Baldwin Wallace University’s spring sports season is kicking off. Some teams, like men’s volleyball are already midway through the season, and track is just about ready to move from indoors to outdoors. Here is a preview of BW’s spring sports teams, how they performed last year, and some key players and events to watch as the 2025-26 season progresses.
Men’s Lacrosse
Last year, men’s lacrosse went 14-5 with a perfect 9-0 record in conference play. They ended up winning the conference championship. That team had 14 all-conference selections, their entire starting lineup, a record for the OAC. Heading into this year, they’ve only graduated four players from last year’s squad, so they figure to be an older, more experienced team.
A few top players to keep your eye on this season will be senior Bennet Trout, senior Reichen Geiselhart, and junior Noah Dodgion. Last year, Trout was an USILA All-American and OAC Offensive Player of the Year. Trout and Geiselhart were both also IMLCA All-Region players. Dodgion led the team last year with 58 goals, which broke the school record.
The Yellow Jackets look to improve after a monster season, which landed them third in the nation in shots per game, seventh in the nation in scoring offense, and tenth in the nation in scoring offense. Evan Vetter also broke the school record for faceoffs won in a season with 249.
Assistant Coach Karson Burkey said this year’s schedule is much more difficult than last year’s, with some crucial upcoming matchups against Grove City on Mar. 7, and Illinois Wesleyan on Mar. 11. Burkey also noted that a few school records are within reach of standout player Bennet Trout. He is on pace to break the career goals record (135) and the career goals per game record (2.06). He could even break the career points record with a spectacular season, which sits at 283.
“Our hope for the season is to go out and compete in every single game,” Burkey said. “We must go through our process and not think about outcomes as much. We are trying to change our mindset so we can do things we have never done before.”
Women’s Lacrosse
Women’s lacrosse is coming off a 10-9 season last year… but they were able to beat Mount Union.
Mount Union only lost once in-conference, and that loss was handed to them by the Yellow Jackets. It’s the first time BW has beaten Mount Union in women’s lacrosse since Head Coach Nicholle Shoger arrived eight years ago.
The Jackets will be led this season by First-Team All-OAC midfielder Clare Alic, as well as Mariana Melgoza, All-OAC Carley House, Annette Doren, and Sarah Zoul. Shoger said Alic has a great chance to break the school goals record, if not this year, then next year.
The Jackets open tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 25 against John Carroll, which Shoger said is one of the most important matchups of the season. The Jackets lost last year by four, and are hoping to have a comeback this year.
Shoger said the team’s goal is simple: to improve off of last year’s success, and to make it to the OAC championship game.
Men’s Volleyball
The men’s volleyball team finished last year’s season with a 19-11 record, with massive victories over No.12 nationally-ranked St. John Fisher and No. 11 UC Santa Cruz. They made it as far as the conference championship.
Last year, the team reached its highest national rank ever, peaking at No. 12. This year, as the season started in January, the team has been ranked higher and higher each week, and has been ranked as high as No.9, breaking the record set just last year.
This year, they’ve also beaten high-ranking teams such as No. 17 St. John Fisher (3 sets to 0) and No. 7 UC Santa Cruz (3 to 2).
The team returns many star players including Dan Latham, Owen Huynh, and Colby Whiteside. Latham and Huynh were number one and two in points-per-set last year for the team, with 3.95 and 3.80 respectively. Latham also led the team in kills with 351. Whiteside led the team in total blocks with 95.
Mar. 5-10 will be a hugely important weekend for the Yellow Jackets in terms of national rankings, as they head out to Thousand Oaks California to play three top-15 nationally-ranked teams.
Baseball
Head coach Brian Harrison leads his team into 2026 coming off an impressive 32-15 season in which BW won the OAC tournament. NCAA’s Power Index ranked the team 31st in the country.
The Jackets reached the top of the conference behind some impressive individual performances, including six all-OAC team nominees and four all-region nominees:
First Team All-OAC: Mally Kilbane, Dennis Ritlinger-Nirider, Vince Dolcemaschio, Justin Carinci. Second Team All-OAC: Sean Kolenich, Joey Marousek. All-Region: Brit Kostura, Dennis Ritlinger-Nirider, Justin Carinci, Vince Dolcemaschio
Brit Kostura was a third team All-American selection in 2025. His outstanding season on the mound also earned him the honor of OAC Pitcher of the Year. The lefty finished with a 5-1 record and a 3.07 ERA in 67.1 innings pitched. He threw a no-hitter against John Carroll on May 2, striking out seven batters.
Vince Dolcemaschio received recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association, as he was named to the 2025 Rawlings Division III Gold Glove team. This acknowledged Dolcemaschio as the best-fielding pitcher in the nation.
Justin Carinic set two school-best marks, stealing a perfect 27 bases in as many attempts and ending the season with a 1.000 fielding percentage. Dennis Ritlinger-Nirider also set a school record with three home runs against Capital on Apr. 26.
Many of BW’s top performers are back in 2026, and they are poised to make another run for the conference title.
Softball
BW softball is coming off 32-6 season in which they won 15 of 16 conference games. They were defeated by Mount Union in the OAC Championship game but still qualified for the NCAA regional tournament. Pitcher Marisa Hall led the way, posting a 2.42 ERA over 136 innings pitched. Hall, Lucia Wolford, and Sam Peterkoski were named to the NFCA All-Region First Team. Maddie Lester earned Second Team honors.
They enter the 2026 season ranked second behind only Mount Union in the OAC preseason poll. The team begins its season in Melbourne, Florida with eight games between Mar. 9 and 13. They return home to take on Wilmington on Mar. 21.
This team will have a strong freshman presence as well, as it welcomed five new members this season in hopes of taking care of last year’s unfinished business and capturing the OAC crown.
Men’s Track & Field
The men’s team is looking to continue some forward momentum after placing second in the OAC last season. They finished first at both the Dr. Taraschke Team Challenge and the All-Ohio Indoor Championships. The NCAA indoor championships take place on Mar. 13-14, and the outdoor season will begin on Mar. 27 at Oberlin.
We saw a couple of new additions to the record board last season. Christian Pfeiffer set high jump records indoor (2.11m) and outdoor (2.14m). Sam Sikorski ran a 2:30.39 in the indoor 1000m race. Sikorski also won OAC Runner of the Week to begin this season.
Head Coach Joe Eby looks forward to the midseason challenge of the All-Ohio Outdoor Championships at Ohio Wesleyan in April. This meet will be a good test ahead of the conference meet. Eby’s expectations are high, and the men have a real chance to win the OAC this outdoor season.
Women’s Track & Field
The women’s team has gotten off to a good start this indoor season, finishing first of five at the Dr. Taraschke Team Challenge and third of fifteen at the All-Ohio Indoor Championships at Otterbein. The women begin their outdoor season next month at Oberlin as well.
The women broke their share of records last season, too. Kenae Moore, Abby Collier, Kenni Voytek, and Morgan Aloi set a school-best 1:43.39 in the indoor 4x200m relay. Additionally, Collier, Aloi, Katie Plecko, and Hope Murphy posted a 4:00.20 in the indoor 4x400m relay.
Murphy made the record board herself, running a 2:07.77 in the outdoor 800m.
Coach Eby said he is specifically excited for the Harison Dillard Twilight meet, which is hosted by Baldwin Wallace in May. It will be a big opportunity for the Yellow Jackets to prove themselves. Overall, Eby’s sights are set on a higher conference placement for the women in 2026.
