If The Citadel’s bullpen can make strides during the season, a SoCon title shouldn’t be out of the question.
“Our expectations within the program have not changed,” Triplett said. “We want to compete for a conference championship and make it to an NCAA regional. We came a long way last year, so the expectations from outside the program are higher, but we’re just trying to be the best version of ourselves every single day.”
The Citadel
2025 record: 31-26 (12-9 Southern Conference)
Postseason: 2025 Southern Conference Tournament (1-2)
Coach: Russell Triplett (449-304-1, 16th season), is 31-26 at The Citadel, entering his second season as the head coach.
Top returners: OF Matthew Lively OF (.252 avg., 2 HR, 19 RBIs); C Phillips Daniels (.297, 2 HR 25 RBIs); INF Aryan Patel (.277, 0 HR, 11 RBIs, 22-22 SB); OF TJ Anderson (.281, 2 HR, 25 RBIs); LHP Will Holmes (3-0, 0.72 ERA); RHP Andrew Stanley (5-3, 5.07 ERA).
Top newcomers: Jayden Williams, OF, (Spring Valley High School); Michael Gibson, RHP/UTIL (Liberty); Zach Hunt, 1B, (Florence-Darlington Tech); Sam Dansky, INF, (Gaston College).
Key losses: OF Thomas Rollauer; INF Travis Elliott, INF Garrett Dill, LHP George Derrick Floyd and RHP Maddox Webb.
2026 The Citadel Schedule
February
13 – Liberty, 4 p.m.; 14 – Liberty, 5 p.m.; 15 – Liberty, 1 p.m.; 20 – Marshall, 4 p.m.; 21 – Marshall, 5 p.m.; 22 – Army, 1 p.m. 27 – at Florida State, noon; 28 – at Florida State, 1 p.m.
March
1 – at Florida State, 1 p.m.; 4 – Georgia Southern, 6 p.m.; 6 – at Kentucky, 4 p.m.; 7 – at Kentucky, 2 p.m.; 8 – at Kentucky, 1 p.m.; 10 – South Carolina, 7 p.m.; 13 – at UT Martin, TBD; 14 – at UT Martin, TBD; 15 – at UT Martin, TBD; 17 – at Georgia, 3 p.m.; 18 – Clemson, 7 p.m.; 20 – at Mercer, 6 p.m.; 21 – at Mercer, 2 p.m.; 22 – at Mercer, 1 p.m.; 25 – Presbyterian, 6 p.m.; 27 – Western Carolina, 6 p.m.; 28 – Western Carolina, 2 p.m.; 29 – Western Carolina, 1 p.m.; 31 – Coastal Carolina, 7 p.m.