Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
#17 NC State
Baseball Set To Open Season at NC State
February 19, 2026 | Baseball
PRINCETON, N.J. - The Princeton baseball team is set to open up their season on the road this week, with opening day on Feb. 20 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Tigers kick off their season with a three game series against the NC State Wolfpack.
Tune In To The Tigers
This weekend's games will be aired on ACC Network Extra through ESPN+.
Follow @PUTigerBaseball on X for live game updates.
Friday - 3:00 PM - Watch Live - Live Stats
Saturday - 2:00 PM - Watch Live - Live Stats
Sunday - 1:00 PM - Watch Live - Live Stats
Taking A Look Back
Last season the Tigers went 12-31 overall on the season, finishing 6th in the Ivy League.
Preseason Poll
Princeton was voted No. 5 in the 2026 Ivy League preseason poll with 49 points, with the favorites being Columbia No. 1 and Yale No. 2.
Returning Tigers
Despite graduating nine seniors, the Tigers return a strong core of experience, led by newly named captains Jake Koonin and Justin Kim for the 2026 season.
Koonin set the program record with a 22-game hitting streak, and started all 43 games in 2025, batting .236 while leading the team with 30 runs scored. He added 22 RBIs and finished tied for the team lead in hits.
Kim was a key arm on the mound in 2025, making 19 appearances with five starts and logging 49.2 innings. He led the team with three saves striking out 42 batters.
The Tigers also welcome back another familiar name in Liam Kinneen who made 11 starts in 2025, posting 45 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings.
More notables include Jake Kernodle and Nick Shenefelt who combined for 54 hits and 26 RBI.
Class Of 2029
The Tigers welcome a squad of eight freshmen to the pitch this season: Christian Clarke, Brady Kaufman, Bennett Crerar, Tomas Cernius, Parker Codington, Vince Menard, Joe Montembeau & Ryan Penney. They look to add depth to this season's roster with three pitchers, two utility players, two outfielders and an infielder.
Tigers On The Road
The Tigers have a long season ahead with 42 games, with 27 of them being on the road, traveling to the Carolinas, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and New York, and several matchups against NC State and Duke, both teams that made it to regionals in 2025.
In The Off-Season
It was a busy off-season with four Tigers earning professional contracts: Matt Scannell (Blue Jays), Jake Bold (Padres) and Caden Shapiro (Pirates) along with Sean Episcope's draft selection by the Milwaukee Brewers.
