Five Illinois Baseball Student-Athletes Secure CSC Academic All-District Honors
June 2, 2026 | Baseball
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Five Illinois baseball student-athletes secured Academic All-District recognition from College Sports Communicators, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Reed Gannon, Sam Reed, and Kyle Schupmann all earned that distinction for the second straight season, while Nick Groves and Will Johannes are both first-time honorees.
In order to qualify for CSC Academic All-District consideration, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore and earn a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher. They must either compete in 90% of the institution's games played or start in at least 66% of the institution's contests. For pitchers, a student-athlete must have made at least 17 appearances or have pitched at least 35 innings.
Now a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree, Gannon appeared in 21 games out of the bullpen, recording 37.2 innings of work with a 5-2 record, 29 strikeouts, and a 4.30 ERA. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in finance in agribusiness in December 2024 and a graduate certificate in strategic leadership and management in May 2025, Gannon completed a master's degree in management this spring.
Groves was a mainstay in the Illini leadoff spot in 2026, playing in 54 games while posting a .312 batting average and a team-best .446 on-base percentage. Closing his Illinois career with over 100 hits and the second-best career on-base percentage in program history, Groves earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural and consumer economics in May.
Playing in 42 games while making 38 starts, Johannes finished the 2026 campaign with 10 home runs and 42 RBI in his second and final season with the Orange and Blue. He received a bachelor's degree in agricultural and consumer economics in May while collecting CSC Academic All-District status for the first time.
Reed put together the best season of his Illini career in 2026, tallying a 3.10 ERA, a 2-1 record, and 18 strikeouts across his 18 appearances. Pitching 29 innings in his final collegiate campaign, he is now a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and completed a degree in recreation, sport, and tourism in May.
Schupmann is also now a back-to-back CSC Academic All-District recipient. He started all 55 games at third base in 2026, logging a .282 average while amassing 58 hits, 52 runs, four homers, 24 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. He completed a bachelor's degree in agricultural and consumer economics in May.
