Academic Excellence Meets Athletic Performance
The College Sports Communicators Division III Academic All‑District team has announced its latest honorees, and among them are three standout members of the Central College baseball program.
Senior Brayden Sawyer, a business management major carrying a 3.74 cumulative GPA, earned his third consecutive spot on the district roster and now moves forward as a candidate for the prestigious Academic All‑America accolade. He started all 40 games, primarily at third base, and also pitched 39 innings, finishing 4‑1 with a 2.77 ERA.
Junior Stephen Stufflebeam, majoring in kinesiology with a 3.82 GPA, received his first district selection after starting all 36 games in left field, batting .282, driving in 22 runs and compiling 37 hits.
Sophomore Jackson Torbit, a history major with a 3.55 GPA, also secured his inaugural district nod after making 11 pitching starts, logging 60.1 innings, striking out a team‑high 54 batters and posting a 4.77 ERA.
A Tradition of Recognition
The trio brings Central’s total number of Academic All‑District honorees to 16 and marks the fourth consecutive year the Dutch have been represented on the district teams, underscoring a sustained culture of scholarly and athletic excellence.
To qualify, student‑athletes must be starters or key reserves at the varsity level and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, a benchmark these players have clearly achieved.