Reddie Baseball Selected Fourth in GAC Preseason Poll

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference released its preseason baseball coaches poll on Tuesday. Henderson State was picked to finish fourth in the league.

The Reddies received 87 points in the poll, 28 points behind preseason favorite Arkansas Tech. Defending GAC Champion Harding was selected second (110 points), while Southern Arkansas finished third in the poll with 102 points.

Arkansas-Monticello finished just behind Henderson in fifth place (82 points), while Ouachita Baptist (68), Northwestern Oklahoma State (59), and Oklahoma Baptist (58) were selected to finish in the top eight. Southeastern Oklahoma State (47), Southwestern Oklahoma State (31), East Central (22), and Southern Nazarene (11) rounded out the poll.

Henderson State is coming off of its fourth all-time NCAA regional appearance in 2025, and looks to take advantage of 34 newcomers onto the roster. Coach Cody Hooten's squad returns just one starting position player and one starting pitcher from the 2025 team, while multiple returning arms look to bolster a bullpen that will look to replace graduating All-American reliever Payton Byrd.

The Reddies open 2026 in the fifth annual Mike Dugan Invitational with a matchup against Missouri Southern State at Majestic Park in Hot Springs on Friday, January 30. HSU will match up with Fort Hays State on Saturday, January 31 and with Pittsburg State on Sunday, February 1st. Both weekend games will take place on the Henderson State campus at Clyde Berry Field as part of the Dugan Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Payton Byrd: RHP; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#13 Payton Byrd
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

Players Mentioned

#13 Payton Byrd

Players Mentioned

#13 Payton Byrd

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