DALLAS – DBU has been voted by the league’s 12 head coaches as the preseason favorite to win the 2026 regular season baseball championship, the league announced Thursday, along with the preseason all-conference team. The Patriots received nine first place votes.
DBU infielder
Chayton Krauss and Liberty right-hander
Ben Blair highlighted the 2026 CUSA Preseason Baseball Awards. Krauss was named Preseason Player of the Year, while Blair was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Krauss is a two-time All-CUSA First Team and two-time ABCA Second Team Central All-Region honoree who finished 2025 ranked in the top 10 in CUSA in six offensive categories. The senior from Coppell, Texas, recorded a league-leading 71 RBI and finished fifth in doubles (19), sixth in home runs (15) and total bases (139) and eighth in slugging percentage (.615). Krauss ranks eighth all-time in career slugging percentage (.621) and 10
th in batting average (.345). On top of his success at the plate, he committed just one error in 419 chances at first base last season.
Blair earned All-CUSA First Team recognition a year ago after posting a 3.67 ERA in 83.1 innings for the Flames. The junior flamethrower finished the season ranked second in innings pitched and strikeouts (94). The Gretna, Va., native also ranked fourth in CUSA in opponent batting average (.235). The right-hander enters his third year and will lead the Flames rotation that was second in team ERA in 2025 (4.64).
Louisiana Tech was voted the runner-up with 111 points and one first-place vote after winning the regular season title two years ago, followed by Kennesaw State in third with 108 points. Jax State (102) claimed the fourth slot with WKU (97) and Missouri State (90) right behind them in fifth and sixth place. Liberty (85), FIU (56), NM State (45), MTSU (38), Delaware (37) and Sam Houston (26) round out the 2026 Preseason Poll.
The Conference USA season gets underway Friday, February 13, and the CUSA Baseball Championship heads to Kennesaw, Ga., on May 20-24, hosted by Kennesaw State at the brand-new Mickey Dunn Stadium.
CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll
- DBU (9) 144 points
- LA Tech (1) 111 points
- Kennesaw State 108 points
- Jax State (1) 102 points
- WKU 97 points
- Missouri State 90 points
- Liberty 85 points
- FIU 56 points
- NM State (1) 45 points
- MTSU 38 points
- Delaware 37 points
- Sam Houston 26 points
CUSA Baseball Preseason Player of the Year
Chayton Krauss, DBU – Sr. – INF
CUSA Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ben Blair, Liberty – Jr. – RHP
CUSA Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team
C: Grayson Ashe, Jax State*
INF: Keaton Grady, DBU*
INF: Chayton Krauss, DBU*
INF: Tanner Marsh, Liberty
INF: Kyle Hayes, WKU*
OF: Cole Cleveland, FIU*
OF: Andrew Ildefonso, FIU*
OF: Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State
DH: Jake Bennett, DBU
DH: Steve Solorzano, NM State*
UTL: Max Knight, Missouri State
SP: Ryan Borberg, DBU*
SP: Steven Cash, Jax State
SP: Ben Blair, Liberty*
SP: Drew Horn, MTSU*
RP: Jackson Sleeper, Jax State
RP: Blake Hooks, LA Tech
*2025 All-Conference Honoree