Francis, Gebhardt Named to Valeo HL Baseball All-Academic Team
5/16/2024 12:03:00 PM | Baseball
Youngstown State baseball student-athletes Ian Francis and Braden Gebhardt have been named to the 2024 Valeo Horizon League Baseball All-Academic Team for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom, the league office announced on Thursday.
The Penguins had multiple players earn all-academic honors for the fifth consecutive season. At least one Penguin has been named academic all-league in each of the last eight campaigns.
Francis, a junior catcher and first baseman, was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the second straight season. The Youngstown, Ohio, native maintains a 3.96 GPA as a business administration major at Youngstown State. Francis is batting .268 and slugging .425 with 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 31 RBIs while having started 50 games in 2024.
Gebhardt, a sophomore left-hander, was selected to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the first time in his career. The Howland, Ohio, native maintains a 3.94 GPA as a marketing major at YSU. Gebhardt has a 1-3 record and a 6.51 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched over 10 relief appearances and three starts in 2024. In Horizon League play, he has a 1-0 record and a 4.33 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched over nine relief appearances.
The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes with seasonal Academic All-League Teams in each of its 19 championship sports. To be eligible for Horizon League All-Academic consideration, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or higher (based on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, having earned 24 semester-hour or 36 quarter-hour credits, and participate in 50 percent of the team's overall contests.
The Penguins will conclude their 2024 regular season with a three-game Horizon League series at Milwaukee beginning on Thursday. All three games of the series will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
For the latest news and updates on the YSU baseball program, follow @YSUBaseball on X and Instagram.
