NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Adriel Espada (Bridgeport, Conn.) of the Albertus Magnus College baseball team was selected to the All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) First Team, while teammates Eric Galarza (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Joey O'Hara (Bethel, Conn.) were named to the second team as the conference released its major award winners and all-conference teams. Jack Angelo (East Haven, Conn.) was named to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Espada, a senior shortstop, makes his first appearance on the All-GNAC team this season after a stellar season from the leadoff spot in the lineup. He led the GNAC with a .396 batting average and .541 on-base percentage. He was also the conference's top run scorer on the season with 50. His 23 stolen bases ranked him third and his 27 walks, fifth, while also hitting three home runs on the season. 

Espada notched 13 multi-hit games on the season, including two four-hit performances. In the team's season-opening game against Juniata on March 7th, he went 4-for-5 - including a double - with three runs and an RBI. Against Emerson on March 12th, he belted two home runs, scored four runs and drove in four in a 17-14 win. In a GNAC win over Norwich on March 22nd, Espada homered and drove in three runs while scoring three in a 14-4 win. He also scored four runs and had three stolen bases in a 15-0 win over Keuka on March 13th. 

Two career milestones were reached on the season for Espada, as he broke the program's all-time stolen base record in a game against Rivier on April 6th and notched his 100th career hit against Lasell on March 28th. He finished his career with 62 stolen bases and 124 hits. His 116 career runs places him fifth all-time in program history.

Galarza, who made the All-GNAC Second Team as a first baseman, set career-highs across the board in his final season at Albertus with a .389 average, .611 slugging percentage and a .484 on base percentage. He also had 49 hits, including 10 doubles, three triples and four home runs while driving in 44 runs and scoring 37. He ranked third in the GNAC in RBI, fifth in batting average, sixth in slugging percentage and eighth in on-base percentage in the conference.

Galarza had 16 multi-hit performances on the season. In a 14-8 win oer Penn State Brandywine on March 11th, he went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple while driving in five runs and scoring twice. Against Gordon in a 12-11 win on March 8th, he went 3-for-5  with a double and triple while driving in four runs and scoring two.

In the win over Keuka he went 3-for-4 with a grand slam and a double while scoring four runs.

In his first season at Albertus, O'Hara made the All-GNAC Second Team as the designated hitter. On the season he batted .365 batting average with a .474 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .683 which was tops in the GNAC. He ranked fourth in the GNAC in home runs with eight, and ranked sixth in both RBI with 42 and total bases with 86.

O'Hara had 14 multi-hit games on the season, including a 4-for-6 performance with a double, home run and three RBI while scoring four in the win over Emerson. He was 3-for-4 with a double, home run and four RBI in a win over New England College on March 29th. He also had two grand slams on the season in games against Dean and Colby-Sawyer.

Angelo appeared in nine games this season, pitching 27 innings with a 1-1 record. He had 11 strikeouts on the season.

2026 Baseball All-GNAC Teams

MAJOR AWARDS

Co-Player of the Year - Michael Ficocelli, Mitchell
Co-Player of the Year - Nic Frink, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Pitcher of the Year - Brandon Cahill, USJ
Rookie of the Year - Andrew Manzo, Mitchell                                                                                                            
Coaches of the Year* - Will Sanborn and Lincoln Sanborn, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Institutional Sportsmanship - Saint Joseph's (Maine)

*Saint Joseph's Maine has Co-Head Coaches*

FIRST TEAM

SP - Brandon Cahill, USJ
SP - Thai-ler Sestokas, Mitchell                                                                                                                                        
RP - Marcus Tarfano, USJ
C - Nic Frink, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
1B - Michael Ficocelli, Mitchell
2B - Tyler Carlstrom, USJ
3B - Jack Kane, USJ
SS - Adriel Espada, Albertus Magnus
OF - Mike McLeer, Colby-Sawyer                                                                                                                                                     
OF - Declan Silva, Lasell
OF - Chas Terni Jr., Mitchell
DH - Brady Philibotte, NEC

SECOND TEAM

SP - Dylan Brander, SJC
SP - Brycen Diaz, Elms
RP - Jacob Quiles, Mitchell                                                                                                    
C - Nicholas Bracale, Mitchell
1B - Eric Galazra, Albertus Magnus
2B - Christopher Piscione, Mitchell
3B - Angel Rodriguez Cruz, Mitchell
SS - JJ Fox, USJ
OF - Jacob Paschetto, Dean                                                                                                                 
OF - Ryan Cote, NEC
OF - Ryan Dennis, Mitchell
DH - Joey O'Hara, Albertus Magnus

THIRD TEAM

SP - Carson Rath, Norwich
SP - Padraig Mac Seain, SJC
RP - Dom Yarson, Mitchell
C - Jack Kushman, USJ
1B - Evan Dennis, Colby-Sawyer
2B - Nick Brindle, SJC
3B - Tim Callahan, Lasell
SS - Jacob Putnam, Colby-Sawyer
OF - Tyler Giambra, Dean
OF - Joseph Fritz, USJ
OF - Dom Scalia, USJ
DH - Connor Freitas, Lasell
DH - Jesse Chaves, Colby-Sawyer

ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM

Jack Angelo, Albertus Magnus
Janai Cruz, Colby-Sawyer
Dom Brazeau, Dean
Chase Prestia, Elms
Callahan Bullens, Lasell
Michael Ficocelli, Mitchell
Harold Martinez, New England College
Geffen Franus, Norwich
Owen Medlock, Rivier
Terry Morrissey, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Gabe Zamorano, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)