Youngstown State baseball student-athletes Ian Francis and Braden Gebhardt have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for 2023-24.

The 2023-24 Academic All-District® Baseball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The 2024 season marks just the third time in program history and the first time since 2021 that two Penguins have garnered Academic All-District recognition.

Francis, a junior catcher and first baseman, was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the second straight season in 2024. The Youngstown, Ohio, native maintains a 3.96 GPA as a business administration major at Youngstown State. Francis batted .284 and slugged .483 with 10 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and a team-high 44 RBIs while starting 58 games in 2024. He was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team after tying the league's tournament record with four home runs in the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship.

Gebhardt, a sophomore left-hander, was selected to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the first time in his career in 2024. The Howland, Ohio, native maintains a 3.94 GPA as a marketing major at YSU. Gebhardt posted a 2-4 record and a 7.01 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 51.1 innings pitched over 12 relief appearances and four starts in 2024. In Horizon League play, he recorded a 1-0 record and a 4.84 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched over 10 relief appearances.

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