BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason Baseball rankings were revealed Monday afternoon, and Alcorn was predicted to finish 11th in the 12-team conference as announced by the league office from its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.
The preseason poll was voted upon by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Under the direction of second-year head coach
Carlton Hardy, Alcorn welcomes 23 newcomers to the 2026 roster. Rookie pitchers
Devin Kriley and
Kayden Sutton were recognized in January as
D1Baseball.com Impact Freshmen for the SWAC in their conference preview.
Last season, the Braves finished the year 6-43 overall, while carrying a 1-29 mark in SWAC play. The Braves (38 points) were picked to finish one spot ahead of Mississippi Valley (37 points), who was tabbed as preseason No. 12 in the SWAC predicted order of finish.
Bethune-Cookman was picked to finish in first place overall as the Wildcats tallied a league leading 12 first place votes and 209 total points. Florida A&M (2nd), Alabama State (3rd), Grambling State (4th), and Jackson State (5th) round out the list of top five SWAC Preseason Poll selections.
The Alcorn season gets underway February 13-15, when the Braves participate in the HBCU Power Series, taking on Grambling State (Feb. 13), Prairie View A&M (Feb. 14) and Jackson State (Feb. 15). The MLB HBCU Power Series will feature three days of games from Friday, February 13, running through Sunday, February 15, with three game time slots per day. All games will be nine innings with a 10-run rule, creating a true collegiate showcase environment that balances competition with fan experience.
The 2026 SWAC Baseball regular season is set to begin this week with league teams returning to action. The SWAC Baseball Tournament will be held May 20-24 at Rickwood Field located in Birmingham, Alabama.
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