Staff report
SALISBURY — The Catawba Indians have been picked by the league’s coaches as the team to beat in the South Atlantic Conference.
Catawba won the regular-season championships in 2024 and 2025.
The Indians received seven first-place votes and totaled 126 points. After a run to the national semifinals in 2025, Lenoir-Rhyne is picked second. The Bears got four first-place votes and totaled 122 points.
Next in the poll were Carson-Newman, Wingate, Coker and Lincoln Memorial. LMU is picked sixth but got the first-place vote that didn’t go to Catawba or Lenoir-Rhyne.
Catawba lost terrific players, notably pitchers Payne Stolsworth, Austin Fine and Hayden Simmerson, third baseman Cole Hales, right fielder Dylan Driver and first baseman James Dunlap, but the Indians are expected to be tough again, with a combination of returning starters, transfers, freshmen and reserves getting an opportunity to play regularly for the first time for head coach Jim Gantt.
Catawba outfielder Sam Hunter, shortstop Nathan Chrismon, DH Sean Shelly and pitcher Kemper Nix were named to the All-SAC preseason team.
A lefty-hitting senior outfielder, Hunter batted .317 with a .405 on-base percentage, 48 runs scored and 31 RBIs last season. He’s been a key player for the Indians since transferring from Queens. Hunter usually has played center field, but may be in right field this season as Catawba has added an even faster center fielder (Malachi Cloud).
Chrismon, a right-handed hitting senior shortstop from South Rowan, batted .318 with a .429 OBP, 45 runs scored and 41 RBIs. He played his first season for the Indians in 2025 after transferring from East Carolina.
Shelly is a senior first baseman/outfielder who will get most of his at-bats as Catawba’s DH. A transfer from Barry who made an impact for the Indians in 2025, he’s a patient and powerful right-handed power hitter who posted a stellar .462 on-base percentage.
Nix is new to Catawba, but the senior is well-known to SAC coaches as he pitched for Limestone last season. The 6-foot-4 lefty could be the staff ace for the Indians.
Senior pitcher Casey Gouge and junior catcher Matthew Connolly, former West Rowan Falcons, are on the “Players to Watch List” for the SAC. Teams were allowed to spotlight up to six players. Catawba had four on the preseason all-conference team, so that left two spots for “Players to Watch.”
The plan is for Gouge to open the season in long and middle relief, as the Indians can use him multiple times a week in that role. He may also start some mid-week games. If one of the projected weekend starters struggles, Gouge could be shifted into that role. The experienced southpaw was 6-3 last season.
Connolly batted .266 but with a. 389 OBP, seven homers and 35 RBIs. At a defense-first position, he gives the Indians some pop. Connolly also can play first base. That gives Catawba a chance to keep his bat in the lineup for the second games of doubleheaders.
Catawba starts the season Friday night in West Palm Beach, Fla., against Palm Beach Atlantic.
Preseason Coaches Poll
1 Catawba (7) 126
2 Lenoir-Rhyne (4) 122
3 Carson-Newman 112
4 Wingate 102
5 Coker 87
6 Lincoln Memorial (1) 78
7 Newberry 71
8 UVA Wise 70
9 Anderson 56
10 Tusculum 45
11 Mars Hill 28
12 Emory & Henry 27
2026 SAC Baseball Preseason All-Conference
Outfield
OF – Mackenzie Wainwright, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Braeden Harrison, Anderson
OF – Sam Hunter, Catawba
Infield
1B – Logan Floyd, Carson-Newman
2B – Cole Nathan, Carson-Newman
SS – Nathan Chrismon, Catawba
3B – Terick Bumgarner, Mars Hill
Catcher / DH
C – Nathan Kidder, Lenoir-Rhyne
DH – Sean Shelly, Catawba
Pitchers
SP – Kolton Casson, Carson-Newman
SP – Kemper Nix, Catawba
SP – Kellen Gradisar, Lenoir-Rhyne
RP – Ryan Whitson, UVA Wise
