EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette Baseball Head Coach Tim Reilly has announced that the program has signed 12 student-athletes to its Class of 2026.
 
"We are excited to add a collection of such talented student-athletes to our program next fall," head coach Tim Reilly said. "This class comes from all over the country to Easton in pursuit of championships and for the unmatched student-athlete experience here at Lafayette College. Our current and past players deserve a lot of credit for setting the foundation that these young men want to be a part of and we can't wait to get our season rolling in just a few weeks."
 
The Leopards welcome James Aselta, John Ahler, Antonio Correa, Trace Florio, Eli Kapkowski, James Reese, Ethan Swidler, Max Tramontana, Pat Walega, Parker Walsh, Noah Hajdu, and Sam Nomura as its newest incoming class.
 


The first member of the Lafayette Nine's incoming class is James Aselta. Aselta comes to College Hill from Weston, Connecticut, where he is a starter behind the dish for the Jesuits. Aselta is a PBR Future Games alum and helped Fairfield Prep post a 19-4 record on the way to a SCC Championship last season. Aselta plays for the 9ers Baseball Club and is the son of James Aselta and Barbara Creagh. He has one sister, Failenn.


 
Arriving on College Hill from Algonquin, Illinois is John Ahler. Ahler will be a four year varsity starter at Marian Central Catholic at Shortstop. He recorded a .375 batting average his junior season as a team captain. Ahler plays for Hitters Baseball Academy alongside James Reese over the summer and is the son of Jerry Ahler and Amy Ahler. His brother, Kevin, serves in the military.


 
Antonio Correa will make the journey north from Lighthouse Point, Florida, where he attends Pine Crest Preparatory School. He will be a five year starter as a pitcher and outfielder, earning a starting spot on varsity as an eighth grader. In 2018 he pitched 33.1 innings while recording a 2.31 ERA, and in 2021 he pitched 20.2 innings while recording 23 strikeouts. Correa was named team captain for his sophomore, junior and senior seasons and plays for the Cannons Baseball Academy. He is the son of Tony Correa and Stephanie Correa and has two siblings, Nathaniel and Grace.


 
The Leopards' next recruit in the Class of 2026 is Trace Florio, who will come to College Hill from Norwalk, Connecticut. He currently plays for Greens Farms Academy where he is a member of the starting rotation, while also seeing time at first base and outfield. Florio recorded a sub 2.00 ERA and was named the Most Valuable Pitcher and All-FAA First Team as a junior. Florio pitches for Baseball U Prospects over the summer and is the son of Robert Florio and Leslie Florio. He has three older sisters, Annika, Aislinn and Carlyn. His uncle, Glenn Florio, was an Olympic rower.


 
Hailing from Sterling, Massachusetts is the Maroon and White's next recruit, Noah Hajdu. He is a starting outfielder for The Winchendon School where he was a NEPSAC Finalist and team captain. Hajdu plays for NEB in the summer season and is the son of Charles Hajdu and Kimberly George. His brother, Jake Hajdu, also attends The Winchendon School and plays for the baseball team.


 
Eli Kapkowski comes to Lafayette from St. Petersburg, Florida where he plays for Calvary Christian High School. He is a two year starter at catcher, helping lead his team to a 46-12 record on the way to a State Championship in 2019. Kapkowski plays for Ostingers Baseball Academy and started at catcher for the 2021 WWBA World Championship team last Fall in Jupiter, Florida. He is the son of Jeff Kapkowski and Jill Kennedy.


 
Sam Nomura will come to College Hill from Seton Hall Prep, where he is a three-year starter at pitcher as well as serves time in the outfield. He posted a 1.71 ERA last season while serving as the team's closer and was a member of the SEC Conference Championship team. Nomura was also named team captain as a Junior and plays for the US Elite National Team over the summer. Nomura hails from Maplewood, New Jersey and is the son of Chris Nomura and Judy Nunn.


 
The Leopards' next signee is James Reese, who competes for the University School of Milwaukee where he has been a two year starter as a pitcher and infielder. He currently holds a .485 career batting average, a 0.20 conference ERA, and threw a no-hitter last season in his junior year. In 2019, he was named Second Team All-Conference as a freshman and in 2021 was named team captain, First Team All-Conference, and runner-up for Conference Player of the Year. Reese plays for Hitters Baseball Academy and is the son of Bret Reese and Jennifer Reese and has one younger brother, William. His father played baseball at Ripon College. 


 
Coming to Easton from San Diego, California is catcher Ethan Swidler. Swidler is a three-year starter for Canyon Crest Academy. During the 2019 season, he helped lead his team to a league championship which he followed up by posting a .311 batting average last season, starting every game behind the plate both years. The San Diego native was named team MVP his junior year and plays for CBA Baseball out of Rancho Cucamonga, California. He is the son of Michael Swidler and Deena Swidler and has two sisters, Danyda and Baylee. His father played baseball at Missouri Southern and his sister, Danyda, played soccer at Manhattanville College.


 
Max Tramontana will join the Leopards' pitching staff from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he is a two-year starter at pitcher and middle infield for Archbishop Moeller. He finished in the Top-5 in the GCL in strikeouts as a member of the starting rotation last season. Tramontana is the son of David Tramontana and Cindy Tramontana, and has one sister, Mia. Tramontana plays for CBC Baseball during the summer season.


 
Coming to Lafayette from Kinnelon, New Jersey is pitcher Pat Walega. He plays alongside fellow future Leopard Sam Nomura at Seton Hall Prep, where he was a key member of the bullpen on an SEC Conference Championship team as a junior. Walega also plays for the US Elite National Team and is the son of Krzsyztof Walega and Ivonka Walega. He has one sister, Olivia.


 
Rounding out the Maroon and White's incoming class is Parker Walsh from Buford, Georgia. He plays for Buford High School, which spent much of last season as the top ranked high school team in the country by multiple media outlets. Walsh patrols the outfield for the Wolves, who went 33-2 last season while clinching a Regional Championship. He plays for the Georgia Bombers Organization over the summer which finished as the sixth ranked Travel Organization in the country according to Perfect Game, slugging 3 home runs and stealing 22 bases while helping the Bombers to a 51-17-1 record. He is the son of H.B. Walsh and Tami Walsh and has two siblings, Hallie and Casey. His uncle, Jared Walsh, was an All-Star First Baseman for the Los Angeles Angels last season after a standout career as a two-way player at the University of Georgia.
 
 The Leopards are set to begin their 2022 season on Feb. 18 against Wake Forest in Winston Salem, North Carolina.