Top of the Order: Choate Baseball Makes History at No. 1

On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Choate Rosemary Hall Varsity Baseball Team earned the number one spot in the New England Baseball Journal's Prep Power Rankings for the first time in program history.

"For me, it just means that we have done a good job of staying in the moment and focusing on the tasks in front of us, and the ranking is a byproduct of a strong process," Varsity Baseball Head Coach Andrew Dickson said when asked what his achievement says about his ball club. "It's certainly a really cool honor for the players and the program to receive, but it was never something we set out to achieve. Our goal is to continue to try to play our best baseball day in and day out."

Not only has Choate earned a spot atop the power rankings, but the Wild Boars have also started the season with 11 consecutive wins. Led by captains Jeter Andrews ’26 (Committed to Wofford), Shaun Flannery ’26 (Committed to UConn), and Gianni Vora ’26 (Committed to Northeastern), the team out of Wallingford, Conn., picked up wins against powerhouses like Avon Old Farms and Deerfield while averaging nearly nine runs per game. Heading into the home stretch of the regular season, the Wild Boars hold a two-game lead on Loomis Chaffee in the Founders League.

While the team's success is striking, it didn't happen overnight. Dickson, a graduate of Brescia University, took over as the team's head coach in 2023 after working for over a decade at the collegiate level, including stops at Yale, Northwestern, and Lafayette. He's also the School's assistant athletic director.

“I feel very fortunate to be here at Choate and have the facilities, people, and resources for a successful program,” he said at the time. “I just love helping the players improve and achieve their goals and aspirations on and off the field.”

In his first season, the Wild Boars qualified for the Founders League playoffs for the first time in program history before losing to Avon Old Farms by one run in an extra-innings heartbreaker. One year later, Choate pushed past the semifinals and advanced to the Founders League Championship, while Ian Writz ’24 snagged Player of the Year honors and Dickson was named Coach of the Year. Last season, Choate won eight of ten down the stretch before suffering a tough, one-run loss in the championship to Kingswood-Oxford on the road. Still, the team has remained confident, resilient, and optimistic because, as is often said, those experiences are lessons, not losses.

"We had high expectations last year after making it to the Founders League Championship in 2024. However, we got off to a bit of a slow start before winning 8 of our last 10 down the stretch to make the playoffs," Dickson said. "That run at the end of the year really showed this group what they are capable of and how important it is to show up day after day with the same work ethic and mindset to play your best consistently."

The mindset and work ethic that Dickson and coaches Zach Kafoglis, Ryan Ahern, and Pat Dennehy instill in the team show up on and off the field. Whether it's the way Elishua Mercado ’27 and Breydon Evans ’28 cheer and celebrate after a big play, Nate Kempton ’26 (Committed to Brown) selflessly steps up to fill whatever role is needed of him, or how a focused Luke Mahoney ’26 (Committed to Lehigh) locks in on the mound, it's clear that this team not only loves the game of baseball but also loves playing with and for each other.

"The best part about coaching this team every day is just having the opportunity to be around them. Whether showing up to the field or to the bus, it has been a lot of fun for all of us," Dickson said. "They have a lot of personality and have fun with each other, and also have a love of competing. It is a very special group for me because we have so many three and four-year players who have been together for a while and who have gone through a lot together. That, along with a terrific mix of new pieces who have fit in seamlessly, makes it fun for everyone."

A lot of fun will be had on Ayres-Yankus Field as Jeter, Flannery, Vora, Kempton, Mahoney, and company finish the season with five of their last seven regular-season matchups at home, including a back-to-back during the first weekend of May. Keeping their eyes on the prize and playing loose and carefree, the Wild Boars have everything in place for a strong postseason run.

Photo Credit: Joseph M. Avena is a Digital Content Producer at Choate Rosemary Hall, bringing expertise in content creation and community engagement.

Editorial Credit: Ryan Shepard '14 is the Manager of Editorial Services at Choate Rosemary Hall, bringing 10+ years of experience in journalism, copywriting, and content strategy.