From the hardwood to Nationals Park: Celebrating a recent championship

NICHOLAS CHAMBERS

Staff Writer

On Aug. 8, the UMW men’s basketball team was honored at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., for their historic Division III National Championship victory. 

Fresh off a championship season, members of the team were given the opportunity to experience Major League Baseball from a perspective most fans never get to see. 

“We walked right past the opposing locker room,” junior business administration major and forward Colin Mitchell said. “We were within feet of Major League Baseball players and had the privilege of seeing on-field operations before a game.”

The team enjoyed a tour of the Nationals facilities, full pregame on-field access, team jumbotron introduction and recognition by the Nationals public address announcer, Jerome Hruska. 

“I haven’t been to a Nats game since I was younger, so it was an amazing experience to be on the field with my teammates, ” said junior kinesiology major and forward Owen Pottenburgh.

The Eagles also received an unexpected welcome from former UMW baseball alum, class of 2016 graduate James Keller, who serves as the bullpen catcher for the opposing team, the Cincinnati Reds. Keller was a .372 lifetime batting average hitter with over 150 career hits in his three-year career with the Eagles.

Mitchell said the former Eagle came over and spoke with the group about his experience as a UMW athlete before the team continued its day at Nationals Park.

Once the game began, the team moved to their seats in right field, where they were joined by UMW alumni, students and supporters who came out after seeing the event promoted by Mary Washington’s social media channels.

The Nationals trip provided a chance for the Eagles to celebrate what they accomplished last season, but Mitchell and the rest of the team are already focused on what comes next.

“Our mindset is new team, new us,” Mitchell said. “We have to continue with that mindset throughout this fall.”

Part of that new identity will come with a slightly different coaching staff.

The Eagles lost assistant coaches Chris Lomax and Mark Sansone during the offseason; however, both departures came as a result of new opportunities. 

Lomax accepted a high school head coaching position, while Sansone became the head coach at Maryville College, another Division III program.

UMW responded by bringing in two new assistant coaches with Division III experience, giving the Eagles a new dynamic heading into the season. They also brought in four new freshmen and one transfer student to accommodate their roster turnover.

“I think they’re gonna fit in perfectly. I look forward to them experiencing what it is like to play UMW basketball at Ron Rosner Arena,” Mitchell said.

Perhaps the biggest boost for the Eagles, however, is the return of the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player, junior business administration major and point guard Kye Robinson. 

Robinson is the Eagles’ leading scorer and has also achieved multiple UMW single-season records, including season total and points per game, field goals and free throws.

Robinson is back at UMW after initially appearing unlikely to return due to entering the transfer portal. His presence gives the Eagles increased stability to make another title run in 2027.

“I decided to come back because of the community at Mary Washington, having a chance to make history once again with a back-to-back national championship run. I also have hopes of getting my jersey retired when I graduate,” Robinson said.

As the Eagles prepare for another season, Mitchell isn’t focused on individual statistics or personal recognition. Instead, he believes the formula that helped UMW succeed last season actually starts in the summer.

“Over the summer, you train, lift, all that stuff,” Mitchell said. “For me, I worked at basketball camp, so I was kind of immersed in basketball and playing, shooting every day. So that part was really helpful.”

The physical work was only one part of the equation, as the team also began preparing mentally for the season ahead.

“I’ve been focusing on getting stronger and faster this offseason, as well as really transforming my mindset. I believe your mind is stronger than your body and I feel like that anchored me to my historic season last year,” said Robinson.

The Eagles returned to campus last month, holding their first team meeting and getting back on the court for pickup games. While the championship will be celebrated later this fall with a banner night on Nov. 7, the new team is unified by one goal: to repeat as DIII National Champions.

“Our mentality going into the first week of school was to be proud of our accomplishments from last season; however, we know that a new season is coming and we have to bring in more energy and focus in order to lock in for the season,” said Pottenburgh.