Four members from the University of Rochester baseball team were awarded College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® honors for the 2023 season, as announced by the organization on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The four individuals being represented this season are pitchers Mark Aaronson, Nolan Sparks and Trevor Van Allen and utility player and designated hitter Colby Cruser.
 
The 2023 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 CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 
The four Rochester representatives are each earning their first Academic All-District® selection.
 
Van Allen attended Simon Business School and just wrapped up his coursework in earning a Master's in Business Analytics. During his undergrad at Rochester, he double-majored in Data Science and Business. He is a four-time member on the Liberty League All-Academic team and achieved Dean's List honors in every possible semester. The pitcher also was a baseball analytics intern at Black & White Baseball during his undergraduate years.
 
On the diamond, Van Allen was recently selected as a First Team All-Liberty League player for the second straight season. In 2023, he was one of several terrific pitchers on the Yellowjacket staff, finishing with a 7-1 record across 11 starts. He earned a 2.59 ERA across 55.2 innings and struck out a career-high 56 batters. The graduate student ranks first in UR history with 39 career starts and is tied for second with 20 career wins. This season's seven wins are tied for second most in the UR single-season record book.
 
Sparks, a junior right-hander, is majoring in Neuroscience and Business on the River Campus. He earned the Simon Scholar Award and has been a teacher's assistant in Organic Chemistry courses last year. At Strong Memorial Hospital, he is a research assistant in the Loiselle Lab in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research. As a volunteer, the Aurora, Colorado native helped out at a baseball camp for children during the summer of 2022. He also is a 2-time Liberty League All-Academic selection.
 
In 2023, Sparks was excellent for the Yellowjackets on the field, serving as the teams top starting pitcher. He finished with a 7-0 record across 11 starts, compiling a 2.76 ERA in a team-best 62.0 innings. He struck out 77 batters and held opponents to a .230 batting average against. His season stats this year set new career-bests in ERA, wins, innings, strikeouts and opposing batting average. The right-hander was named the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year and 1st Team All-Liberty League this season and is a 2-time 1st Team All-Conference pick.
 
Aaronson is a sophomore majoring in Biomedical Engineering and is on a Pre-Med track at Rochester. Away from the mound, he had done work in a biomaterials and regenerative medicine lab with Dr. Kara Spiller at Drexel University. A four-time Dean's List honoree, Aaronson plans on attending Medical School after graduation with a goal of becoming a Sports Physician. He has done volunteer work at the Jefferson Hospital Emergency Room in Philadelphia while also helping out his prior travel baseball team, the Anderson Monarchs, run food drives in his hometown.
 
2023 was a breakout season for Aaronson, as the sophomore stepped into the closers role for the Yellowjackets. He accumulated a 2-2 record in 21 appearances out of the bullpen for Rochester, adding a UR single-season record 11 saves. The right-hander added a 3.22 ERA and 25 strikeouts over his 22.1 innings and held opponents to a .247 average against. The saves total currently ranks first in Division III and already has Aaronson third all-time in UR history. He was voted to the All-Liberty League First Team in the conference's announcement earlier this week.
 
A biology major, Cruser received the Dean's Scholarship from the University and has been Dean's List every semester so far in his college career. A Colorado native, Cruser has worked in the clinic and spent time shadowing in the operating room with Jue Cao MD of Rocky Mountain Pediatric back in his home state. The sophomore also helped out at a yearly food drive at Chatfield High School and plans on either attending Medical School or Law School.
 
Cruser is a two-way player for the Yellowjackets, being a key designated hitter in the lineup while also serving as a starting pitcher on the mound. At the plate, he hit .294 this year in 23 games, adding 12 runs, 6 doubles and 2 home runs with 15 RBI. His accolades on the mound include a 7.40 ERA and 1-2 overall record across 24.1 innings. He struck out 31 batters and became UR's third conference starter late in the season. He was named honorable mention All-Liberty League at utility this season, his second straight conference award.
 
Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced June 7 for baseball.