TAMPA, Fla. — Southeastern opens the 2026 Sun Conference Baseball season as the preseason favorite, earning 45 points and five first place votes in the annual poll of league head coaches.

The 2025 season marked a notable year for Sun Conference baseball, as four teams including Southeastern, Webber International, Keiser, and Ave Maria qualified for the NAIA Championship, with Southeastern and Webber advancing to the NAIA World Series.

Southeastern, tabbed for the top spot in the preseason poll, finished the 2025 campaign as the NAIA National Runner Up with a 47-15 overall record and also claimed the Sun Conference Regular Season Title.

Keiser sits second in the poll with 41 points and one first place vote after ending the 2025 season just one game shy of a World Series appearance. Webber International, the reigning Sun Conference Tournament Champion, follows closely in third with 40 points and two first place votes, setting up an early three team race at the top of the standings.

St. Thomas ranks fourth with 32 points, while Ave Maria earned 24 points and Warner finished with 21 points to round out the middle of the poll. Ave Maria enters the season after also finishing one game shy of a trip to Lewiston, Idaho a season ago.

New College of Florida earned 11 points, followed by Florida Memorial with 10 points to complete the preseason rankings.

Conference play is scheduled to begin Thursday, February 19, with a series between Ave Maria and Warner. The remainder of conference action will begin Thursday, March 12. The 2026 Sun Conference Baseball Tournament is set to open Thursday, April 30, and conclude Sunday, May 3.

Key Links

• Scores: The Sun Scoreboard
• Watch live: Urban Edge Network