Baseball Ranked No. 9 to Start 2026
Baseball season is just around the corner, and the Bruins are no stranger to the preparation it takes to be an elite team at this level. The KCC Baseball team is coming off back-to-back Region 12 titles and back-to-back World Series Appearances in 2024 and 2025. They are returning a large majority of starters from last season's 5th place finish at the World Series and have been working hard since August. The NJCAA just announced the DII Pre-season Poll where the Bruins have landed themselves at No. 9 to start the season.
The Bru Cru officially kicks off the 2026 campaign when they travel on February 6-7 to Belleville, IL for four games. The following week they take off on their annual spring trip to play some of the best competition in the Nation. While on their trip to Jacksonville, FL the Bruins will face off against No. 16 Kankakee, No. 4 Heartland, No. 11 St. Johns River, and Florida State College at Jacksonville. After their Florida trip the Bruins will play other top teams at the Vincennes invite and then make a weekend trip to Ohio to play a series with pre-season No. 25 Cuyahoga. MCCAA Western Conference play begins mid-March and they have their eye on the conference title. In early May, post-season play begins where the Bruins look to three-peat their Region 12 title and make a third consecutive trip to Enid, OK for the NJCAA DII World Series.
Leading the returners are seven Bruins who have already committed to play for four-year schools for the 2026-27 season: outfielder Payton Bookwalter to Gardner Webb University, right handed pitcher Ty Jenkins to Davenport University, left handed pitcher Caleb Kidd to Western Michigan University, outfielder Jake Kucharczyk to Penn State University, catcher/outfielder Zach Kucharczyk to Davenport University, right handed pitcher Gerry Klos to University Northwestern Ohio, and infielder Jake Stickler to Davenport University.
Other returners for the Bruins include infielder Tanner Olepa, outfielder Amare Curran, catcher Carter Gregg, right-handed pitcher Tyler Wolfersberger, infielder/right-handed pitcher Gavin Engelsman, right-handed pitcher Joshua Midbo, right-handed pitcher Isaiah Anderson, infielder Ricky Hamm, right-handed pitched Kai McEachern, right-handed pitcher JT Sawdon, right-handed pitcher Daniel Calhoun, catcher Mason Meads, and left-handed pitcher Fischer Holmes.
Last season, the returning Bruins picked up a bucket full of awards:
- Payton Bookwalter – All-Region 12, Region 12 All-Tournament Team, All-MCCAA, First Team Western Conference, Western Conference Freshman Team, Western Conference Freshman of the Year
- Daniel Calhoun – All-Region 12, First Team Western Conference, Western Conference Freshman Team
- Gavin Engelsman – Second Team Western Conference
- Caleb Kidd – Second Team Western Conference, Western Conference Freshman Team
- Jake Kucharczyk – NJCAA Second Team All-American, All-Region 12, Region 12 Tournament MVP, All-MCCAA, First Team Western Conference, Western Conference Freshman Team
- Zach Kucharczyk – Second Team Western Conference
- Tanner Olepa – Western Confernce Honorable Mention
- JT Sawdon – Western Conference Honorable Mention
- Jake Sticker – Region 12 All-Tournament Team, Western Conference Honorable Mention
The Bruins bring in 11 new faces this year, led by sophomore transfer infielder Tylor Morehouse. Also new to the squad are right-handed pitcher Jaden Oliver, infielder Justin St. Antoine, right-handed pitcher Hunter Bell, outfielder Ryan Yankowich, right-handed pitcher Brayden Simon, left-handed pitcher Luke Soper, infielder Eduardo "Lalo" Aguirre, catcher Cayden Nieto, right-handed pitcher Owen Brunsting, and right-handed pitcher Ethan Trimberger.
Follow along with the team and their season at kelloggbruins.com and @KelloggBruins on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.