⚾️ Cranton, Hartl, Shojinaga Named to CSC Academic All-District Team
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Hunter Cranton, Ben Hartl and Kodey Shojinaga have each been named to the 2024 College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The Academic All-District Team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The selection process is through CSC, which is a national association for strategic, creative and digital communicators across intercollegiate athletics in the United States and Canada.
Cranton, a redshirt senior pitcher, completed his second and final season of eligibility at Kansas in 2024. Cranton was selected as All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and recorded 13.68 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. That led the team and was the third highest single-season mark in program history. He finished the season with a 4-3 record and a 2.16 ERA to go along with seven saves and 38 strikeouts compared to nine walks. The Newport Beach, California, native graduated with his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts & sciences in May with a 3.67 GPA.
Hartl, a junior in his first season at Kansas in 2024, spent time at first base and catcher. A transfer from Heartland Community College, Hartl was also an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient as he led the team in on-base percentage (.460) and was second in home runs (11). Hartl had multiple late-inning clutch moments as he delivered a walk-off RBI single against Texas Tech and a go-ahead ninth inning home run against Texas. The Springfield, Illinois, native is majoring in liberal arts & sciences and has a 3.61 GPA.
Shojinaga finished his sophomore season at KU and spent a majority of his time defensively at second and third base. He received All-Big 12 Second Team honors for a second consecutive season. Shojinaga led the team with 78 hits and 20 doubles and was second on the team with a .335 batting average. He was also the second toughest to strikeout in the Big 12 this season with 10.6 at-bats for every one strikeout. The Honolulu, Hawaii, native maintains a 3.89 GPA as a sports management major.
To qualify for the Academic All-District Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average. Also, student-athletes must compete in 90 percent of the team’s games or start in at least 66 percent of the team’s contests. The requirement for pitchers was either 17 appearances or 25 innings pitched.
Kansas finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 31-23 and a 15-15 mark in conference play. The 31 wins are the most for Kansas since 2019 and the 15 victories in Big 12 games are tied for the most in program history. The Jayhawks also advanced to the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship this season for the first time since 2013.
