Chris Kraus begins his 13th season as head coach of the Stonehill Skyhawks with optimism growing around the program.
From Player to Program Leader
Despite three straight seasons below .500, there’s a genuine belief that Stonehill is turning a corner as the 2025-26 season begins.
The Skyhawks transitioned from Division II following the 2021-22 campaign. In their first three seasons as a Division I member of the Northeast Conference, they’ve gone 33-61 overall and 19-29 in league play.
Kraus, a former Skyhawk himself, played at Stonehill from 2003 to 2006. The 42-year-old Canadian began his coaching career as an assistant at Brandon in 2007 and Acadia in 2009 before returning to Stonehill as an assistant in 2010. Three years later, he was promoted to head coach.
He enters this season with a career record of 163-160. Kraus earned the 2023 NEC Coach of the Year award and previously led Stonehill to back-to-back NCAA Division II Tournament appearances from 2014 to 2016.
A New Era for the Skyhawks
Stonehill has now completed its transition to full Division I status, meaning the Skyhawks are eligible for the NCAA Tournament for the first time. Last season, they were still ineligible for postseason play and ended their year with a first-round NEC Tournament loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, 71-56. That game marked their fourth defeat in the final five contests.
This year’s NEC preseason poll has Stonehill ranked third, trailing LIU and CCSU, but both teams have question marks that could open the door for Kraus’s squad.
The Skyhawks opened the season with a dominant win over Thomas (Maine), racing to a 52-16 halftime lead. Forward Pearse McGuinn powered the offense with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Now in his second season, McGuinn saw limited minutes last year but could play a major role in the Skyhawks’ success this time around.
Replacing last season’s top scorers Louie Semona, Josh Morgan, and Todd Brogna will be a challenge. Still, Kraus has shown an ability to get the most from his roster, and with leadership experience across multiple levels, he’ll have the Skyhawks ready to compete.
Testing Themselves Early
Stonehill now heads on the road for three straight games, at DePaul (Nov. 7), Rhode Island (Nov. 11), and Fairfield (Nov. 14). The non-conference schedule also features major tests against Iowa State and Syracuse, matchups that will test the Skyhawks’ depth and resilience early in the season.
If Kraus can blend his new contributors with a maturing core, Stonehill’s first shot at the NCAA Tournament could become more than just a dream; it could be a breakthrough.