The 2026 baseball season in the Wilmington area proved to be a showcase of depth and competitiveness, with New Hanover, Topsail and Laney emerging as the leaders of the Carolina Coast Conference.
Player of the Year: Gibson Todd
Gibson Todd of Topsail was crowned the StarNews All‑Area Baseball Player of the Year, finishing the season with a .366 batting average, a 1.388 earned run average and 30 stolen bases, a combination that set the benchmark for the region.
His performance was complemented by a host of other individual achievements, including Preston Smith of Hoggard who drove in a league‑best 34 runs, and Dylan Stacks of North Brunswick, who threw a perfect game with 14 strikeouts.
Sidney Dale of South Brunswick posted the area’s lowest ERA at .820, while Camden Croom added a .341 average with 17 RBIs and four home runs, underscoring the breadth of talent across the conference.
The All‑Area First and Second Teams were selected based on statistical production and team impact, recognizing players such as RJ Browning, JB Brooks, Grady Sotriffer, Carston Wedemeyer, Hudson Southerland, Owen Gore, Brandon Bush and Josiah Borton for their respective contributions.
Beyond the stats, the season highlighted the growing pipeline of talent feeding into college programs, with several standouts committing to institutions like Queens University, UNC Asheville and the College of Charleston, while the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association continues to support the region’s development.