Less than a week after WKU Baseball’s Oxford Regional exit to Ole Miss, 12 Hilltoppers have entered the transfer portal following Monday’s opening.
The slew of portal entries, highlighted by stars junior Ryan Wideman and sophomore Drew Whalen, came following a historic CUSA Championship-winning season for the Hilltoppers with 11 individual accolades.
Wideman, who entered the portal on June 2 via @KendallRogers on X, had a record-breaking year in his first season on the Hill. He was named Conference USA Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, carrying a .398 batting average through the year.
Whalen, who entered the portal on June 2 via @KendallRogers on X, was named C-USA Pitcher of the Year after posting a 9-2 record with a 2.84 ERA. The right-hander struck out 79 batters over 69.2 innings of work and held opponents to a .223 average during the regular season.
Senior Patrick Morris, who entered the portal on Tuesday via @JacobRudner on X, appeared in 17 games in his second year on the Hill. The left-hander pitched 32.1 innings and posted a 1.11 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 13 walks.
Junior utility player Thomas Marsala entered the portal on Tuesday via a post on X. Marsala tallied 34 hits in 120 at-bats through his 32 starts in 2024-25.
Redshirt junior Hunter Small announced his portal bid as a graduate transfer on May 13 via X. Small appeared seven times for the Hilltoppers, pitching 6.1 innings, tallying six strikeouts before medically redshirting the remainder of the year.
Senior Luke Leverton announced his portal entry as a graduate transfer on May 19 via X. Leverton made one appearance in 2025 against the University of Evansville, tossing one inning and striking out two.
Junior Luke Wright revealed he was entering the portal on May 27 on X. Wright made four appearances in 2025, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up five runs.
Junior catcher Joey Baran announced on X that he is entering the portal as a graduate transfer on May 19 after not playing in 2025 due to hip labrum surgery. Baran has one year of college eligibility remaining.
Freshman Aaron Robinson announced on X that he is entering the portal after not seeing the field in 2025.
Transfers Out
OF Ryan Wideman
P Drew Whalen
P Patrick Morris
P Aaron Robinson
C Joey Baran
P Hunter Small
P Luke Leverton
P Luke Wright
UTL Thomas Marsala
Sports Reporter David Quintanilla can be reached at [email protected]
Sports Editor Nathan Mueller can be reached at [email protected]