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: Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles

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Level: NAIA

Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

2025 Overall Record: 47-11

2025 GAC Record: 30-6 (1st)

Head Coach: Kirk Kelley

Head Coaching Experience: 29 years (8 at OKWU)

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Top Returning Players

• Ashton Luera (RHP): Late season injury in 2025 that affected rotation in the postseason/National Tournament appearance
• Braydon Caldwell (C): Three year starter
• Brendon Poindexter, JT Maloney, Luis Antiqua – All returning starters in the infield

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Top Newcomers

• Wally Diaz (Connors State): NJCAA All American
• Daurys Manaznillo (Connors State)
• Joseph Gutterriez (Connors State)
• Gavin Florio, RHP (South Florida)
• Tanner Stephenson, RHP (New College of Florida)

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Top Performers in Fall

Coach Kelley said they “didn’t have stats to speak for, but the new guys provided a punch to their lineup.”

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Outlook

The Eagles have lost a few of their top players from 2025 to graduation including All Americans Ravaughn Morgan and Victor Sanchez, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare. Luis Antigua returns for OKWU and his slash line of .378/.500/.616 with 10 HR and 53 RBI. Joining him in the lineup as a 3 year starters at catcher is Braydon Caldwell who hit .333 with 44 RBI.

Coming back for the Eagles on the mound will be Ashton Luera who had a 2.31 ERA in 39 IP before his injury in 2025.

Junior college transfer, Wally Diaz, will bring a power bat to the Eagles lineup. He was an All American at Connors State and hits for both average and power. He should fit nicely into the middle of the lineup.

Long time head coach (and Athletic Director), Kirk Kelley, says he is “excited about this club.” He says this team is “strong and extremely fast.” Something they need to work on for 2026 is for their bullpen to be “stable.”

There is a standard in Bartlesville where the expectation is to compete for conference championships and make the National Tournament. The Eagles won the KCAC Regular Season championship in 2025. They’ve been to the NAIA Opening Round 8 times since 2014 and the NAIA World Series 3 times (last 2021).

The Eagles are the #12 team in the NAIA Preseason rankings this year, so expectations are the same: NAIA National Tournament. It will not be a surprise to see them do just that and possibly even more.

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