Top 15 Georgia baseball kicks off Feb. 13 vs. Wright State
KATIE FRYBURGER, ATHENS, GA. — Georgia baseball enters the 2026 season ranked inside the national top 15 in preseason polls, a sign the Bulldogs’ rise has carried into another year.
With opening day approaching, UGA begins the season positioned among college baseball’s top contenders. Georgia finished 43-17 in the 2025 season, climbing as high as No. 1 in the country while also hosting an NCAA Regional as a top-eight seed.
The Bulldogs are set to open the season Feb. 13 at Foley Field against Wright State, returning to the field with expectations shaped by last season’s success and its sudden postseason end.
“We’ve got to do some things better, and we will,” said Georgia head coach Wes Johnson after the season-ending loss to Oklahoma State in 2025.
Georgia’s identity was built on power a year ago. The Bulldogs led the nation in home runs and possessed a dangerous lineup. That offensive foundation remains, but preseason rankings suggest confidence in a roster that is not limited to one dimension.
“I like where our roster is and what we have coming in and coming back,” said Johnson.
The current roster blends experienced returners with a wave of new contributors, particularly on the pitching side, where UGA enters the season with more variation and depth. The team provides flexibility over the course of an SEC schedule, mixing power arms and situational options.
Preseason rankings offer an early measuring stick but carry no guarantees. Georgia’s first road test is on March 1 at Kennesaw State, followed by an early Southeastern Conference matchup at Texas A&M later in March.
Georgia’s opportunity to shape its own narrative begins Feb. 13 when the Bulldogs step back onto Foley Field with a ranking to defend and a season still undefined.
Wright State comes calling for a three game series to kick off the 2026 campaign, as the Bulldogs look to win their second ever national championship and first since 1990.
The Raiders travel south from Dayton, Ohio to ignite Georgia’s 2026 campaign.
It’s year three for head coach Wes Johnson in Athens. Year one brought a regional hosting spot and a super regional series to the Classic City. Year two featured another regional hosting spot, although Oklahoma State advanced out of the bracket.
Third time’s the charm, as the saying goes. Could 2026 be the year Georgia breaks through and returns to Omaha for the College World Series?
Johnson enters his third season as the Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach at UGA with a familiar staff. Will Coggin returns as assistant head coach, while Nick Amiratti leads hitting and Brock Bennett handles recruiting.
Zach Adams will command training for the Bulldogs once again, while Drew Finley shores up player development and scouting in replace of Derek Groomer. On the business side, Sam Naeher takes over as director of baseball operations for Kevin Knight.
The Bulldogs will lean on continuity in the dugout this season, with hopes of making a deep postseason run to the College World Series.
It would mark Georgia’s first appearance in the College World Series’ eight-team field since 2008. The Bulldogs have reached Omaha six times in program history, winning the national championship in 1990 and finishing as the runner-up to Fresno State in their most recent appearance.
The 2026 season would also mark Georgia’s first appearance in the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field Omaha since the event moved from Rosenblatt Stadium in 2011.
For these Dawgs, lofty preseason goals and expectations are in the hands of veterans Tre Phelps, Kolby Branch, Daniel Jackson.
If Georgia contends for the SEC regular season crown and a postseason run, it will rely on veteran leadership to get there.
Early season practices are in full swing, prepping the Dawgs for Opening Day on February 13.
A new journey awaits, as the Bulldog faithful get their first look at the Dawgs in just under a month.
