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: MACU Evangels
Level: NAIA
Conference: Sooner Athletic Conference
2025 Overall Record: 41-17
2025 GAC Record: 20-7 (2nd)
Head Coach: Brett Stanton
Head Coaching Experience: 6 years (all at MACU)
Top Returning Players
- Fabian Hernandez (LHP): 8-1 in 2025; All SAC 1st Team in 2025
- Gabriel Dixon (LHP): Top closer in SAC
- Ryan Smith (RHP): Hard throwing relief pitcher
- Andrws Acosta (RHP): Can be used as both a starting pitcher and out of pen
- Angel Miranda (RHP): Potential to be top arm in SAC
- Nick Hill (3B): Power hitter; injured in 2025
Top Newcomers
- Jayce Moore, LHP (Bakersfield CC): Starting pitcher with elite stuff
- Josh Sterba, RHP (Spokane CC): Top starting pitcher from NWAC
- Byron Madero, RHP (Western OK State): Starting pitcher with exciting stuff
- Ibrahim Gonzalez, LHP (UALR): D1 bounce back pitcher
- Frank Giacalone, 1B (SE Missouri State): Power bat
- Josh Rodriguez, SS (Bethune Cookman): D1 bounce back
- Tuane Cope, OF (Faulkner University): Speedy
- Jalen King, OF (Spokane CC): Good center fielder
- Julio Felix (Western OK State): Power bat
- Sammy Hallada, UTL (Olney CC): Should bat at top of order
- Cole Krepcik, INF (Spokane CC): Plus middle infielder
- David Holmes, OF: Exciting potential
Top Performers in Fall
- Jayce Moore: Should be elite arm in SAC
- Ryan Smith: Potential to be top reliever in SAC
- Tuane Cope: Potential to be top all around player in SAC
- Sammy Hallada: All SAC potential
- Ibrahim Gonzalez: Consistent arm
- Josh Sterba: Consistent arm with potential to be dominant
Outlook
Head coach Brett Stanton has done one of the best coaching jobs in the country in his 6 years at MACU. He has led the Evangels to the NCCAA National Championship in 2023 and the programs first 2 NAIA National Tournament appearances in 2024 and 2025 (earning a top regional seed in 2024). MACU has won 82 games over the last 2 seasons winning the SAC regular season championship in 2024.
As Stanton put it, “We need to keep raising the standard for the program and win the SAC. (We need to) get over the hump and make it to the World Series.”
There is reason to believe that the Evangels can do that in 2026. It will be a new cast of players, but the talent that Stanton has brought to SW 119th St in Oklahoma City is abundant.
Stanton says, “Our strength will be on the mound. We have a lot of weapons on the staff and the depth will hopefully show throughout the long season.”
Stanton also goes on to say that their heavy emphasis on defense is no different this year than it has been in the past. He believes this team will live up to that.
Gone are some of the best hitters in the program’s history. Names like Noel McGarry-Doyle, Christopher Munoz, and D’Andre Gaines will not be in the lineup this year, but Stanton says this year’s squad is a “very competitive bunch that has the ability to win in multiple ways.”
Stanton ends saying, “The standard has been set and we have a hungry group to meet that mark.”
There is no reason to believe that the Evangels won’t meet that standard and possibly even more in 2026.
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