LONGVIEW, Texas -- LeTourneau baseball ushers in a new era in 2026, joining the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Fresh off the program's first conference co-regular-season championship in 2025, the YellowJackets look to swing that momentum into their new conference under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Paul Phillips.
The YellowJackets open the season on Friday night, hosting Millsaps at Conrad-Vernon Field at 5:30 p.m.
THE ROSTER
After losing an All-American bat, a pair of weekend starters, and nine collective All-Conference honorees, Phillips and staff were tasked with retaining critical players while bringing in a major recruiting class.
It seems the YellowJackets have done just that.
Headlining the returning arms is first-team all-conference right-hander Clayton Holt. Holt enters his senior year following a stellar 2025, posting a 5-1 record with a pair of saves across 34.1 innings of work. The right-handers' 51 strikeouts were second in the ASC last year, while posting a 2.40 ERA in conference play.
Cruz Cox (11.1 IP), Camden Miller (13.2 IP), Frank Maestri (15.1 IP), and Will Podsednik (18.2 IP) account for the bulk of returning work from the 2025 bullpen, while Ryan Brewer is also an all-conference arm returning to the mound. Weston Riggins and Brooks Bishop round out the returning pitchers for LeTourneau.
The sophomore all-conference duo of Jack Kale and Austin Wiederhold return to the infield. Kale compiled a .292 batting average with three home runs, 36 RBIs, 30 runs scored, and 10 doubles in 2025, while Weiderhold was a standout at the top of the lineup, hitting .265 with a .453 on-base percentage and breaking the program record with 20 hit-by-pitches.
Luke Land garnered second-team All-Conference in 2025, hitting .317 with six home runs and 38 RBIs while posting a .540 slugging percentage and a .972 OPS.
Senior catcher Blake Vice returns to his spot behind the plate after hitting three home runs last year while throwing out 10 would-be base-stealers. Another returner in the lineup is senior Zach Baker. The everyday left fielder batted .380 -- second on the team -- with one home run, 19 RBIs, 26 runs scored, and was a perfect 12-for-12 in stolen bases in 2025. Both Vice and Baker collected all-conference honors last season.
"Our guys are very excited to go into a new conference and keep raising the bar for themselves and this program." Phillips noted about his squad, "We have more depth than we've ever had, and I think what sets this team apart is their grittiness and their love for each other. "
The remainder of returning position players include: Tyler Hedin, Jonah McDaniel, Cody Brady, Cameron Davis, Jackson Hebb, Graham Skipper, Royce Davis, and Giancarlo Meléndez.
As for the newcomers, Phillips and staff went to work this offseason.
Of the 42-man roster, 21 are newcomers to LeTourneau. Thirteen players join as freshmen, while eight transferred in.
Blake Goodridge (Austin College) and Ameron Sheikh (Dallas) bring in 48.1 collective innings of experience on the mound after spending their freshman year at SCAC foes.
Chris Savage -- a graduate transfer from Covenant -- collected eight homers and 53 RBIs in his three-plus years at Phillips' alma mater, while Wyatt Chandler joins LeTourneau after playing at Missouri S&T a season ago.
Jake Morris, Luke Dickey, Jordan Baynes, and Spencer Alexander come to LeTourneau via the junior college route.
The freshman class is composed of Ayden Stewart, Ben Mayorga, Seth Hudson, Ethan Hackenbruch, Cullen Osterloh, Drew Minnick, Jax Fisher, Caden King, Drew Hanstad, Caleb Sandusky, Max Frels, Colt McDowell, and Winn Harriss.
"We have more new guys than we have returners, which has really been a lot of fun," said Phillips regarding the newcomers. "Our returners have led well and done a great job pouring into the new guys and showing them what it means to be part of this family. I can't wait to get going and see what God has in store for us."
SCAC OUTLOOK
LeTourneau was selected seventh in the SCAC preseason poll, based on preseason balloting from the league's head coaches. The YellowJackets received a total of 59 points from the polls, finishing just behind Centenary 67.
Concordia Texas nabbed first, receiving a total of 116 points and eight of the 11 first place votes. McMurry collected the other three first place votes, and totaled 111 points.
THE SCHEDULE
A 40-game regular season slate awaits the YellowJackets half of which will be played at their home venue: Conrad-Vernon Field. LeTourneau is set to face five NCAA tournament teams from a year ago, including a pair of reigning conference champions. LeTourneau will also fly out to Oregon for the first time in 12 years for a four-game series against Linfield.
The season opens on Feb. 6-7 with a three-game home series against reigning SAA champion Millsaps. This marks the fifth straight year LeTourneau has opened the season with the Majors.
The YellowJackets jump right into SCAC action the following weekend, traveling to Sherman, Texas, on Feb.13-14 to face Austin College in a three-game set.
LeTourneau returns for a home series on Feb. 20-21 for a three-game series against McMurry, a 2025 NCAA Super Regional qualifier. The YellowJackets follow this series with a midweek game in Marshall, Texas, on Feb. 24 versus old rival and reigning ASC champion, East Texas Baptist.
A seven-game home stretch follows for LeTourneau, as the YellowJackets take on Texas Lutheran on Feb. 27-28, before facing 2025 NCAA Tournament teams Belhaven (March 3) and Concordia Texas (March 6-7).
The YellowJackets then hit the road for back-to-back SCAC series against Centenary (March 13-14) and Ozarks (March 20-21).
ETBU completes its end of the home-away, traveling to Conrad-Vernon Field on March 24 for the YellowJackets' final midweek matchup of the year.
LeTourneau flies out to McMinnville, Ore., for its final non-conference series of the season. The YellowJackets face Linfield for a four-game series on March 27-29.
The YellowJackets' final 12 games will all be SCAC matchups. LeTourneau will host Dallas (April 10-11) and Hendrix (April 16-18), while traveling to play St. Thomas (April 2-3) and Schreiner (April 24-25).
The SCAC Tournament will take place in Cleburne, Texas, on April 30-May 3 with the top six teams qualifying.
FOLLOW THE YELLOWJACKETS
Be sure to follow LeTourneau athletics all season long on letuathletics.com and social media at Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news, and other information.
