TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The 2026 season marks the beginning of a new chapter for Northeastern State Baseball, as the RiverHawks prepare to take the field under the direction of first-year head coach Kyle Williams. With fresh leadership and renewed energy, NSU is ready to turn heads in the always-competitive Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

The RiverHawks were picked 11th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, earning 32 points in the voting.  In the broader MIAA landscape, Central Missouri enters the season as the heavy favorite, earning 12 of 13 first-place votes and leading the poll with 144 points. Pittsburg State (125 points) and Central Oklahoma (115 points) follow closely, rounding out the top three.  Missouri Southern, who earned the only other first-place vote, sits at No. 4 with 97 points, while Washburn (93 points) and Fort Hays State (92 points) are neck-and-neck in the middle tier.

NSU will open their 2026 campaign on Saturday, February 3, with a road test at Southeastern Oklahoma, giving fans the first look at the new era of NSU Baseball.

2026 MIAA BASEBALL PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Central Missouri [12] – 144 points
2. Pittsburg State – 125 points
3. Central Oklahoma – 115 points
4. Missouri Southern [1] – 97 points 
5. Washburn – 93 points
6. Fort Hays State – 92 points
7. Rogers State – 82 points
8. Emporia State – 72 points
9. Northwest Missouri – 67 points
10. Missouri Western – 50 points
11. Northeastern State – 32 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 25 points
13. Newman – 20 points 
[#] - First Place Votes