Although cold weather is still prevalent in Wisconsin, the baseball season is fast approaching for the V-Hawks. The 2025 season will mark the first time the team will play in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), after the university made the switch this school year. This season will also be head coach Jon Grana’s second year at the helm. Last season, Grana led the V-Hawks to an overall record of 12-38, with a 10-13 record in conference.
Unfortunately for the V-Hawks, the first games of the season were cancelled due to the cold front that has swept the Midwest. However, the season will begin in a hopefully warmer climate when the team travels to Atchison, Kansas, to face Benedictine College in a four-game series.
The cold has not stopped the V-Hawks from preparing for these upcoming games. Returning senior catcher Kyle Sontag is eager to get on the field and show the work the team has done. When asked about preparations for the season, Sontag said, “We are excited to see the work we have done pay off. We’ve been putting in a lot of work in the offseason from the weight room to the batting cages to make sure we are ready for the season.” In addition to the work the team has been putting in, Sontag believes they are poised to make a run for the conference championship. Sontag stated, “We have a lot of experience with the amount of returning upperclassmen, but the talent with the incoming recruiting class is just as great.”
The combination of experience, talent, and a hard work ethic creates a recipe for success, and this is what the V-Hawks expect for the upcoming season. When interviewed, Sontag touched on the team’s goals, stating, “Our main goal this season is to compete at the highest level possible and put ourselves in a position to win every game. Winning conference and making the playoffs would be a great accomplishment for us.”
Although winning is the ultimate goal in sports, the V-Hawks want to see improvements amongst the entire team. Sontag reports, “We also want to build off last season and learn from our mistakes to keep improving as a team. We are focused on growth and pushing each other to become better and better every day.”
With these thoughts, the V-Hawks are bound to find success on and off the field. You can catch them at their home opener Friday, March 14 against conference foe Indiana South Bend.
