Pack9 Opponent Preview: Washington

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Feb 13, 2026 - 08:00

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STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Casen Taggart #12 of the Washington Huskies runs home after his two-run home run against the Stanford Cardinal in the eighth inning at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond on February 24, 2025 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Who’s the Pack playing?

Opponent: Washington

Mascot: Good dogs | School Location: Hippie Central, WA | Conference: Big Ten

2026 Record: 0-0 (0-0, T-1st Big Ten) | 2026 RPI Rank: n/a

2025 Record: 29-28 (17-13, 5th Big Ten) | 2025 RPI Rank: 79

2024 Record: 19-31 (10-20, 9th Pac12) | 2024 RPI Rank: 160

When? Where? How do I watch?

Location: Estadio Paquito Montaner (Ponce, Puerto Rico)

Game Time(s): Fri, Feb 13 @ 2:30pm

TV: Friday (Victory+)

Live Stats: Stat Broadcast (Friday)

Tell me about this team

Washington has had an interesting history. They didn’t make their first NCAA Regional until 1992, the last of Bob MacDonald’s 16 years at the helm of the program. Ken Knutson then took over and took the Huskies to six Regionals over his first 12 years in Seattle, but then was fired after the program tailed off into mediocrity in his last five seasons. Lindsay Meggs took over in 2010 and led the team to three Regionals, including a College World Series appearance in 2018. Things tailed off for him over his last four seasons and he retired after the 2022 season. Former longtime Washington assistant Jason Kelly returned to take over the program, led the Huskies to a Regional in his first year, had a horrible second year, and promptly jumped ship to go be an assistant at Texas A&M. Enter Eddie Smith.

The Washington native and former Notre Dame player has earned a solid reputation as a coach, including assistant coach gigs at Virginia, Notre Dame, Tulane, and LSU. He’s also held previous head coaching gigs at Lower Columbia CC and Utah Valley. The Huskies weren’t world beaters last year, but they did post a solid 17-13 record in the program’s inaugural Big Ten campaign. That team went just 4-14 in Quad 1 games, but did go 4-3 in Quad 2 games, including a series win over a USC squad that ended the season ranked 39th in RPI. They also snagged a win against a UCLA squad that ended up 10th in RPI and made it to the College World Series.

There are obvious questions around this team – most notably with the pitching staff needing to replace their two top starters and their top reliever – but the lineup should have some punch. The best thing going for the Huskies is the experience factor. Of the 35 players on the roster, 22 are in at least their third college season, with 13 of those being in their fourth, fifth, or sixth. That experience should pay off.

This won’t be a team that competes for a Big Ten title, but it should put together a better overall record and maybe even improve on their conference marks.

Pitching Matchups

Friday: LHP Ryan Marohn (JR) vs TBD

Key Players:

Offense

1B Casen Taggart (rSR) – .326/.469/.494, 11 2B, 6 HR, 20.4 BB%, 16.4 K%, 10-14 SB. Big 6’5, 225 lbs lefty hitter who spent his freshman year in 2024 at Washington State. Really good hitter who should be able to tap into more power from his frame.

SS Sam DeCarlo (SR) – .285/.395/.430, 5 2B, 8 HR, 13.0 BB%, 22.5 K%, 10-12 SB. Smooth fielder who enters his fourth year as a starter for the Huskies. Played in the Cape Cod League last summer.

C Ethan Swidler (SR) – .331/.462/.494, 14 2B, 5 HR, 17.0 BB%, 17.0 K%, 0-0 SB. Transfer from Lafayette who clubbed 18 HR over three years with the Leopards and spent some time in the Cape Cod League last summer on the same Harwich Mariners team as DeCarlo.

OF Braeden Terry (rSR) – .291/.395/.444, 11 2B, 4 HR, 11.8 BB%, 15.6 K%, 3-5 SB. Former JUCO transfer who provides stability and solid production.

Pitching

RHP Jackson Thomas (rSR) – 5-4, 4.27 ERA, 71.2 IP, 8.6 BB%, 14.8 K%. First time in his five collegiate seasons that he’ll be in the same place twice. Not an overpowering guy, but locates and pitches to contact.

RHP Gunnar Nichols (SR) – 1-1, 1 SV, 2.18 ERA, 33.0 IP, 12.1 BB%, 34.1 K%. A 6’4, 185 lbs righty who has some filthy off-speed stuff. Spent his first two collegiate seasons at Pepperdine where he wasn’t overly impressive, but hit another level last year with the Huskies.

RHP Jay Miller (SR) – 2-5, 4.98 ERA, 59.2 IP, 8.2 BB%, 26.9 K%. Transfer from UNCG who grew up in Canada before spending his final prep season in the Raleigh area at Pro5 Baseball Academy. Big 6’6, 230 lbs righty is coming off labrum surgery which is always hit-or-miss, but the talent is there.

Quick! Fun Facts!

Washington’s last conference title was in 1998. That capped two consecutive seasons where the Huskies won both the Pac10 title. They also accomplished that feat in 1992.

The Huskies 2018 trip to Omaha started as the 3-seed in the Conway Regional where they knocked off 2-seed UConn and then won back-to-back games over host Coastal Carolina. They topped Cal State Fullerton in three games in the Fullerton Super Regional – winning the clincher in a 10th inning walk-off. Washington went 0-2 in Omaha.

There have been 27 former Huskies to play at the Major League level, with the most notable being RHP Tim Lincecum.

The Key To A Win For State

As season openers go, the key is typically just to not beat yourself. If the Wolfpack can play clean ball and the pitchers can live low in the zone, they’ll have a solid chance to come out on top in this one against what should be a solid Huskies squad.