2026 Nebraska High School Team Preview: Kearney
February 16, 2026
The 2026 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement is present throughout Nebraska. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across the Cornhusker State.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons at Werner Park at the NSAA championship games, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to shine a spotlight on all teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Nebraska.
Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state.
Each week we will be releasing our Diamond Notes and Player of The Week, covering all the bases across the state of Nebraska.
Kearney Bearcats
High School: Kearney
Head Coach: Matt Connot
Class: Class A
2025 Record (Finish): 22-11 (District Champions - 0-2 at State)
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
+ Gunner Demilt - Wayne State commit
ALUMNI IN COLLEGE
+ Griffin Novacek - Iowa Western CC
+ Bryce Andersen - Iowa Western CC
+ Derrick Nonhof - Dordt University
+ Kole Throckmorton - Iowa Central CC
+ Garrison Burns - Western Nebraska CC
+ Kaleb Larson - Concordia
TEAM OUTLOOK
“We will look to continue to build on the success of last year winning a district tournament and a state birth. We will look for new players to take key roles lost in the class of 2025 and look forward to a competitive spring.” – Matt Connot, head coach
Find more information on the 2026 Kearney program below:
+ Follow them on X: @BaseballKearney
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Nebraska, 2026 HS Team Previews
FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL NEBRASKA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING
+ Prep Baseball Nebraska on X
+ Prep Baseball Nebraska on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Nebraska on Facebook
