Looking to the 2025 season, Heartland is prepared to make a statement and maintain its winning culture. As more programs look to Heartland's baseball program, even more heads are turned, as the Hawks were ranked No. 4 in the NJCAA DII Preseason rankings. Coming off a winning season (43-18) and another NJCAA DII National Tournament appearance, the players are still ready to show up and show out. 
    
    "They are playing with a chip on their shoulder," Head Coach Chris Razo comments. "They feel like they have something to prove." With only 8 players returning from the 2024 roster, this group is composed of a few seasoned veterans with most of the roster experiencing collegiate baseball for the first time. 

    Among those returners are sophomores, Brady Davidson (.354/.526/.454), Max Hennemann (.345/.439/.435), and Kaden Griffitts (.342/.611/.437) who played a key part in the 2024 season will take the field and approach the plate once again.  Returning to the mound are right-handed pitcher Jacob O'Day and left-handed pitcher Patrick Gardner. O'Day registered a total of 80.2 innings with a 3.35 ERA and a total of 93 strikeouts to conclude the year. Gardner also made an impact with 44.2 innings pitched with a 5.04 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. 

    With the many newcomers added to the roster, they will have to take on important responsibilities throughout the field. "We have a lot of young guys who are ready to step into the roles," Razo states. "With the returning players, it's a great core group." 

    Even with the new faces and the many heads that are going to follow the Hawks, Razo comments on the team's outlook for this year and what he is looking for in the 2025 season. 

    "Our expectations are the same as always," Razo said. "Get to Enid and compete for a National Championship."

    Heartland hopes to return to the World Series for a fourth straight appearance, but first, the Hawks will start their 2025 slate with a trip down south to Palatka and Jacksonville, Florida. There the team will have 3 days' worth of competition with the opening game facing #3 St. Johns River Community College. The next two days follow with double headers before returning to Normal on the 21st and 22nd to face Harper College and Kankakee Community College respectively.