PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Florida baseball team has been selected as the No. 1 team in the Gulf South Conference preseason rankings for the 2026 season, the league announced Wednesday. Alex Urias, Zack Stokes, and Colton Dorsey earned spots as 2026 top returners, while William Lybrook, Greg Pettay, and Christian Pencek were named GSC newcomers to watch.

The Argonauts are coming off a 36–21 campaign in 2025, highlighted by a 22–11 mark in conference play, an appearance in the GSC Championship, an NCAA Division II South Regional title, and a trip to the NCAA Division II Super Regional.

Urias returns after one of the most productive offensive seasons in the conference, earning GSC Freshman of the Year and All-GSC Second Team honors in 2025. Appearing in 49 games with 46 starts, Urias led the Argos with a .390 batting average while recording 64 hits, 35 runs scored, 26 RBIs, and a .442 on-base percentage. A consistent presence at the top of the lineup, he added 13 stolen bases and eight sacrifice hits while striking out just 13 times in 164 at-bats. Defensively, Urias posted a .960 fielding percentage, reinforcing his status as a complete, high- impact returner entering the 2026 season.

Stokes has provided UWF with dependable production and defensive consistency throughout his career. In 2024, the redshirt sophomore appeared in 22 games with 11 starts, batting .225 with nine hits, eight runs, two doubles, and four RBIs, while delivering key performances during a series sweep of USC Aiken, a win over Lee, and NCAA Regional play against Embry-Riddle. During the 2023 season, Stokes appeared in 21 games with 16 starts and hit .268 with 11 hits, two doubles, and a .500 on-base percentage. Defensively, he has been flawless, posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in both 2023 and 2024.

Dorsey emerged as one of UWF's most reliable arms during the 2025 season. The right-hander appeared in 11 games with three starts, posting a 2.02 ERA across 26.2 innings while allowing just six earned runs and holding opponents to a .191 batting average. Dorsey recorded 22 strikeouts, did not allow a home run, and demonstrated versatility by contributing in both starting and relief roles. He also posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, returning as a key piece of the Argonauts' pitching staff in 2026.

Lybrook, a redshirt senior transfer from Harvard, was named a GSC Newcomer to Watch after bringing a proven Ivy League résumé to Pensacola. Lybrook earned Second Team All-Ivy honors in both 2024 and 2025 while showcasing versatility at catcher, designated hitter, and first base. During the 2025 season, he appeared in 36 games and hit .245 overall, while excelling in Ivy League play with a .305 batting average, .419 on-base percentage, and 12 RBIs. His breakout 2024 campaign included a .340 average, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .617 slugging percentage, highlighted by a stretch of five consecutive Ivy League games with a home run. Lybrook adds experience, power, and positional flexibility to the Argonauts' lineup entering the 2026 season.

Pettay, a senior transfer from South Alabama, also earned GSC Newcomer to Watch honors after compiling experience across multiple collegiate levels. In 2025, Pettay made 20 starts at second base for the Jaguars,
appearing in 27 games while posting a .373 on-base percentage, scoring 15 runs, stealing four bases, and fielding at a .976 clip with five double plays turned. His season was highlighted by a 3-for-5, three-run performance at No. 13 Ole Miss. Prior to South Alabama, Pettay was a key contributor at Polk State College in 2024, appearing in 57 games and recording 37 runs, 21 stolen bases, and a walk-off hit against Daytona State. He began his collegiate career at UCF and was a standout prep player at The First Academy, batting .473 as a senior and helping lead his
team to a 2021 state championship.

Pencek, a right-handed pitcher transferring to UWF from Lincoln Memorial University, adds experienced depth to the Argonauts' pitching staff as a senior newcomer. Over two seasons with the Railsplitters, Pencek appeared in 19 games with nine starts, totaling 45.2 innings pitched and 51 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .257 batting average. During the 2025 season, he made 11 appearances, including one start, striking out 16 batters in 15.1 innings and limiting hitters to a .220 average. Pencek brings Division II experience, swing-and-miss potential, and roster flexibility to the mound for the 2026 campaign.

The Argos will open the 2026 season on January 30, hosting Florida Southern College. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Live stats available on GoArgos.com.


For more information on the UWF baseball program, visit GoArgos.com and follow the team on social media at
@uwf_baseball (Instagram) and @UWF_Baseball (X).