LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The IUP baseball program tabbed first in the 2025 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) preseason coaches' poll in the western division, released by the league Thursday afternoon.
IUP was the favorite in the PSAC West with four first place votes, followed by Slippery Rock who received three first place votes, and Seton Hill rounded out the top three with one first place vote.
West Chester and Millersville claimed the first two spots in the PSAC East, each receiving three first place votes, while East Stroudsburg closed out the top three with two first place votes.
The Crimson Hawks were ranked 10th in the D2 Baseball Preseason Top 25 Poll and were ranked first in the NCBWA Atlantic Region Top 10.
Last season
IUP posted a 41-18 overall record, going 19-9 in PSAC play to make the conference tournament, which was just the beginning of their 2024 season success.
IUP earned an at-large bid in the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament for the first time since 1990, rolling past West Chester and Charleston (W.Va.) to earn a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals. They then won their first regional championship in program history to advance to the World Series, but came within one game for a spot in the national championship.
The Hawks set a program record for wins (41) and games played (59). They were tabbed fourth in the final ABCA DII Top 25 Poll and seventh in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) list.
After their historic run, head coach
Steve Kline was named the 2024 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/ATEC NCAA DII Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
Who's back for IUP
IUP returns All-PSAC Second Team selection outfielder
Ricardo Aponte. Aponte made 58 starts and saw action in all 59 games, led the team in runs (50) and hitting percentage (.319), had 67 hits, and three homers.
IUP welcomes back a majority of their roster, outfielder
Au'sean Owens (17 SB, 39 runs), catcher
Davin Landers (.259, 4HR), infielders
David Kessler and
Peyton Johnson all return. In the outfield,
Robert Carfagno and
Elijah Dunn also return with starting experience.
On the mound,
Jimmy Tooley (34K, 4.73 ERA),
Derrick Shields (7-4 Rec., 69K), and
Jake Black (3.88 ERA, 57K) return.
2025 PSAC Baseball Preseason Polls (# of first-place votes in parentheses)
Eastern Division
1. West Chester (3)
2. Millersville (3)
3. East Stroudsburg (2)
4. Shippensburg
5. Shepherd
6. Kutztown
7. Bloomsburg
8. Mansfield
Western Division
1. IUP (4)
2. Slippery Rock (3)
3. Seton Hill (1)
4. California
5. Gannon
6. Pitt-Johnstown
7. Clarion
8. Lock Haven
Follow
For coverage of the IUP baseball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on X (Twitter) and Instagram @IUPBaseball and online at IUPAthletics.com.
