Program: Southwestern Illinois College
Head Coach: Dave Garcia, 6th year
NJCAA Region/Division: Division 1, Region 24
Last Year’s Record: 44-14
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @BlueStormBSB
2026 Schedule
Roster: 

After finishing the 2025 season as the Region 24 champions and with a 44-14 record, Southwestern Illinois College enters the 2026 season coming off their best season since Head Coach Dave Garcia joined the SWIC staff. There is plenty of talent to go around on the team, but the Blue Storm still have some shoes to fill if they want to repeat as Region 24 champions. With a deep, experienced pitching staff that retained many arms from 2025, the Blue Storm are already in a good position to continue building off their success from last season. It remains to be seen how the lineup will produce, but if they are able to hit the ground running and fill in the shoes of the departing players, expect another successful season for SWIC.

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PITCHERS

The Blue Storm heads into the season with a good chunk of last year’s pitching staff returning in 2026. SO. Nate Phillips enters 2026 as the likely candidate to lead this staff after a stellar 2025 season, going 7-0 on the year in 15 appearances and posting a 2.91 ERA with 56 strikeouts. Phillips only had one start in his 55.2 innings of work last season but will return as having thrown the most innings of any arm last season.

SO. Max Bryant returns to the staff with the most starts under his belt, starting 8 of his 13 appearances in 2025 and finishing 6-0 on the year. Bryant posted a 3.58 ERA and punched out 42 hitters on the season in 50.1 innings pitched.

A pair of southpaw arms returning to the Blue Storm are Blue Storm are SO. Tyler Weber and SO. Lewis Slade. Weber saw limited action in 2025, only pitching in 13.2 innings but put up a 3.29 ERA during his time on the mound. Slade saw some time in the rotation last season and struck out 36 hitters in 28 innings, which is good for the third-most of any returning arm for the Blue Storm.

Look for sophomores Jackson Reeves and Andrew Swanda to also make an impact for the Blue Storm in 2026. Reeves was tied for the team-lead in appearances last season, appearing in 15 games with 40 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched. Swanda also made an impact for SWIC last season, appearing in 11 games, mostly out of the bullpen. Both arms will likely be looked upon to continue to bolster a strong SWIC pitching staff.

SO. Gage Luttrell saw success with the Blue Storm last year in his 10 appearances out of the ‘pen, and is an arm to keep an eye on this season as well. Michael Barker and David Barker are a pair of redshirt freshmen that also likely have a chance to play a role in this deep SWIC staff.

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HITTERS

The Blue Storm will enter the season with some big shoes to fill. With three of their top contributors at the plate in Brendan Brock (Oklahoma), Korbin Pettigrew (Illinois-Chicago), and Zach Zychowski (Purdue) moving on to the NCAA level, there is plenty of opportunity for players to make their mark in the SWIC lineup.

Of the players returning, sophomores Colin Ryder and Jackson Stanek. Ryder posted a .336 batting average on the season, hitting 5 home runs and driving in 33 on the year. Stanek had the most home runs (8) and RBIs (43) of anyone returning to the lineup this season. WIth plenty of openings in the middle of the order, expect these two to be key contributors for the Blue Storm this year.

SO. Kolton Wright will also likely be looked upon with an increased role after an impressive freshman campaign. In 99 plate appearances last season, Wright had a .347 batting average and only struck out 8 times.

With a deep, experienced pitching staff that retained many arms from 2025, the Blue Storm are already in a good position to continue building off their success from last season. It remains to be seen how the lineup will produce, but if they are able to hit the ground running and fill in the shoes of the departing players, expect another successful season for SWIC.

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4-Year Commitments

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