Southern New Hampshire Fall Report: Infusion of 31 Newcomers Powers SNHU Ahead of Brutal Spring Slate

Winning 41 games in a collegiate baseball campaign is difficult enough, but doing so while asserting near-total dominance over conference peers has become the baseline expectation in Manchester. The 2026 Southern New Hampshire University Penmen authored yet another dominant regular-season chapter, compiling a 41-14 overall record and capturing the Northeast-10 regular-season crown with a blistering 30-6 mark in league play. SNHU systematically dismantled conference opposition throughout the spring, leaning on an explosive, veteran-heavy offense and a battle-tested pitching staff that took three of four from perennial contenders like Pace and swept four-game sets with clinical precision. Yet the postseason served as an agonizing reminder of baseball's razor-thin margins. After dropping an 11-9 slugfest to Bentley in the NE10 Championship game, the Penmen entered the NCAA Division II East Regional, opening with an authoritative 11-5 victory over Felician before running into heartbreak with a 7-5 loss to Molloy and a 12-6 season-ending defeat in an elimination rematch against Felician.

Now entering his fourth season guiding the program, Head Coach Chris Shank finds himself steering Southern New Hampshire through one of the most drastic roster metamorphoses in recent Division II history. The Penmen waved goodbye to nearly every foundational cornerstone that engineered their run, losing nine premier contributors across the diamond and on the mound. Rather than bracing for a prolonged rebuild, Shank and his coaching staff attacked the recruiting trail and the transfer portal with relentless aggression, bringing in 31 total newcomers, highlighted by an astounding haul of 13 Division I transfers. The raw talent arriving on campus is undeniable, but the central question surrounding SNHU this fall centers on alchemy: how quickly can this massive collection of high-major transfers and decorated freshmen mesh into a unified, selfless unit capable of sustaining the Penmen’s championship standard?

The Offense

While the lineup lost several all-region stalwarts, it retains arguably the most feared middle-of-the-order slugger in the region in senior infielder Casey Cumiskey. Stationed at shortstop and projected to hit cleanup, Cumiskey enjoyed a monster 2026 campaign where in 196 ABs hit .362 with 15 doubles/20 HR and 69 RBI. The slugging shortstop paced the entire conference with a 1.190 OPS, while his 20 round-trippers ranked second in the NE10 and 16th nationally in Division II, complementing his conference fourth-best 69 runs driven in. His rare blend of barrel accuracy, plate coverage, and towering pull-side pop gives SNHU an immediate, proven tentpole to structure the batting order around.

Cumiskey will have plenty of experienced protection alongside him on the left side of the dirt. Senior third baseman Joel Valera steps into a prominent run-producing role after demonstrating serious extra-base pop a season ago. Holding down the hot corner and projected to bat sixth, in 171 ABs hit .298 with 13 doubles/10 HR and 45 RBI, finishing eighth in the NE10 in round-trippers while flashing the ability to punish fastballs in dynamic counts. At first base, redshirt freshman Christian Cepin looks primed for a massive breakout following an electric, albeit brief, rookie introduction. In 40 ABs hit .350 with 2 doubles/3 HR and 15 RBI, showing sensational plate discipline and a compact swing that generated a sparkling 1.144 OPS and an 8% strikeout rate; Shank plans to unleash him in the fifth spot in the order. Senior utility man River Hart provides seasoned bench depth and versatile corner coverage after showcasing light-tower power in limited action; in 57 ABs hit .263 with 4 doubles/4 HR and 6 RBI. Rounding out the veteran offensive core is graduate two-way standout Jake Risedorf, whose athletic swing and competitive makeup have earned him the inside track to be a top of the order kind of bat for the program.

Surrounding those returning bats is a flock of newcomer transfers expected to transform the lineup's operational dynamic. At the very top of the card, center field belongs to Josh Lopez, an impact outfield transfer from Division I UMass-Lowell who previously starred at Division II powerhouse Jefferson. Over two seasons at Jefferson, Lopez proved to be an elite offensive engine, batting .380 while driving in 122 runs, and his polished approach from the left side gives SNHU an immediate spark plug on the basepaths. Expected to hit behind Risedorf in the three-hole is second baseman Julius Rosado, a high-pedigree middle infielder arriving from Rutgers where he logged 57 plate appearances against Big Ten pitching. Rosado’s fluid glovework, advanced strike-zone management, and gap-to-gap bat make him an ideal bridge to the power bats behind him.

In left field, NJCAA First-Team All-American David Castillo brings elite footspeed and top-tier contact skills from Northern Essex Community College, where he terrorized opposing defenses by hitting .418 and swiping 27 bases. Castillo is penciled into the seven-spot, while Division I VCU transfer Brendan Horne, who accumulated nearly 40 plate appearances in the Atlantic 10, gives SNHU an athletic, rangy option in right field out of the nine-hole. High school newcomer Mark Garner, an All-State selection from Leominster High in Massachusetts, adds high-ceiling upside to the outfield stable.

The primary positional battle lingering into the spring remains behind the dish. Eckerd College transfer Anthony Lino brings collegiate experience and an accurate arm into the competition, but he will have to fend off returning backstops Lou Spadafora and Ryder Simpson. All have limited experience at the D2 level. Shank noted that the catcher competition remains open and fluid, expecting the trio to share time well into the first third of the spring schedule before a clear everyday backstop emerges.

The Pitching Staff

Rebuilding an entire weekend rotation is never an easy assignment, but the Penmen possess both high-major pedigree and intriguing young arms vying for starting roles. The rotation will be anchored by three Division I transfers who arrived in Manchester seeking the opportunity to headline a championship staff. Righthander Will Perkowski comes over from Dayton with a projectable frame, low-90s velocity, and an aggressive mound presence. Joining him is fellow righty Ethan Hunt, an LSU New Orleans transfer who previously proved his ability to dominate New England competition by going 7-1 on the mound for D3 UMass-Boston in 2024. From the left side, Northeastern transfer Cam Keaveney brings seasoned pitchability, deceptive downhill angle, and a wipeout breaking ball that gives the Penmen a polished southpaw option on the weekend.

Vying for the remaining rotation slots are returning redshirt sophomore Angel Baez and true freshman Liam Monahan. Baez gained brief bullpen experience in 2026, posting a 0-0 record with a 5.40 ERA in 3.1 IP while punching out three batters against two walks for a 20.0% strikeout clip. The coaching staff raved about Baez’s velocity spike and refined command throughout fall practices, positioning him as a strong candidate to make the leap into a starter’s workload. Monahan, a promising right-hander out of Cumberland, Rhode Island, turned heads all fall with his advanced feel for three pitches and unflappable mound demeanor, earning genuine consideration to push for weekend starts from day one.

The bullpen promises to be deep, versatile, and heavily reliant on power stuff to erase opposing threats. Serving as the linchpin at the back of the bullpen is the two-way weapon Risedorf. Serving as a multi-inning fireman a season ago, Risedorf posted a 3-2 record with a 7.14 ERA in 29.0 IP across six outings, including two starts. While his earned run average was inflated by a couple of tough outings, his raw swing-and-miss ability was exceptional; he racked up 38 strikeouts to 15 walks, generating a 2.53 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 27.3% strikeout rate that ranked fourth among all NE10 relievers

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Risedorf will be supported in high-leverage spots by redshirt junior righty Devin Divita, a veteran leader working his way back to full strength after missing last spring. West Texas A&M transfer southpaw Ruben Garcia-Diaz injects valuable postseason experience into the bullpen mix after logging 24.2 innings in the Lone Star Conference, giving SNHU a reliable strike-thrower against left-handed pockets. From the right side, Stonehill transfer Noah Durham and Winthrop transfer Alex Rosario, who sat out the 2026 spring campaign, both feature lively heaters that profile well in late-inning relief. The two-way threat Castillo will also factor into high-leverage relief situations, giving Shank an athletic bullpen option who can transition seamlessly between the outfield grass and the rubber.

A trio of decorated freshmen provide immense upside to the relief corps. Righthander Josh Martino, the 9th-ranked overall prospect in New Hampshire out of Windham High School, displayed late-inning poise and an electric fastball this fall. He is joined by Pinkerton Academy product Hunter Brasier, ranked the 6th-best player in New Hampshire, and Foxcroft Academy right-hander Lucas Sands, who entered college rated the No. 3 overall prospect in the state of Maine. All three possess the arm talent to climb into pivotal setup roles as they gain game experience.

Key Departures

SNHU's ambitious roster overhaul was necessitated by the departure of an iconic core that anchored the program's recent dominance. The heart of the Penmen offense took a monumental hit with the graduation of outfield standout Jake Pisano, who put together a historic senior campaign where in 209 ABs hit .397 with 19 doubles/5 HR and 76 RBI. Pisano ranked second in the NE10 in batting average, third in runs driven in, and fifth in OPS (1.094), while his 76 RBI ranked 19th nationally in Division II. Middle-of-the-order masher Shane McNamara was equally devastating to opposing arms; in 152 ABs hit .349 with 12 doubles/13 HR and 58 RBI, finishing second in the NE10 with a blistering 1.140 OPS and fifth in long balls.

At the top of the lineup, dynamic catalyst Dakota Britt concluded a sensational career where in 210 ABs hit .376 with 14 doubles/5 HR and 52 RBI while leading the entire NE10 with 27 stolen bases. SNHU also must replace everyday fixtures JR Bozek, who in 215 ABs hit .302 with 15 doubles/4 HR and 35 RBI alongside 13 stolen bags, and infield rock Marc Cisco, who in 201 ABs hit .343 with 15 doubles/8 HR and 47 RBI while striking out in just 10% of his plate appearances (seventh in the NE10).

The attrition on the mound is just as stark. The Penmen lost their entire weekend rotation, headlined by workhorse ace Zak Whitney, who transferred to D1 West Virginia. Whitney posted a 7-2 record with a 3.89 ERA in 81.0 IP, racking up 95 strikeouts against only 30 walks. His 26.2% strikeout rate ranked fourth in the NE10 and 31st nationally, while his 3.89 ERA was third-best in the conference. Starting counterpart Jake Lapham compiled a 6-2 record with a 4.78 ERA in 79.0 IP with 66 punchouts, while reliable righty Parker Lendrum produced a 6-1 record with a 5.07 ERA in 65.2 IP across 16 appearances. At the back of the bullpen, lights-out closer Jack Davis departs to D1 UNC-Asheville after an All-American season where he went 9-3 record with a 2.15 ERA in 62.2 IP across 25 relief appearances, leading the NE10 and ranking 21st in the nation in reliever ERA while picking up two saves and 64 strikeouts.

Schedule & Outlook

The Penmen will waste zero time discovering what their overhauled roster is made of, opening the 2027 season with the ultimate test in Division II baseball. SNHU travels south to Tampa, Florida for a three-game Valentine’s Day weekend set (February 11-13) against the University of Tampa. The Spartans represent the pinnacle of the sport, coming off a 51-9 campaign where they went 27-3 in Sunshine State Conference play and secured back-to-back-to-back National Championships. Throwing an unproven pitching rotation against Tampa’s relentless offense will provide Shank with an immediate litmus test of his club's mental fortitude.

From there, Southern New Hampshire heads to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the annual Northeast Challenge (February 18-21), navigating a five-game showcase against regional contenders. The slate begins against Queens College before an emotional rematch against Felician University (35-23), the very club that bounced SNHU from the 2026 East Regional. The weekend also features a grueling February 20 doubleheader against D’Youville and CACC power Wilmington University. Wilmington finished 41-17 a year ago, sweeping both the CACC regular season and tournament crowns en route to an East Regional appearance. The trip concludes on February 21 against East Coast Conference regular St. Thomas Aquinas (26-23).

Non-conference road challenges persist through early March with a three-game series back at Felician (March 6-7), a midweek matchup at Adelphi (March 13), and a road twinbill against Mercy University (28-24) on March 14.

The defense of SNHU’s NE10 crown begins on the road with four-game series at American International (March 20-21) and Adelphi (March 26-27), before the Penmen finally return to Hooksett, New Hampshire for their home opener on April 3-4 against Southern Connecticut State (17-28). Throughout April, the schedule is highlighted by fierce local and regional rivalry matchups. SNHU squares off against crosstown Manchester rival Saint Anselm (23-22, 21-15 NE10) in home-and-home single contests on April 6, 14, 21, and 27.

The marquee weekend on the conference calendar arrives April 10-11, when SNHU welcomes Bentley University to Hooksett for a monumental four-game showdown. Bentley went 44-17 (28-8 NE10) in 2026, capturing the NE10 Tournament title over SNHU and reaching their first College World Series in program history. The Penmen conclude April hosting historical regional power Franklin Pierce (April 24-25), travel to Saint Michael's (May 1-2), and cap off the regular season at home against Pace University (23-27) on May 6-7.

If this newly assembled group can forge collective chemistry early through their daunting non-conference gauntlet, Southern New Hampshire has all the raw tools, dynamic offensive firepower, and arm talent necessary to capture another NE10 regular-season championship and finish the job in the NCAA East Regional.