WORCESTER, Mass. – Seniors CJ Egrie and Jaden Wywoda earned Patriot League Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year honors, respectively, while the Crusaders were selected to finish first in the 2026 Patriot League preseason poll of head coaches, as announced Wednesday afternoon by the league offices.

Egrie and Wywoda earned spots on the Preseason All-League Team as outfield and pitcher selections. They were joined on the preseason all-league team by junior outfielder Gianni Royer.
 
Egrie, the 2025 Patriot League Player of the Year and All-League first team selection, started and played in 55 games for the Crusaders. He finished as the Patriot League leader in stolen bases (35), which ranked 22nd in the nation, and runs scored (67), while ranking tied for second in walks (41), tied for fourth in triples (3), fifth in hits (61), tied for fifth in doubles (13), sixth in on-base percentage (.459), seventh in OPS (.944), tied for eighth in home runs (5), and eighth in slugging percentage (.485).
 
In conference games, the team captain paced the league in runs scored (37), OPS (1.236) and slugging percentage (.705), while ranking tied for first in home runs (5), also ranking second in stolen bases (16), on-base percentage (.531), and hits (35), tied for third in doubles (8), tied for fourth in triples (2) and tied for sixth in walks (18). The everyday right fielder posted a 1.000 fielding percentage and had five outfield assists.
 
Egrie established the new program single-season stolen base and run scored record last season. He ranks third all-time in career stolen bases (52) and just outside the top 10 in runs scored (89) and needs 12 more steals and 47 more runs to become the program's all-time leader in each category.

Wywoda, the 2025 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, was also an All-League first team choice. The right hander, started 16 games for Holy Cross, and tied for first in the league in wins (9), ranked second in innings pitched (84.1), tied for second in strikeouts (79), third in ERA (3.63) and fourth in batting average against (.239). He posted a 1.23 WHIP.
 
In Patriot League games, the team captain finished the year ranking first in wins (7), third in batting average against (.207), fourth in ERA (3.10), tied for fourth in strikeouts (40) and seventh in innings pitched (40.2). His WHIP was 1.12 in league contests.

He earned victories in seven straight starts from March 23 to May 4. His 16 starts tied the single-season program record with Owen Carroll (1925) and Danny Macchiarola (2025), while his 79 strikeouts were the ninth-most during a single season in program history. Wywoda needs 59 more strikeouts to become only the third Crusader in program history to reach 200 career punchouts (Owen Carroll, 387 – Nate Koneski, 229).
 
Royer, a 2025 All-League second team and Academic All-Patriot League honoree, started and played in 53 games for the Crusaders in 2025 tallying a .307/.387/.485 line for a .871 OPS. He ranked second on the team in doubles (18), second in stolen bases, third in hits (63), fourth in runs scored (43) and fourth in RBI.
 
During conference contests, the Crusaders' center fielder ranked second in doubles (10), second in sacrifice flies (3), third in stolen bases (11), 10th in batting average (.325), and 10th in slugging percentage (.488). A member of the 2025 Patriot League All-Tournament Team, Royer delivered a walk-off RBI double in an 8-7, 10-inning victory on May 19, 2025, to clinch the Patriot League title for the Crusaders.
 
He currently has 41 stolen bases and needs 23 more to become the program's all-time leader in thefts. His 24 steals in 2025 tied for second place on the all-time single-season list (24, Evan Ocello – 2014).
 
The defending tournament champion Crusaders earned 24 points and four of a possible five first-place votes. Army West Point was picked for a second-place finish with 22 points and a pair of first place votes, while Navy (16) was slotted third. Lehigh (14), Bucknell (7) and Lafayette (7) rounded out the poll.

The Crusaders begin the 2026 season on the road at VCU for a three-game set beginning on Friday, Feb. 13, with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. in Richmond, Va.

2026 Patriot League Baseball Major Awards
Preseason Player of the Year – CJ Egrie, Holy Cross, Sr., OF
Preseason Pitcher of the Year – Jaden Wywoda, Holy Cross, Sr., RHP
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Thomas Schreck, Army West Point, Sr., IF
 
2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Starting Pitcher: Andrew Berg, Army West Point, Sr.
Starting Pitcher: Jaden Wywoda, Holy Cross, Sr.
Starting Pitcher: Brady Bendik, Navy, Jr.
Relief Pitcher: Cole Kochanowicz, Lehigh, So.
Catcher: Jack Quinlan, Army West Point, Sr.
Catcher: Ty DePerno, Navy, So.
Infielder: Chris Barr, Army West Point, Sr.
Infielder: Thomas Schreck, Army West Point, Sr.
Infielder: Aidan Quinn, Lehigh, Sr.
Infielder: Evan Brown, Navy, Jr.
Outfielder: Billy Parker, Army West Point, Sr.
Outfielder: CJ Egrie, Holy Cross, Sr.
Outfielder: Gianni Royer, Holy Cross, Jr.
At-Large: Ryan Facinelli, Bucknell, Sr.
 
2026 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Holy Cross, 24 points (4 first-place votes)
2. Army West Point, 22 (2)
3. Navy, 16
4. Lehigh, 14
T5. Bucknell, 7
T5. Lafayette, 7

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