JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For the first time in the NCAA Division II era and the first national postseason appearance since 2011, the Edward Waters University baseball team is headed to the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament.
Fresh off capturing the 2026 SIAC Baseball Tournament Championship, the Tigers were officially selected to participate in the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament scheduled for May 14–17 at Jim Spooner Field on the campus of the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.
The 56-team field features 21 automatic qualifiers and 35 at-large bids, with eighth-seeded Edward Waters (33-19) opening regional play against tournament host and top-seeded University of West Florida on Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 p.m. EST.
Sixteen campus sites will host double-elimination regional tournaments before advancing to best-of-three super regionals. The eight super regional winners will move on to the championship finals at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
Edward Waters earned the SIAC automatic bid following its 4-0 run at the 2026 SIAC Baseball Tournament, marking its second title in the last three seasons while continuing a milestone season for head coach Reginald Johnson, who surpassed 400 career wins. Andres Carracciolo, Luis Nunez, Bobby Torres, Jordan Smith and Ty Mitzel all earned SIAC All-Tournament team.
The winner of the Edward Waters-West Florida matchup will advance to meet the winner of No. 5 Lee vs. No. 4 Delta State on Friday, May 15, at 6 p.m. EDT.
The Tigers enter the national tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, riding an 11-game winning streak after a dominant run through the SIAC Tournament. Edward Waters finished the season as one of the conference's top teams and established itself as an offensive powerhouse throughout the year.
EWU led the SIAC in team batting average (.329), total hits (566), and doubles (112), showcasing one of the most explosive lineups in the league.
Leading the charge offensively was SIAC Player of the Year Daniel Donaldson-Fountain, who also earned First-Team All-SIAC honors as an outfielder. Donaldson-Fountain turned in a remarkable season, leading the conference in batting average (.418), slugging percentage (.809), hits (81), and home runs (19).
Sophomore standout Bobby Torres added another major piece to the Tigers' success, earning SIAC Utility Player of the Year honors along with First-Team All-SIAC recognition. Torres finished the year batting .320 with 40 hits, 31 runs scored, 35 RBIs, and five home runs while posting a .520 slugging percentage. He also earned a spot on the SIAC All-Tournament Team following his stellar postseason performance.
On the mound, Tyler Pfirrmann anchored the pitching staff and was named First-Team All-SIAC Starting Pitcher after consistently delivering key performances throughout the season.
The Tigers also received major contributions from Angelo Prieto and Jordan Smith, both of whom garnered Second-Team All-SIAC Outfielder honors. Smith further elevated his postseason résumé with All-Tournament Team recognition during EWU's championship run.
The 2026 season has already been historic for the program in more ways than one. In addition to the Tigers' conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth, Head Coach Reginald Johnson surpassed 400 career victories, adding another milestone to his decorated coaching career and further solidifying his legacy as one of the most successful leaders in program history.
Now, with momentum on their side and history already made, the Tigers will look to continue their magical postseason run on the national stage in Pensacola.
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