PORTLAND, Ore. - The GNAC released the results of the 2026 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday, with Northwest Nazarene picked to finish atop the conference for the third-straight year and fifth time in the last six seasons.

The Nighthawks received three of the five first-place votes and 23 points, followed by Montana State Billings with one first-place vote and 18 points and Central Washington with the other first-place vote and 14 points. Western Oregon and Saint Martin's rounded out the rankings. 

NNU won the GNAC regular season in 2025 with a 27-5 conference record and 46-16 overall mark. The Nighthawks finished their season at the World Series going 2-2. 

NNU opens the 2026 season in California with trips to Concordia University Irvine, Azusa Pacific, Cal State Los Angeles, and Cal State Monterey Bay between January 30 and February 14. The Nighthawks' first home games are a four-game set with Western Oregon to kick of GNAC play from Feb. 27-28. The 2026 GNAC Championships are set to be held in Nampa, ID. from May 7-9.