Baseball

Bentley Baseball Named NE10 Preseason Favorite

Bentley Holds Off SNHU for Top Spot in Coaches' Poll.

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Coming off a single-season program record in wins, Bentley edged Southern New Hampshire for the top spot in the 2026 Northeast 10 Conference Baseball Coaches' Poll - as announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon. 

Bentley recorded 75 points and five first-place votes from opposing coaches, while Southern New Hampshire was second with 74 points and three first-place votes. Franklin Pierce (66 points, one first-place vote), Pace (60 points, one first-place vote) and Southern Connecticut (46 points) round-out the top five teams in the poll. 

Bentley won 33 games during the 2025 season - the most in program history - while finishing second in the Northeast Division with a 19-6 record in conference play. Mike Hill was named the NE10's Bob Bellizzi Coach of the Year, becoming the first Bentley coach to win the honor since Bob DeFelice in 2013. The Falcons led all NE10 teams last season in batting average (.298), doubles (93), triples (15) and on-base percentage (.408). 

Southern New Hampshire finished as runner-up in the NE10 Championship last season, while Franklin Pierce - the Northeast Division regular season champion - advanced to the East Super Regional. Pace won the NE10 Championship for the second time in the past three years. 

American International was sixth in the poll (40 points), Adelphi was seventh (38 points), Saint Anselm was eighth (24 points), Saint Michael's was ninth (14 points) and Assumption was 10th (13 points).

The 2026 NE10 season opens on Friday, February 6th, as Bentley plays Barry in Miami Shores, Fla. Watch all home and conference games this season for baseball on NE10 NOW on FloSports. 

2026 NE10 Baseball Coaches' Poll
Rank Team Votes (1st Place)
1 Bentley Falcons 75 (5)
2 SNHU Penmen 74 (3)
3    Franklin Pierce Ravens 66 (1)
4 Pace Setters 60 (1)
5 SCSU Owls 46
6 AIC Yellow Jackets 40
7 Adelphi Panthers 38
8 Saint Anselm Hawks 24
9 Saint Michael's Purple Knights 14
10 Assumption Greyhounds 13

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
 
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.