Posted: May 11, 2026

Cahill Named Pitcher of the Year, Headlines USJ Baseball's GNAC Year-End Award Winners

WINTHROP, Mass. – Senior pitcher Brandon Cahill (Meriden, Conn.) collected a major honor, headlining nine student-athletes from the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) baseball team who were recognized in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) 2026 year-end awards announcement on Monday. Cahill was named the 2026 GNAC Pitcher of the Year.

In addition to the major award, eight Blue Jays earned All-Conference honors and one was named to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team. Cahill was selected to the All-GNAC First Team as a starting pitcher and was joined by sophomore pitcher Marcus Tarfano (Southington, Conn.) as a relief pitcher, junior infielder Tyler Carlstrom (Rocky Hill, Conn.) at second base, and sophomore infielder Jack Kane (West Hartford, Conn.) at third base.

Senior infielder JJ Fox (Killingworth, Conn.) was named to to the All-GNAC Second Team at shortstop, while sophomore catcher Jack Kushman (Southington, Conn.), junior outfielder Joseph Fritz (Tampa, Fla.), and senior outfielder Dom Scalia (Northford, Conn.) earned All-GNAC Third Team honors. Senior outfielder Gabe Zamorano Jr. (Southington, Conn.) was selected to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Voting is conducted by the league's 11 head baseball coaches and did not take postseason play into account.

OFFICIAL GNAC RELEASE

Cahill was dominant on the mound throughout the season, establishing himself as one of the premier pitchers in the GNAC. The senior tossed a nation-best eight complete games in 10 appearances, finishing 7-3 on the season. His seven wins and two shutouts both led the conference.

He also struck out a league-best 72 batters (43 in conference play) while posting a 1.80 ERA, which ranked 14th in NCAA Division III. Cahill allowed limited scoring opportunities throughout the season and earned GNAC Pitcher of the Week honors four times. He becomes the first pitcher in program history to receive this award.

Tarfano earned All-GNAC First Team honors following an outstanding sophomore campaign. The right-hander made a team-high 18 appearances and allowed just four earned runs over 37.1 innings pitched, posting a 0.96 ERA. He also led the conference with eight saves. The selection marks the first all-conference honor of his career.

Carlstrom earned All-GNAC First Team honors after an outstanding performance in conference play. The second baseman posted a .448/.566/.500 slash line, ranking second in the conference in both batting average and on-base percentage. He recorded 26 hits, three doubles, 12 RBI, and eight walks. The selection marks the second all-conference honor of his career.

Kane continued his standout career in 2026, earning All-GNAC First Team recognition. The sophomore slashed .380/.425/.570 over 20 conference games, totaling 30 hits, a team-high 29 RBI, four doubles, and four walks. The honor marks his second consecutive all-conference selection.

Fox was named to the All-GNAC Second Team after a strong senior season. The shortstop posted a .378/.453/.500 slash line while leading the team with 31 hits in 20 conference games. He added 15 RBI, eight extra-base hits, and 11 walks. The honor marks the second all-conference selection of his career.

Kushman earned All-GNAC Third Team recognition after an impressive sophomore season. In 26 games, the catcher posted a .983 fielding percentage while throwing out nine baserunners attempting to steal. Offensively, he batted .338 with 27 hits, three home runs, 12 RBI, and 19 runs scored. The selection marks his first all-conference honor.

Fritz earned All-GNAC Third Team honors after a strong junior campaign. The outfielder hit .312 with 34 hits, four doubles, two home runs, 20 RBI, and 20 runs scored. He also recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 59 putouts and six assists. The selection marks his first all-conference honor.

Scalia earned All-GNAC Third Team honors following an impressive senior campaign. The outfielder slashed .306/.417/.507 and led the team with six home runs. He also totaled 44 hits, 15 extra-base hits, 39 RBI, and 28 walks.

For the complete list of all-conference honorees, major award winners, and all-sportsmanship selections, see below.

MAJOR AWARDS

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

ALL-CONFERENCE 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

ALL-CONFERENCE 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

ALL-CONFERENCE 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 - Jesse Chaves, Colby-Sawyer
DH - Connor Freitas, Lasell

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 Jr., USJ

About The GNAC
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association comprised of 14 member institutions and more than 4,000 student-athletes across New England. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity, and community engagement to enhance the student-athlete experience.

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