GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As the last major publication to release 2026 Preseason All-Americans, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced its list on Friday with UF pitchers Liam Peterson (second team) and Ernesto Lugo-Canchola (fourth team) earning mention.
 
Florida has now received at least one Preseason All-America accolade from all four major publications, led by three sets of honors from Peterson. The UF ace previously earned first team nods from Baseball America and Perfect Game while Luke McNeillie (Baseball America) and Aidan King (D1Baseball) collected second team awards. Meanwhile, Friday’s announcement marks the first-career Preseason All-America honor for Lugo-Canchola, who transferred to UF this offseason after being named the 2025 D2 Baseball Pitcher of the Year at Northwest Nazarene.
 
Both Peterson and Lugo-Canchola were honored by the NCBWA as starting pitchers.
 
Holding status as a 2025 Division II First Team All-American, Lugo-Canchola went a perfect 13-0 across 16 starts, dazzling with a 2.00 ERA, .164 batting average against and 103 strikeouts against 44 walks in 94 2/3 innings. Among all Division II pitchers, he ranked second in wins, fifth in ERA, tenth in games started, twelfth in strikeouts and fourteenth in WHIP. That came on the heels of a standout 2024 campaign at Utah, where the southpaw worked to a 2-0 record and 3.32 ERA over 17 appearances.

Deployed as a weekend starter for the second time in as many seasons in 2025, Peterson served as staff ace from start to finish and led the Gators in victories (eight), games started (15) and strikeouts (96). Compiling 69 1/3 innings, the Palm Harbor, Fla. native posted a 4.28 ERA, .250 batting average against, 1.43 WHIP and four quality starts while striking out 11 or more batters in three outings. His 12.5 strikeouts per nine ranked fifth in the SEC and 20th nationally.

 

The Gators are currently in week four of preseason practice, with all practices and scrimmages free to attend and open to the public. Florida opens up the 2026 season at home on Friday, Feb. 13 with the first contest of a three-game series against UAB. Season tickets and SEC Saturday Packs are currently on sale and can be accessed via the baseball ticketing home.

 

2026 Preseason All-America Honors (6)

RHP Liam Peterson – 2x First Team (Baseball America, Perfect Game), Second Team (NCBWA)

LHP Ernesto Lugo-Canchola – Fourth Team (NCBWA)

RHP Luke McNeillie – Second Team (Baseball America)

RHP Aidan King – Second Team (D1Baseball)

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