The 2026 college season will be here before you know it as the majority of our NCAA D2 squads will begin their seasons the last weekend of January.

In the past, we have looked ahead to the season with season previews, but this year we are changing it up a bit with a fall report that will also provide a look to the season ahead.

SSBR recently sent out questionnaires to each head coach of the small college (NCAA D2, NAIA, NCCAA) and JUCO schools in the state. We asked them to provide who their top returners, top newcomers, and top performers were in the fall. We’ve compiled that information into the fall report with an outlook for the upcoming 2026 season.

Today’s team: Northeastern State RiverHawks

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Level: NCAA Division 2

Conference: Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association

2025 Overall Record: 16-35

2025 GAC Record: 13-23 (10th)

Head Coach: Kyle Williams

Head Coaching Experience: 6 years (1st year at NSU)

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Top Returning Players

• Izac Sizemore (RHP): Rotation arm; Workhorse; 62.1 IP in 2025
• Holden Yaksick (RHP): 59.2 IP in 2025; Injured in the Fall

Top Newcomers

• Bryce Parlin, P (Central Arkansas): Plus stuff; projected as top starter
• Ty Presley, P (Cisco CC): Plus stuff; Rotation piece with Parlin and Sizemore; Texas Tech commit out of high school
• Jaxon Gregory (Eastern OK State): Part of EOSC NJCAA World Series team in 2025
• Klete Finley (Motlow CC): Projected starter at SS; Batted .350 in 2 years at JUCO
• Jason Avila (Crowder CC): LHH with pop, ++ speed, + defender; spent freshman season at Florida State
• Gannon White (Cloud County CC): Plus defender in OF; Good runner; All League performer in summer league
• Thomas Brownfield (Connors State College): RHP with good stuff; competitor; projected to play a big role with good Fall
• Chance Pair (Frontier CC): Catcher with good arm; handles staff well; switch hitter

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Top Performers in Fall

*Team did not keep stats in the Fall, but Coach Williams says the top performers are the players listed as the top newcomers

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Outlook

Much like other programs across the Sooner State, there will be new faces aplenty in Tahlequah for 2026. Of the 51 players in the program, the RiverHawks have 37 new faces on the roster.

Needless to say, NSU will have to figure out the depth in the roster as well as build a competitive culture.

Also new to the program is head coach, Kyle Williams. Williams has 6 years of head coaching experience coming over from Cameron University. Williams says he is “looking forward to going out and competing in a tough conference (with this group).”

Williams believes that the RiverHawks have a chance to “turns some heads” with the talent that is on the roster. He also says that they have to “continue to build team cohesion and have the mindset that NSU will get back to a Regional for the first time since 2022” and contend in the MIAA.

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