CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina baseball's national profile remains strong entering the 2026 season, as the Chanticleers were ranked No. 11 in the Baseball America Preseason Top 25, announced Monday by Baseball America.

The No.11 ranking follows Coastal Carolina being slotted No.6 in the 2026 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25 and No.17 by Perfect Game in their preseason poll. .

Coastal is coming off a historic 2025 campaign in which the Chanticleers posted a program-record 56 wins, captured both the Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and advanced to the College World Series Finals. The postseason run elevated Coastal Carolina to national prominence and set expectations high entering 2026.

The Chanticleers enter the upcoming season in their second year under head coach Kevin Schnall, who delivered one of the most decorated first seasons by a head coach in program history. Schnall was named the 2025 National Coach of the Year by Baseball America, becoming the first rookie head coach to earn the honor, while also collecting Coach of the Year accolades from the Sun Belt Conference, Perfect Game, and the American Baseball Coaches Association, which recognized him as the Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.

Coastal returns a veteran core and a talented pitching staff led by junior right-hander Cameron Flukey, the 2026 Perfect Game Preseason Pitcher of the Year and a Preseason First Team All-American. The pitching staff continues to be guided by Matt Williams, who was named the 2025 ABCA Division I Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2025 D1Baseball.com Assistant Coach of the Year following Coastal's postseason run.

Coastal Carolina will open the 2026 season on Friday, Feb. 13, when it hosts Fairfield at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C., with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.