WEEKEND INFORMATION
(rv) ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS 0-0 (0-0 GAC)	(rv) ASHLAND EAGLES 0-0 (0-0 GMAC)	(rv) ROLLINS TARS 0-0 (0-0 SSC)	ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE CHARGERS 0-0 (0-0 GSC)
	Friday, January 30 | 10 a.m. Daikin Park | Houston, Texas LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO	Friday, January 30 | 10 a.m. Daikin Park | Houston, Texas LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO	Friday, January 30 | 10 a.m. Daikin Park | Houston, Texas LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

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LEADING OFF
For the eighth-straight year and the 11th time since 2013, the Arkansas Tech baseball team will be among the participating field at the Houston Winter Invitational, which is once more set to be played at the home ballpark of MLB's Houston Astros, Daikin Park.
 
The Wonder Boys will be joined in downtown Houston for the opening weekend of the Division II college baseball season by a highly-competitive group of teams including: Ashland, North Greenville, Rollins, Alabama-Huntsville and of course, the hosts, Central Missouri.
 
Over the course of the weekend, the Wonder Boys will take on (rv) Ashland on Friday, (rv) Rollins on Saturday and Alabama-Huntsville on Sunday. Ashland won 37 games and made the NCAA Midwest Regional. Rollins won 29 games and was 21-5 at home while Alabama-Huntsville finished the year 20-28.
 

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TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
The Wonder Boys enter the 2026 season with several familiar faces from a team that won the Great American Conference regular season championship outright with a 23-9 conference record and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament for the third-straight year.
 
This year, the Wonder Boys return a trio of all-conference players in Cole Dawson, Daniel Hutchison and Tyler Sardelli. Dawson and Sardelli were first team selections at their respective infield positions while Hutchison landed on the second team as a starting pitcher. Additionally, Dawson and Sardelli were tabbed a preseason all-central region players by the NCBWA.
 
In addition to those three, Tech has six position players and eight pitchers returning who saw action last season. Bolstering the corps of returners are 21 newcomers.
 
Leading the Wonder Boys once more is Dave Dawson. The all-time winningest coach in Tech Baseball history, Dawson enters his 17th year in the dugout for the Wonder Boys. In his previous 16 seasons, Dawson has guided amassed a 482-334 record. He has also had nine seasons with 30 or more wins which includes the 2014 season in which he led the team a program-record 44 wins and hosting rights for that year's Central Region Tournament.
 
Overall, Dawson is in his 21st year as a head baseball coach at the collegiate level as he spent four years as head coach at Kansas Wesleyan and totaled 118 wins. His combined win total at Tech and Kansas Wesleyan have him with a career record of 600-425.
 

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SCOUTING ASHLAND
Last season, Ashland went 37-19 overall and were 24-8 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) during the regular season. They would win finish second in the GMAC North in the regular season and fell short in the conference tournament. Despite that, the Eagles received an at-large bid to the Midwest Region Tournament where they went 0-2.
 
Ahead of this season, Ashland is picked to finish second in the GMAC North according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
Returning this spring for the Eagles are the reigning conference Freshman of the Year and first-team selection, Sean Krueckeberg (.348 batting average, 46 runs scored, 14 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 41 RBIs and 11 stolen bases), senior first-team first baseman Sam Witt (.362, 27 runs scored, nine doubles, six home runs, 21 RBIs), graduate second-team right-handed pitcher Chase Carter (3-5 record, six saves, 2.80 earned-run average), and graduate second-team shortstop Collin Overholt (.298, 47 runs scored, 11 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 38 RBIs and seven stolen bases).
 
The Eagles are coached by John Schaly, who is in his 29th season at Ashland and his 39^th overall. At Ashland, Schaly has a 988-522-4 record and a 1,351-740-4 overall record. He has led Ashland to 30 or more wins 22 times and 40 or more wins nine times. His 1,351 career wins are the 20^th-most in NCAA Baseball history regardless of level and the most in DII history.
 

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SCOUTING ROLLINS
Last season, Rollins went 29-19-1 overall and were 18-11-1 in the stout Sunshine State Conference (SSC). The SSC does not hold a conference tournament for their automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Instead, the conference regular season champion earns that berth, and the Tars finished fourth in the SSC and were No. 7 in the final regional rankings prior to selection.
 
Ahead of this season, Rollins is picked to finish third in the SSC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
Looking to reload in 2026, Rollins has 24 new players donning the blue and gold.
 
Senior Jimmy Thies will look to build on his All-Conference season last year that saw him lead the team with a .399 average, score 43 runs and post a 1.042 OPS. Michael Furry (.902 OPS, 10 HR) was one of three Tars to accumulate more than 100 total bases last year, and Joey Rubin (.290 avg, 19 XBH) will look to climb the all-time program hit list. He currently sits 12th all-time with 209 knocks, and is 93 hits away from Jason Cloar's record of 302.
 
AJ Seymour and Tyler Toro are the top returners on the mound. Seymour was the team leader in ERA last season, posting a 2.94 mark in 52 innings across 20 appearances. He also led the team with four saves. Toro started 13 games and tossed 67.2 innings with a 4.26 ERA and a team-high 51 strikeouts.
 
The Tars are coached by Jon Sjogren, who is in his 20th season at Rollins and his 35^th overall. At Rollins, Sjogren has a 529-448-4 record and an 888-753-6 overall record. He has led Rollins to 30 or more wins three times, winning 40 or more each of those seasons as well.
 

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SCOUTING ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE
Last season, Alabama-Huntsville went 20-28 overall and were 9-24 in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) during the regular season.
 
Ahead of this season, Alabama-Huntsville is picked to finish 10th in the GSC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
The Chargers have a trio of players named to the GSC Returning Players to Watch list. Making the list were infielders Caleb Mahan, Hugh Windle and Sean Lapinskes. Additionally, the Chargers had three players listed on the GSC Newcomers to Watch list. On that list were a pair of left-handed transfer pitchers in Brayden Lawrence and Zach Murphy as well as infielder Nathan Mayfield.
 
The Chargers are coached by Hunter Royer, who is in his 17th season at Alabama-Huntsville. At UAH, Royer has a 445-313 record.