\

Spartans Shine: Seven Earn ECC Baseball All-Conference Honors

Spartans Shine: Seven Earn ECC Baseball All-Conference Honors

Sparkill, N.Y. - Seven St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball players earned All-Conference honors from the East Coast Conference, as announded on Wednesday and voted on by the league's coaches.

The Spartans, who finished third in the ECC standings (26-21 overall, 15-15 ECC), were well represented on both the first and second teams, as Anthony Dimarco (Designated Hitter) was named a first team honoree, while teammates Michael Zeis (Catcher), Ryan Hillery (Second Base), Nick Oelcher (Shortstop), C.J. Cumbo (Outfield), Andrew Schoelles (Starting Pitcher) and James Garcia (Relief Pitcher) all took home second team accolades.

Dimarco (New Patz, N.Y.) posted a .297 batting average (51-for-172) in 43 games during the regular season, with 11 doubles, seven home runs, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored, splitting time as the designated hitter and catcher. The junior also stole 11 bases and provided solid defense behind the plate with his .972 fielding percentage.

Zeis (Greenlawn, N.Y.) also saw time as both a catcher and designated hitter in 2026, recording 35 hits in 122 at-bats for a .287 batting average, while racking up four doubles,six homers. He also drove in 30 runs and scored 33 times, while drawing 22 walks and being hit by pitches on 14 separate occasions over 42 games. The senior also provided solid defense behind the plate with his .987 fielding percentage.

Hillery (West Sayville, N.Y.) provided steady play at second base during the season, with solid defense (.965 fielding percentage), and a strong offensive presence in the batter's box. He put up a .312 average, with 13 doubles, 21 RBI and 50 runs scored in 43 games. The redshirt sophomore also swiped 14 of 15 bases for the Spartans.

Oelcher (Holbrook, N.Y.) finished the 2026 regular season with a team-leading .358 batting average (53-for-148), while playing shortstop. He also recorded 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 34 RBI and 35 runs scored, while swiping 11 bases in 43 games played.

Cumbo (East Meadow, N.Y.), a hard out at the plate, hit .343 (48-for-140) with nine doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 41 RBI and 42 runs scored. The graduate student was also the team leader in walks (30) and hit by pitches (19), while also stealing nine bases and posting a .964 fielding percentage in the outfield.

Schoelles (Bayside, N.Y.) posted a 3-4 mark in 11 starts for the maroon and gold. The junior righthander recorded a 5.88 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only 14 walks.

Garcia (Harlem, N.Y.) rounds out the all-conference parade, posting an 0-2 record with 10 saves and a 1.50 ERA in 14 appearances for the Spartans. The redshirt freshman righty also walked nine and struckout 12 in that span.

The third-seeded Spartans will be on the road for the ECC playoffs and will meet Mercy University on Thursday at 3 p.m. in the first-round of the double-elimination tourney at Mitchel Field on Long Island. Molloy and D’Youville University will face off in the other first-round game at noon.

2026 ECC Baseball All-Conference Team
 
First Team All-Conference
C - Jeremy Taggart, Molloy
1B - Sean Welsh, Molloy
2B - Michael Flashner, Staten Island
3B - Brian Sanchez, Molloy
SS - Dylan Koch, Mercy
OF - Vincent Mallon, Queens
OF - Steve Mulqueen, Molloy                                                                                                          
OF - John Nisco, Mercy                                                                                                       
DH - Anthony Dimarco, St. Thomas Aquinas                                                                   
UT - Billy Morris, D'Youville                                                                                             
SP - JC Kiss, Molloy                                                                                                                
SP - Mike Knapp, Molloy                                                                                                    
SP - James Sill, Molloy                                                                                                        
SP - Nevin Scaperotti, Mercy                                                                                                          
RP - Jayden Patel, Molloy
 
Second Team All-Conference
C - Michael Zeis, St. Thomas Aquinas                                                
1B - Colby Wilson, D'Youville                                                                                        
2B - Ryan Hillery, St. Thomas Aquinas                                                                                                     
2B - Blaise Kolbert, D'Youville                                                                                                                          
3B - Vincent Weigele, Staten Island                                                                                                            
SS - Nick Oelcher, St. Thomas Aquinas                                            
OF - CJ Cumbo, St. Thomas Aquinas                                                                                                        
OF - Charlie Imhof, Molloy                                                                                                                
OF - Jack Kehoe, Staten Island                                                                                                                        
DH - Garett Wilson, D'Youville                                                                   
UT - Michael Vilardi, Queens                                                                                                          
SP - Jakob Denall, D'Youville                                                                                                                             
SP - Ty Graczyk, D'Youville  
SP - Andre Jenkins, Mercy                                                                                                                  
SP - Ryan Palm, Staten Island                                                                                                                          
SP - Andrew Schoelles, St. Thomas Aquinas                                                                                     
RP - James Garcia, St. Thomas Aquinas   
 
Player of the Year: Sean Welsh, Molloy
Pitcher of the Year: James Sill, Molloy
Co-Rookie of the Year: John Harkins, Queens
Co-Rookie of the Year: Jason Romance, Staten Island
Coach of the Year: Joe Fucarino, Molloy