Spring Season Openers

Softball, Baseball Teams are LEC's Top Pre-Season Picks

MEN'S LACROSSE 
2026 SCHEDULED OPENER: Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Anna Maria College, 5 p.m.
HEAD COACH: Craig Gibson (3rd year, 12-19) 
2026 LEC PRE-SEASON RANK: 6th/9
2025 RECORD (LEC): 6-8 (3-5) 
Letterwinners back/Lost: 21/4 
Key losses: Rick O'Neal, FO (90-236, .381 pct., 38 GBs), Sean Ventresca, D (23 GBs, 11 CTs)
Key Returnees: Gregory Hilinski, Jr., G (14 G-14 GS, 6-8, 13.53 GAA, .458 SPct.); Tanner Drobish, Jr., A (23-18-41, 30 GBs); Eric Suzio, Jr., D (33 GBs, 11 CTs); Warren Channing, Sr., A (39-9-48, 16 GBs), Liam Shanley, Sr., D (17 GBs, 7 CTs), Jacob Shook, Sr., D (18 GBs, 10 CTs), Landon Mabb, So., A (20-20-40, 24 GBs)
 
WOMEN'S LACROSSE 
2026 SCHEDULED OPENER: Saturday, Feb. 21 at U.S. Coast Guard Academy, 3 p.m. 
HEAD COACH: Devyne Doran (3rd year, 22-15) 
2026 LEC PRE-SEASON RANK: 3rd/9
2025 RECORD (LEC): 13-6 (4-4) 
Letterwinners back/Lost:  16/8
Key losses: Kaylee Drobish, M (24-33-57, 34 GBs, 19 CTs), 2nd Team All LEC; Avonlea LeBeau, A (51-6-57, 22 GBs, 12 CTs), 1st Team All LEC; Abby Parisi, M (47-18-65, 34 GBs, 14 CTs)LEC Midfielder-of-the-Year, 1st Team; Addison Twohill, D (37 GBs, 15 CTs) 2nd Team All LEC
Key Returnees: Sydney Goyette, Sr. A (31-5-36, 11 GBs); Neely Hart, Jr., D (11-4-15, 23 GBs, 14 CTs); Emma Oliano, Gr., M (13-9-22, 29 GBs, 21 CTs); Grace Saldaña, Jr. D (28 GBs, 14 CTs) 2nd Team All LEC; Maizie Rukat, So., G (17 G-13 GS, 9-5, 11.01 GAA, .367 SPct.); Hannah Seltzer, So., A (25-5-30, 15 GBs); Alexa Vizzini, Sr., A (63-17-80, 35 GBs, 24 CTs) 1st Team All LEC
 
SOFTBALL 
2026 SCHEDULED OPENER: Sunday, March 15 vs. Macalester College (at Clermont, FL), 2:30 p.m.
HEAD COACH: Diana Pepin (25th year, 588-337-3) 
2026 LEC PRE-SEASON RANK: 1st/9
2025 RECORD (LEC): 21-18 (13-3) 
2025: 1st in LEC regular-season standings / LEC tournament semi-finalists 
Letterwinners back/Lost: 12/4
Key losses: Maggie Baker, OF (.268, 9 RBI, 12 R); Maggie Rubeck, UTLTY (.265, 21 RBI, 19 R); Alexa Boone, UTLTY (.481, 16 RBI, 10 R); Maddi Sauve, IF (.311, 18 RBI, 22 R)
Key Returnees: Maddy Bowen, Sr., C (.373, 28 RBI, 14 BB) 1st Team All-LEC, 2nd Team All-Region; Kaley Laird, Jr., UTLTY (.275, 20 R, 20-20 SB); Elizabeth Mitchell, So., UTLTY (.299, 20 RBI, 24 R) (2.62 ERA, 16-8, 75 K) LEC Pitcher-of-the-Year, LEC Rookie-of-the-Year, 1st Team, 3rd Team All-Region; Sam Healy, So, UTLTY (14 RBI, 15 R, 5 HR) LEC All-Rookie Team
 
BASEBALL 
2026 SCHEDULED OPENER: Friday, February 27 vs. Westfield State (at Emmitsburg, MD), noon 
HEAD COACH: Mike Odenwaelder (4th year, 94-40) 
2026 LEC PRE-SEASON RANK: 1st/9
2025 RECORD (LEC): 30-13(12-4) 
2025: T-2nd in LEC regular-season standings /LEC finalists
Letterwinners back/Lost: 10/17
Key losses: Ray Leonzi, OF (.379, 44 RBI, 61 R)1st Team All LEC, DIII All-Defense, 4th Team All-America, First Team All-Region; Alejandro Soriano, OF (.394, 35 RBI, 40 R) 2nd Team All LEC; Emmanuel Zaiter, IF (.336, 27 RBI, 30 R) 1st Team All LEC; Francis Ferguson, P/OF (4.00 ERA, 4-4) (.308, 8 R) 1st Team All LEC, First Team All-Region; Preston [Irby] Cosme-Cruz, IF (.302, 50 RBI, 32 R) 2nd Team All LEC; Matthew Wooton, P (2.89 ERA, 4-2, 50 K) 2nd Team All LEC; Tyler Rice, P (3.00 ERA, 5 SV, 27 K) 2nd Team All LEC; Nathan Furino, P (3.55, 5-1, 59 K) 3rd Team All LEC
Key Returnees: Ian Moser, Jr., UTLTY (.314, 31 RBI, 48 R) 1st Team All LEC, Third Team All-Region; Hank Penders, Sr., C (.352, 27 RBI, 46 R) 1st Team All LEC, 2nd Team All-Region, 2026 D3baseball.com pre-season All-America; J.T. Clark, Sr., IF (.272, 30 RBI, 23 R); Stephen Rickert, So., P (1.86 ERA, 15 K)
 
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