RICHMOND, VA. – After more than 40 years of calling it home, VCU baseball will host opening weekend in The Diamond for the last time, beginning the final season in the ballpark. The Rams will throw the first pitch of their 2026 campaign on Friday, Feb. 13, at 1 p.m. against Holy Cross.
 
VCU opens its season looking to build on the program's longstanding championship tradition under the now-second-year coaching staff. One new face was added to the coaches' room following Chris O'Neill's departure into the professional ranks, as Head Coach Sean Thompson brought in Ryan Terrill, former Georgia Gwinnett College and George Mason top assistant, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
 
In the offseason, the Rams prioritized experience and depth, bringing in 20 transfers and four freshmen to replace some notable departures from VCU's 2025 squad. A season ago, the Rams graduated NCAA Division I baseball's toughest hitter to strike out in Casey Kleinman, along with the duo that paced the team in innings pitched in Owen Tappy and Max Moore. Sean Swenson also graduated after starting every game at first base for the Black & Gold in 2025.
 
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
 
A VCU duo made its way into preseason coverage ahead of first pitch with both returning sophomore catcher Jacob Lee and transfer hurler Patrick Steitz gracing D1Baseball's positional player rankings. Steitz was named a top-200 starting pitcher in the nation entering 2026 and Lee catapulted to No. 7 on the top catcher rankings. Lee was also tabbed the Preseason Atlantic 10 Player of the Year by D1Baseball.
 
ALL-AMERICAN AND A-10 CHAMPION RETURNERS
 
Ten familiar faces return to the VCU locker room in 2026, including five Rams who lifted the program to its 15th Conference Championship in 2024 and Freshman All-American catcher Lee.
 
Two-time A-10 Champion and fifth-year Ram Cade Dressler, is joined by Trent Adelman, Nick Frers and Zachary Peters in leading VCU's championship culture by example. Another impactful arm from the Rams' 2024 squad, right-handed pitcher Everett Vaughan, is set to return to the bump after missing the 2025 season due to tommy john surgery.
 
SEASON OUTLOOK
 
A pair of under-class returners in infielder Nick Flores and right-handed pitcher Cooper Campbell will look to resume key roles from their respective debut campaigns. Flores, a consistent bat in the Rams' 2025 lineup, collected a team-high 13 doubles and tied for the team lead with 59 hits, batting .295 as a true freshman. He hit nine home runs a season ago, and Thompson cites the staff's high expectations for Flores' sophomore year. Campbell paced the Rams with his 22 appearances and fanned 40 over his 38.0 innings of work, consistently finding his way to the hill in big innings as a first-year Ram.
 
Junior third baseman Nate Kirkpatrick had spectacular defensive flashes in his first year with the program last season. Tabbed a high-IQ defender, Thompson cites his ability to move around the field and progress at the plate. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Riley Roarty also returns to the squad and will be a piece of the Rams' bullpen in 2026 after making 11 appearances as a true freshman.
 
In addition to the returning Rams, Thompson brought in 24 new faces to the team. Newcomers include 20 transfers—seven of whom hail from Division I programs, along with one Division III addition and 12 junior college transfers—and four freshmen.
 
ADDITIONS
 
Dante DeFranco is the Rams' most experienced addition, joining VCU as a graduate transfer after spending his first five years at Charlotte. He is a career .253 hitter whose defensive prowess and high baseball IQ will make an immediate impact on the infield. Quinn Maher, first baseman transfer and a strong left-handed hitter, was an NJCAA Division I Gold Glove a year ago, setting a Hutchinson program record with a .994 fielding percentage in 467 chances. Second baseman Cade Tousa is a junior college transfer from Iowa Western CC with a strong running game.
 
VCU's infield also added Alec Warden, a redshirt freshman shortstop from Penn State, and a pair of utility guys in freshman Brendan Horne and Santa Fe transfer Rex Smith.
 
Michael Petite, an outfielder who arrived at VCU from Miami Dade CC is a dynamic athlete with power who the Rams expect to fit into the top of the lineup immediately. In his second season at Miami Dade, Petite slashed an astounding .367/.547/.693, and looks to take over in center field. Ethan Acevedo, notable for his speed, transferred from Indian Hills CC, two-way freshman Boyce Read rounds out the outfield as a left-handed bat who can add depth to VCU's lineup.
 
VCU added a pair of catchers with the arrival of Teige Lethert from Milwaukee and Graham Hylton from Northern Oklahoma. Lethert is a graduate student who brings multiple years of Division I experience and will share the catching load and fit into the designated hitter spot. Hylton is a versatile addition and will contribute to depth both behind the plate and at first base.
 
Two-way addition Brody Leyboldt will provide depth for the Rams both in the outfield and as a left-handed hurler from Iowa Western CC.

On the mound, which has long been an area of strength of VCU teams, the Rams are led by a pair of former program standouts in Thompson and pitching coach JoJo Howie. 11 new pitchers joined the roster this season, including nine transfers and a freshman duo.
 
In addition to Steitz, the Rams brought in Division I transfer Fenix DiGiacomo (Marshall) who will factor into the rotation. The 6-5 graduate student has compiled 158 innings of work at Marshall and Presbyterian, coming to VCU with experience and maturity. Graduate transfer Elias Holbert and redshirt freshman Dawson Newman both arrive from Coastal Carolina, bringing limited DI experience. Holbert will be a piece in the Rams' bullpen and Newman's pitchability will likely involve him in the Rams' rotation early.
 
Cooper Weygandt (Pierce College), Anthony Roszko (Virginia Wesleyan) and Coleman Bobb (Southern Idaho) will serve in relief roles for the Rams. Roszko led VCU's velocity with Peters in the fall, touching 97, and his closer profile and swing-and-miss stuff will look to impact the bullpen immediately. Weygandt delivers from multiple slots and comes with a well-built resume, earning All-NWAC and Regional Gold Glove recognition as well as All-NWAC region honors in both years at Pierce. Caleb Clover (Hillsborough CC) and Hunter Gotschall (Salt Lake CC) will also compete for innings early. Bryce Carter, a newcomer from Eastern Florida State is returning from injury.
 
Rounding out the newcomers on the mound, Chase Nystrom and Nick Bertrand both arrive to VCU by way of Florida high schools and build on the Rams' added depth.
 
VCU will open its season with a three-game set against Holy Cross starting at 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13 at The Diamond.