Indianapolis, Ind. – After claiming the Great Lakes Valley Conference Regular Season Championship last year, the Lewis University men's baseball team was tabbed fifth in the GLVC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced this morning.
The Flyers collected 139 points and one first-place vote to slot into fifth place. UIndy topped the chart with 181 points and five first-place votes with UIS close behind in second with 17 points and four first-place votes. Maryville tallied 169 points and two first-place votes while Drury snagged 160 points and two first-place votes. Behind Lewis in sixth was in-state rival Quincy with 128 points with Missouri S&T landing in seventh (125 points). UMSL closed out the top eight with 124 points and the final first-place vote. Upper Iowa (81), McKendree (78), Rockhurst (69), William Jewell (66), Southwest Baptist (41), Truman State (30) and Lincoln (14) made up the remainder of the poll.
Jackson Hunley (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) is back for the Flyers after ending last year ranked seventh in both batting average (.286) and total hits (46) on a senior laden squad.
Tyler Phommachanhom (Plainfield, Ill/Parkland CC) also returns for Lewis after a 2025 campaign that saw him bat .267 and tally 43 runs which ranked fifth on the team. Both Phommachanhom and Hunley were regulars in the Flyers lineup with both starting in at least 45 games.
John Henry Russell (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) is also back for Lewis after ending the campaign with the seventh most doubles on the team. On the mound, closer
Jackson Bruno (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame Prep) is back in the fold after compiling a team-best seven saves in the 2025 campaign. His seven saves ranked second in the GLVC last season as well. This year, the Flyers will feature 27 new faces, 14 of which are transfers from various Division I through NJCAA programs.
Back for the Flyers as head coach for the fifth season is
Mike Vucsko. Under Vucsko in 2025, the Flyers won their first GLVC regular season championship since 2013 and they also qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional as the overall No. 3 seed. It also was the first time the program had qualified for the NCAA tournament since 2013. The 37 wins was the most wins this century. The Flyers recorded two separate 10 game win streaks and went 20-2 at Brennan Field. Vucsko collected his 100th career win in a 12-11 win vs UMSL to complete a four-game sweep.
George Bilecki (Chicago, Ill./Marist),
Jackson Bruno (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame Prep),
Cain Headrick (Custer Park, Ill./Providence Catholic),
Mikey Kocen,
Jason Krol,
Brendan Lawry (Bolingbrook, Ill./Eckerd College),
Chris McDevitt (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita), and
Cole Nelson (St. Charles, Ill/Lenoir Rhyne) all won GLVC honors to make it a program-record eight who received All-GLVC honors. Kocen won GLVC Player of the Year, along with Midwest Region Player of the Year, and won NCBWA, ABCA, D2 Baseball All-American honors.
Brendan Lawry (Bolingbrook, Ill./Eckerd College) won GLVC Pitcher of the Year, along with First Team All-Region, and Hnorable Mention All American status. Nelson was Second Team NCBWA All Region for third base. Bilecki won First Team All-Region Honors, and won NCBWA, ABCA, D2 Baseball Second Team All-American honors.
The Flyers will begin their 2026 season on Feb. 14 at 12 p.m. against Cedarville in the first game of a doubleheader.
For the latest news, scores, and updates on Lewis baseball, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @Lewisbaseball on Instagram and @LewisBaseball on X.
