Some things in GLIAC baseball are expected to remain similar to a year ago. Last year’s top three finishers in the league standings — Wayne State, Grand Valley State, and 2024 regular-season champion Saginaw Valley State — were tabbed No. 1, 2, and 3 in the preseason GLIAC poll. 

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There’s also some certain change coming to the GLIAC in 2025 with the addition of Roosevelt. The Chicago-based university begins its transition from NAIA to NCAA Div. II membership with the coming campaign. And, although the Lakers were picked to finish last in the conference’s preseason poll, don’t be surprised if they turn some heads in their inaugural GLIAC season. 

Davenport Baseball

Head Coach: Kevin Tidey 

2024 Record: 20-34, 13-17 GLIAC 

Davenport was picked fourth in the preseason GLIAC poll, just behind reigning conference champion Saginaw Valley State with 24 points. The Panthers return All-GLIAC outfielder Michael Tchavdarov, a multidimensional offensive threat who hit .312 with six home runs, 34 RBI, and stole 16 bases. 

Coltrane Rubner, who also hit six home runs in 2024, returns to bolster the Panthers lineup in 2025. Right-hander Austin VanderMarkt, who struck out 30 in eight starts a season ago, is back for the Davenport pitching staff. Otherwise, the Panthers will see some new arms play prominent roles, especially in the starting rotation. 

What a catch by @tchavdarov to save the game! @DUAthletics @SportsCenter @SCTopTen pic.twitter.com/qOvMLf3z9W

— Davenport Baseball (@DU_BSBALL) February 14, 2025

Grand Valley State Baseball

Head Coach: Jordan Keur 

2024 Record: 30-25, 18-12

A run through the GLIAC Tournament sent Grand Valley State to the 2024 NCAA Regionals. The Lakers look to enjoy a longer stay in the postseason in 2025, and they have the firepower to do so with a conference championship-quality lineup. 

GVSU welcomes back Jonas Gulbrandsen, a 2024 1st Team All-GLIAC and All-Midwest Region honoree for his .332 batting, team-leading 10 home runs and .547 slugging percentage. The Lakers also feature Ryan Dykstra in the batting order. Dykstra hit .319, homered six times, and drove in a team-high 61 runs a season ago. 

Left-handed starter Mike Morawski posted a 3.31 ERA with 74 strikeouts and an opponent batting average over 73 ⅓ innings of work, while lefty reliever Allan Thorington is back after striking out 32 in 33 innings. 

Parkside Baseball

Head Coach: Zac Charbonneau 

2024 Record: 21-30, 10-20

Looking to break into the top half of the GLIAC in 2025, Parkside builds with the return of one of the conference’s most impressive young talents to emerge in 2024. Jude Allen earned 2nd Team All-GLIAC as a freshman for his .337 batting average and .426 on-base percentage. 

Parkside also returns two-way player Peter Fusek, a .301 hitter in 2024 who parlayed his ability to get aboard into some of the most prolific base-stealing in the country. Fusek successfully swiped 23 bags on 26 attempts to lead the Rangers a season ago. 

Fusek also struck out 14 in 16 ⅓ innings on the mound as a reliever. He joins a Parkside pitching staff featuring right-hander Austin Grube, who worked 41 innings primarily in relief. Two-way contributor Carter Storti hit .265 with three home runs and struck out three in limited work coming out of the bullpen. 

Parkside’s offense picks up where they left off as Peter Fusek bangs one into left bringing home the third run of the inning!

Parkside leads 3-0 headed to the bottom of the second! #RangerIMPACT pic.twitter.com/KVnFP9yfTS

— Parkside Baseball (@uwpbaseball) February 24, 2025

Purdue Northwest Baseball

Head Coach: Dave Griffin 

2024 Record: 19-30, 8-22

Purdue Northwest finished in the cellar of the GLIAC a season ago but closed out with some positive momentum after a lengthy losing skid in April. The Lions scored a win over regular-season champion Saginaw Valley State before also snagging a victory in the GLIAC Tournament against Parkside. 

Building off the optimism of a couple of quality victories, Purdue Northwest heads into 2025 with outfielder Drake Ballard back in the fold after an eight-stolen-base season in 2024. Jayden Smith, who hit three home runs last season, and Dan Puplava, who knocked out two round-trippers, will also man the Lions infield. 

Left-handed starter Blake Newell struck out 31 and maintained a 3.37 ERA over 42 ⅔ innings. Right-hander Conor Pangburn posted a 3.51 ERA across seven starts and struck out 25. If Purdue Northwest is to surprise in this season’s GLIAC race, a solid pitching staff will provide the foundation. 

Roosevelt Baseball

Head Coach: Jason Becker 

2024 Record: 28-22, 19-13 (NAIA) 

GLIAC newcomer Roosevelt makes the move to NCAA Div. II is looking to improve upon the consistent success it enjoyed the last few years in NAIA. The Lakers finished above .500 every season starting with 2021, including last year’s 28-win finish with a lineup that included standout two-way player Kekoa Ogawa. 

Ogawa posted an impressive 1.129 OPS with a .422 batting average, a .686 slugging percentage, and a team-best of nine home runs with 55 RBI. Ogawa was also a threat on the base paths with 21 steals in 23 attempts. On the mound, he posted a 1.29 WHIP with 18 strikeouts over 19 ⅓ innings. 

The Roosevelt pitching staff also returns right-hander Angel Morales, who struck out 28 in 39 ⅔ innings, and Omar Abuelhija, who made 12 starts. 

Saginaw Valley State Baseball

Head Coach: Adam Piotrowicz

2024 Record: 41-18, 23-7

Defending regular-season champion Saginaw Valley State enjoyed one of its best seasons in program history, scoring 41 wins and advancing to the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals’ pursuit of the Div. II College World Series ended in heartbreak, as SVSU took Indianapolis to the wire in a pair of one-run losses at the Super Regionals. 

Fueled by that near-miss, the Cardinals look to take their GLIAC regular-season championship-winning exploits further and add national title contention in 2025. Replacing standout hitter Hayden Jatczak, who bopped 16 home runs, drove in 82, and compiled an eye-popping .468 average with a .561 on-base percentage is a tall order. He headlined an outstanding corps of seniors that powered SVSU’s 2024 success. 

However, Austin Cicerone was impressive in his freshman campaign with a .411 on-base percentage and 37 RBI. Fellow 2024 freshman Chase Raymond was solid on the mound with 52 strikeouts en route to a team-high nine wins. Jackson Decker was dominant operating primarily out of the Cardinals bullpen, posting a 1.19 WHIP with 45 strikeouts in 47 innings of work. 

2024 ring ceremony and honoring your 2024 GLIAC and NCAA Regional Champs @svsubaseball.

Followed up by 2️⃣ victories for @SVSU_MBB and @svsuwbb ! pic.twitter.com/QAOermWKNC

— SVSU Baseball (@svsubaseball) January 25, 2025

Wayne State Baseball

Head Coach: Ryan Kelley 

2024 Record: 29-21, 18-12

Preseason favorite Wayne State has plenty of reason to feel optimistic about its GLIAC championship prospects in 2025. The Warriors return a trio of batters who hit north of .310 in at least 173 at-bats a season ago: Drew Hill (.327, 15 doubles, 33 RBI); Mason McGuire (.317, 17 doubles, three home runs, 37 RBI); and Tony Hatzigeorgiou (.312, 27 RBI). 

Meanwhile, McGuire and Jacoby Dale stole 11 and six bases, tops among Wayne State’s returners. 

Seth Marano leads the Warriors pitching, coming off of a 6-3 season in which he struck out 35 and posted a 1.40 WHIP in 10 starts. Evan Langlois, who worked both out of the bullpen and as a starter last season, struck out 21 in 30 innings and maintained a 4.50 ERA. The Wayne State pitching staff also welcomes Michigan State transfer Robert Klann, who threw out of the Spartans bullpen in 2024.

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