Baseball Tipped as Favorites In NEC Preseason Poll
Central earned six first place votes
The NEC unveiled its 2026 preseason baseball coaches ahead of the season, and Central Connecticut State was tabbed as the preseason favorite on Monday. The Blue Devils received six first-place votes after winning the program's ninth NEC title last season.
The Blue Devils tabbed six first-place votes after making their ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Charlie Hickey who will be entering his 27th season in charge of the program. LIU was next in the poll after collecting five first-place nods, followed by Wagner and Le Moyne. FDU got the final first-place vote and rounded out the top five in the poll. The NEC Tournament is slated for May 21-24 at at Skylands Stadium in Augusta, NJ.
The Blue Devils open the 2026 campaign with a three-game series at Florida A&M beginning on February 27. CCSU's home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, against Fairfield. The NEC schedule starts March 6 with a three-game series against UMES.
