The St. Lawrence University baseball team had plenty to celebrate in 2026, highlighted by its return to the Liberty League Tournament for the first time since 2013 under Head Coach Kenny Collins. For his efforts, Collins was named the athletic department's Bernie McKinnon Coach of the Year.

St. Lawrence finished the season 20-16 overall and 11-8 in conference play.

"I was proud of the way the team came together this season," said Collins. "We got buy-in starting in the fall, and better as the year went on; that is really all you can ask from a group. Our leadership was strong, and the program got a taste of competing for a league championship. I am excited about the jump we can make for the 2027 season."

The Scarlet and Brown opened their campaign in February, earning wins over Bates, Purchase, and Keuka to enter Liberty League play at 4-3. A pair of losses to Hobart in the conference opener were followed by a split between Dickinson and Marywood during Spring Break.

St. Lawrence caught fire from there, securing series victories over RIT (2-1) and Rochester (3-0) to put themselves in a strong position. The Saints' offense erupted against the Yellowjackets, scoring 35 runs across three games, including a 14-run inning in game one.

Back in league play, St. Lawrence took one of three from Ithaca and dropped a rescheduled contest to Hobart on April 21. A road win at Norwich set the stage for a key North Country weekend against Route 11 rival Clarkson.

It took just one game for the Saints to clinch a postseason berth, defeating Clarkson 10-1 in Potsdam to secure the program's first playoff appearance in 13 years. They carried that momentum through Saturday, completing the three-game sweep and locking up the No. 3 seed. The Class of 2026 powered the series, combining to go 19-for-34 with 18 runs, 12 RBI, three home runs, including a grand slam, five doubles, four stolen bases, and four innings pitched.

The Saints closed the regular season with a pair of non-conference wins over Plattsburgh State before traveling to the Capital Region to face Union on the weekend. In the Liberty League Crossover Series, St. Lawrence earned a 10-7 extra-innings win in game one and advanced with a 5-3 victory in game two.

Their run came to an end the following weekend at RIT, where they dropped a pair of games to the host Tigers and RPI.

Seven Saints were recognized with All-Liberty League honors. Catcher John Donnellan, outfielder Jack Finnegan, designated hitter Willie Landman, and relief pitcher Joshua Polumbo earned Second Team accolades, while starting pitchers David Zuhlsdorf and Joe LaPrade, along with first baseman John Gannon, were named to the Third Team.

Gannon was a force all season, leading the team in batting average (.414), OPS (1.134), hits (48), home runs (4), total bases (74), slugging percentage (.638), walks (16), and on-base percentage (.496). He was even better in Liberty League play, slashing .484/.534/.797 with a 1.331 OPS. His 48 hits ranked among the top 10 single-season totals in program history, and he surpassed the 100-hit mark for his collegiate career.

Finnegan proved electrifying at the plate, on the basepaths, and in center field. The junior recorded five triples, ranking among the top 20 nationally, while slashing .368/.437/.588 and posting a 1.025 OPS, second-best on the team. A two-sport standout, he was a perfect 18-for-18 on stolen base attempts and flawless defensively, tallying 71 putouts without an error to earn ABCA Region III All-Defensive Team honors. His five triples were tied for the third-most in a single season in program history.

On the mound, Zuhlsdorf anchored the Saints' pitching staff, going 3-3 across 50 innings pitched, the second-most on the team. The junior southpaw posted a 6.12 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 11 appearances, holding opponents to a .266 batting average while striking out 36 batters.

LaPrade also emerged as a key starter, highlighted by an eight-inning, seven-strikeout performance against RIT in March. The sophomore right-hander made six starts among 11 appearances and led the team with 55.1 innings pitched. He finished with a 4.55 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, a 3-4 record, two saves, and a team-high 43 strikeouts.

2026 Awards/Honors

All-Liberty League Second-Team
John Donnellan
Jack Finnegan
Willie Landman
Joshua Polumbo

All-Liberty League Third-Team
Joe LaPrade
David Zuhlsdorf
John Gannon

ABCA Region III All-Defensive Team
Jack Finnegan

Bernie McKinnon Coach of the Year
Kenny Collins

CSC Academic All-District
Max Cloutier
John Donnellan
Ethan Harris
Nolan Widrick
David Zuhlsdorf

Liberty League Performer of the Week
John Gannon (Apr. 27)

Liberty League Rookie of the Week
Nathan Jackson (Apr. 6)

Liberty League Honor Roll
John Gannon (Feb. 23, Apr. 13)
Joe LaPrade (Feb. 23, Apr. 6)
Willie Landman (Mar. 9)
David Zuhlsdorf (Mar. 9)
John Donnellan (Mar. 23)
Jack Finnegan (Apr. 6, May 4)
Eddie Morrissey (Apr. 20)
Joshua Polumbo (Apr. 20, Apr. 27, May 4)

Liberty League All-Academic
Max Cloutier, Sr., Finance, Cumberland, Maine
Matt Davis, Jr., Neuroscience, Barrington, R.I.
John Donnellan, Sr., Finance, Newton, Mass.
Boden Driscoll, Jr., Statistics, Portsmouth, N.H.
Jack Finnegan, Jr., Finance, Milton, Mass.
Owen Gray, So., Undeclared, Bridgewater, Mass.
Jack Growney, So., Undeclared, Reading, Mass.
Ethan Harris, So., Undeclared, Cicero, N.Y.
Liam Hickey, Jr., Economics, Yarmouth, Maine
JJ Humenay, Sr., Economics, Beaconsfield, Québec
Shota Kubota, So., Undeclared, Tsuzuki, Japan
Willie Landman, Sr., Finance & Business in the Liberal Arts, Longmeadow, Mass.
Ryan McCausland, So., Undeclared, Wellesley, Mass.
Owen McClintock, Sr., Political Science, Chatham, N.J.
Eddie Morrissey, So., Undeclared, Milton, Mass.
James Morr, Sr., English, Colebrook, Conn.
Finn Parker, Jr., Economics & Psychology, Sonoma, Calif.
Joshua Polumbo, Sr., Finance, Williamstown, Mass.
Jake Towey, So., Finance, New York, N.Y.
Nolan Widrick, Jr., Biology, Adams, N.Y.
Brendan Young, So., Undeclared, Watertown, Mass.
David Zuhlsdorf, Jr., Statistics, Canton, N.Y.