MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The D3Baseball.com organization has released their 2026 Top-25 Preseason rankings for the 2026 season where the Gorloks were selected at #15 in the nation. The D3baseball.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly.
2025 Season Recap:
Webster enters the 2026 season coming off a 37-9 overall record that included a 17-1 record in conference play and finished the season ranked No. 22 in the nation. The Gorloks won the 2025 SLIAC Regular Season and Tournament titles that earned a spot in the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional Tournament. Webster hosted the NCAA Division III Regionals, beat Milwaukee School of Engineering 13-2 in the first game but their season came to an end with two defeats in regional play.
2026 Roster:
Webster returns 24 student-athletes and five SLIAC All-Conference selections from last season. The Gorloks bring back their top three pitching arms led by 2026 D3Baseball.com Preseason All-America Team selections in Ryan Greifelt (First Team) and Carter Hunt (Second Team). In addition to Greifelt and Hunt, pitchers Elijah Rompala-Matthews and Kendall Horton (Fontbonne University) return with SLIAC Third Team All-Conference honors from last season. Lastly, the Gorloks are excited to bring back Third Team All-Conference outfielders in James Theodore and Ryan Hartz.
Greifelt enters his junior season coming off a speculator sophomore campaign that where he was named to the NCAA Division III Region 8 Pitcher of the Year and was a First Team All-Region selection from D3Baseball.com. In addition, he was selected as the SLIAC Pitcher of the Year, SLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, SLIAC All-Tournament Team, and to the SLIAC First Team All-Conference team.
The left-handed pitcher led the team with 92.0 innings pitched, 89 strikeouts, and two complete games. He appeared in 15 games that included 12 starts and recorded a 12-3 record. In those 15 appearances, he posted a 2.74 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Lastly, his two complete games victories were both against Spalding University.
Hunt enters his final season of collegiate baseball coming off a great 2025 season where he was selected to the Region VIII Second Team All-Region Team from D3Baseball.com. In addition, he was named to the SLIAC All-Tournament Team and SLIAC First Team All-Conference team.
The right-hander appeared in 13 games that included 11 starts and posted a 9-1 overall record. In those 13 appearances, he pitched 64.1 innings of work, posted a 2.10 ERA, and a 1.01 WHIP. In addition, he recorded 65 strikeouts and held opponents to a .203 batting average. Lastly, he pitched one complete game and it was a victory over Spalding.
Rompala-Matthews returns for his senior season where he made 13 appearances that included a 5-2 record. In those 13 appearances, he threw 46 complete innings, posted a 3.91 ERA, recorded a 1.37 WHIP, and had 46 strikeouts.
Horton, the ace of the Fontbonne program from last season, comes to Webster where he recorded 13 appearances, 12 starts, and pitched 59.1 innings. In those 13 appearances, he struck out 43 batters and threw a complete game shutout against Blackburn College.
Theodore, the starting center fielder, returns for his junior season where he was named to the D3Baseball.com Region 8 All-Region Third Team that included a .346 batting average (leads all returning players), .441 slugging, .840 OPS, and an .399 on base percentage. In 46 starts, he recorded 65 hits (including 11 doubles, two triples, and a home run), 53 runs (leads all returners), and 31 RBI's (leads all returners). In addition, he recorded 83 total bases (leads all returners), swiped 38-of-40 in stolen bases (team-high), and took 14 walks, and six HBP's.
Hartz enters his sophomore year coming off a 43-start season in right field as a freshman. Hartz posted a .282 batting average, .416 slugging, and a .798 OPS. In addition, he recorded 42 hits that included six home runs and drove in 29 RBI's. Lastly, he tallied 62 total bases, drew 21 walks, and recorded a.382 on base percentage.
In addition to the starting rotation, Webster returns eight relievers from last year's Regional run which includes Shane LeJeune-DeAcutis, Wes Carter, Jack Wilson, Michael Pasquesi, Collin Johnson, Zach Mevert, Connor Jackson, and Bauer Dalke.
In addition to the pitchers, the Gorloks bring back five infielders which includes Charlie Pellicer, Jacob Charlson, Reid Hietpas, Quinton Johnston, and Ethan Wielt. Webster returns five outfielders including Theodore, Hartz, AJ Simmons, Andrew Xenakis, and Easton Kretzer.
Lastly, the Gorloks bring back all three catchers from last season which includes Dalton Groves, Nick Wrubluski, and Noah Jensen.
The Webster baseball program is excited to add five transfers and eight first-year student-athletes to the mix for this season. The transfer class includes Colton Eggerding (LHP, Truman State University), Chris Lara (INF, Elgin CC), Jonah Taylor (OF, North Central University), Adam Moser (OF, University of Texas-Tyler), and Horton (RHP, Fontbonne University).
The first-year members includes Talan Hutchings (INF, Brighton, CO), Matthew Lanier (UTL, Longmont, CO), Cal Tiner (Catcher / INF, Aurora, CO), Logan Manuello (RHP, Parker, CO), Tristan Lakis (RHP, Lisle, IL), Braedan Trissell (INF, Denison, TX), Colt Amburst (RHP, Wheaton, IL), and Jack Knapp (RHP, Lyons, CO).
To see the full Preseason Top-25 Rankings, please visit link below
https://d3baseball.com/top25/2026/2026Top25-week-0
The Gorloks will open the 2026 season on Friday, February 13th with a road visit to the Crusaders of Mary Hardin-Baylor starting at 6:00PM in Belton, Texas.