General 7/10/2026 12:22:00 PM Nathan Lozoya

Year in Review: Spring 2026

MONTREAT, N.C. — Below is a look at some of the biggest athletic highlights, noteworthy achievements and awards won from the 2026 spring sports season.

Baseball

Notched a come-from-behind 9-8 victory at No. 3 Southeastern University thanks to a pinch-hit, two-out, two-run, ninth-inning double
Swept a three-game series against Columbia International University for the first time in program history
Received six votes in the March 4, 2026 edition of the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, marking the program's first appearance in the national rankings release in at least 15 seasons
Won 17 straight games from Jan. 31, 2026 through March 3, 2026, which is believed to be the longest winning streak in program history
Started AAC play 9-0, which is believed to be the best start to a conference slate in program history
Finished off a three-game sweep of Union Commonwealth University on senior day
Picked up a 6-2 victory at No. 4 Johnson University on April 18, 2026, marking the squad's second top-five win of the season
Topped Carolina University on April 21, 2026, reaching the 30-wins mark in a single season for the third time under Head Coach Jason Beck
Tied for seventh in the conference's regular season standings and clinched the No. 8 seed entering the AAC Tournament
Upset the fifth-seeded University of Pikeville Bears in run-rule fashion to open the AAC Tournament on April 28, 2026
Upset the second-seeded and No. 6-ranked Johnson University Royals on April 29, 2026 in the AAC Tournament winner's bracket
Upset second-seeded and No. 6-ranked Johnson University again on May 1, 2026 in an AAC Tournament elimination game
Won 34 games during the 2026 campaign, the most in a single season under Head Coach Jason Beck
Won four games against top-10 ranked foes during the 2026 season
The junior varsity squad wrapped up a 26-2 campaign that featured an AAC Developmental League Championship with two walk-off wins on April 20, 2026 (W 4-3 vs. Milligan University in eight innings; W 6-5 vs. Bryan College in title game)
2 AAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week (Ashe Ammerlaan on 2/23/26, Bryton Williams on 3/2/26)
1 AAC Baseball Player of the Week
1 Second Team All-AAC
1 AAC Gold Glove Team
1 AAC All-Tournament Team
3 CSC Academic All-District® Baseball Team
9 NAIA Scholar-Athletes
28 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

Clay Target Shooting

Competitive Cheer

Placed eighth in the Intermediate All Girl NAIA Division at NCA College Nationals

Men's Golf

Women's Golf

Men's Lacrosse

Won at Shorter University on Feb. 4, 2026, marking the program's first win since March 2, 2024
Scored 24 goals in a win at Shorter University, the program's most in a single game since Feb. 27, 2021
Notched the first shutout victory in program history with an 18-0 win over Midland University
Won three straight games from Feb. 14, 2026 through Feb. 21, 2026, marking the longest winning streak in program history
Beat No. 9 Webber International University via a 14-10 scoreline, marking the squad's first top-10 victory in program history
Jay Chance recorded the 500^th save of his Cavalier career, the most in program history, during a 21-5 win at Columbia College
Won six games during the 2026 campaign, matching the program's record for most wins in a single season (2018)
Scored 181 goals during the 2026 campaign, second-most in a single season in program history (187 in 2018)
1 CSC Academic All-District® Men's At-Large Team
2 NAIA Scholar-Athletes
5 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

Women's Lacrosse

Beat North Carolina Wesleyan University on Feb. 4, 2026, marking the program's first win since April 18, 2024
Grace Wiegand broke the NAIA's single-game goals record and the program's single-game points record during a 24-17 win over Warren Wilson College
Grace Wiegand wins the first NAIA Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week award in program history
Defeated Columbia College via a 20-9 final score, marking the program's first regular season AAC triumph since April 13, 2024
Tied for fifth in the conference's regular season standings, clinching the AAC Tournament's No. 5 seed in the process
NAIA Scholar Team
1 NAIA Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
1 AAC Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
2 Second Team All-AAC
2 CSC Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team
3 NAIA Scholar-Athletes
8 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

Men's Outdoor Track & Field

Set three new outdoor track & field records
Rated as high as No. 9 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men's Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index
Finished third at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Black Mountain, N.C.
Tied for 16^th out of 73 scoring teams at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Asheville, N.C.
Concluded eighth overall in the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Jack Hazen NAIA Men's Program of the Year standings
2 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week (Ryan Stade on 3/30/26, Nathan Cremin on 4/20/26)
1 USTFCCCA Men's NAIA Outdoor Athlete of the Week
2 Outdoor NAIA All-Americans (Ryan Stade, Nathan Cremin)
2 Outdoor NAIA All-American Performances (10k, 800m)
4 Outdoor NAIA National Qualifiers (four events)
6 Outdoor AAC Event Titles
8 Outdoor All-Conference Performances
5 Outdoor All-Conference Athletes
1 AAC Outdoor Newcomer of the Year
1 USTFCCCA NAIA South Region Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
4 CSC Academic All-District® Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Team
6 NAIA Scholar-Athletes
8 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

Women's Outdoor Track & Field

Set eight new outdoor track & field school records
Rated as high as No. 14 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index
Finished fourth at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Black Mountain, N.C.
Tied for 14^th out of 75 scoring teams at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Asheville, N.C.
Heather Murphy became the first NAIA women's national champion and the first NAIA two-time national champion in Montreat College history with her 10k and 5000m titles at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Heather Murphy became the first student-athlete in Montreat College history to be named USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year
Concluded ninth overall in the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Fred Beile NAIA Women's Program of the Year standings
NAIA Scholar Team
2 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week (Heather Murphy on 3/30/26, 4/20/26)
2 AAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week (Emma Barnes on 3/23/26, Shelby Brown on 4/6/26)
1 Outdoor NAIA National Champion (Heather Murphy x2 (10k and 5000m))
1 Outdoor NAIA All-American (Heather Murphy x2)
2 Outdoor NAIA All-American Performances (10k, 5000m)
3 Outdoor NAIA National Qualifiers (five events)
5 Outdoor AAC Event Titles
9 Outdoor All-Conference Performances
8 Outdoor All-Conference Athletes
1 AAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year
1 USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year
1 USTFCCCA NAIA South Region Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year
1 NAIA Marathon Runner-Up Finish
1 Cavalier of Excellence Award recipient
6 CSC Academic All-District® Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Team
12 NAIA Scholar-Athletes
16 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

Softball

Men's Tennis

Secured a 6-1 win over NCAA Division III Guilford College on Oct. 4, 2025, marking the program's first victory of the season
Beat NCAA Division II Carson-Newman University on Feb. 13, 2026
Topped Truett McConnell University via a 6-1 scoreline in the squad's AAC opener
Finished the AAC regular season schedule with a 6-1 win over Columbia College, clinching the No. 5 seed in the AAC Tournament
Upset the fourth-seeded University of Pikeville Bears in the quarterfinal round of the AAC Tournament
Made the semifinal round of the AAC Tournament for the first time since 2023
Secured eight team dual match victories during the 2026 season, the program's most in a single season since 2022
3 AAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week (Vitor Monteiro on 3/30/26, Fabrizio Moreno on 4/6/26, Lucas Descalzi on 4/13/26)
2 NAIA Scholar-Athletes
3 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

Women's Tennis

Captured a 4-3 victory over NCAA Division II Mars Hill University on Oct. 16, 2025, marking the team's first win of the campaign
Toppled Trett McConnell University via a 5-2 final for the squad's initial AAC triumph of the season
Handled the University of Pikeville Bears, 5-2, in Montreat, N.C.
Ended the AAC regular season slate with a 4-3 win over Columbia College, clinching the No. 6 seed in the AAC Tournament
Secured five team dual match victories during the 2026 season, the program's most in a single season since 2022
NAIA Scholar Team
1 CSC Academic All-District® Women's Tennis Team
1 NAIA Scholar-Athlete
2 AAC All-Academic Team
1 AAC Champions of Character Team

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Players Mentioned

Lucas Descalzi: 6' 1"; Freshman

Vitor Monteiro: 5' 9"; Freshman

Fabrizio Moreno: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Emma Barnes: 5' 3"; Senior

Shelby Brown: 5' 7"; Junior

Heather Murphy: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Ryan Stade: 6' 2"; Senior

Nathan Cremin: 6' 0"; Junior

#42 Ashe Ammerlaan: LHP; 6' 1"; Senior; L/L

#44 Bryton Williams: RHP; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

Players Mentioned

Lucas Descalzi
: 6' 1"; Freshman

Vitor Monteiro
: 5' 9"; Freshman

Fabrizio Moreno
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Emma Barnes
: 5' 3"; Senior

Shelby Brown
: 5' 7"; Junior

Heather Murphy
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Ryan Stade
: 6' 2"; Senior

Nathan Cremin
: 6' 0"; Junior

#42 Ashe Ammerlaan
: 6' 1"; Senior; L/L
: LHP

#44 Bryton Williams
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: RHP