Waxahachie, TX | March 18, 2026 — For the second time in program history (since 2023), the Nelson University baseball team has earned a place among the nation's elite, checking in at No. 25 in the latest NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
A declaration that what's building at the Lions Athletic Complex is real, dangerous, and just getting started. The Lions didn't stumble into the Top 25, for they kicked the door down.
On March 3, under the Texas sun and in front of a buzzing Waxahachie crowd, Nelson delivered a massive win. Facing No. 1 LSU Shreveport, the defending national champions, the Lions exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits, taking down the top-ranked team 12–6 in a performance that sent shockwaves across the NAIA landscape.
Nelson followed that statement victory with another emphatic showing, stacking the statement wins with a doubleheader sweep over No. 16 (at the time) Mid-America Christian on the road in Oklahoma City. One game showcased offensive firepower. The other demanded grit, execution, and late-inning toughness.
That combination of explosive bats and clutch pitching has become the identity of this team.
And the numbers back it up.
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21–8 overall record
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.319 team batting average (Top 30 nationally)
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290 hits and 237 runs scored through 29 games
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71 doubles (Top 3 nationally)
One of the most productive and relentless lineups in the country.
At the heart of the Lions' surge is outfielder Drew Ortiz, one of the most dangerous hitters in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Ortiz has been electric:
His dominance so far earned him one SAC Player of the Week honor, and more importantly, he's delivered in the biggest moments by fueling wins over nationally ranked opponents and setting the tone for a lineup that refuses to let up. This ranking didn't come overnight. It's the product of a team that competes with fearless energy, delivers in high-pressure moment and plays with an edge that shows up inning after inning
Nelson enters the national rankings at No. 25 with a 21–8 record, one of four new teams to break into the poll this week. But inside the dugout, the mindset hasn't changed. This isn't the destination, it's the beginning.
Because if there's one thing clear about the 2026 Lions…
They're not satisfied with being in the Top 25.
They're built to keep climbing.
Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
