ROCHESTER, NY - The Utica University baseball team produced a program record of 15 Empire 8 All-Conference selections, as announced by the league on Tuesday. 11 different players garnered All-Empire 8 accolades highlighted by Rookie of the Year, Kooper Knabe (Cortland, NY/Cortland), and Brendan May (McGraw, NY/McGraw), who earned three different all-league honors. 
 
Kooper Knabe (Cortland, NY/Cortland) became the program's first-ever Empire 8 Rookie of the Year winner, as well as its first-ever major award winner, while also earning first team honors as starting pitcher. The freshman tied the program single-season record for seven wins while posting the ninth-lowest ERA (2.17) in a single season in program history. Over 54 innings, Knabe allowed just 46 hits and 16 walks while striking out 46. He tallied four complete games and two shutouts on the season as well, both marks finishing atop of E8 ranks. Knabe also totaled one Empire 8 Pitcher of the Week honor and four Empire 8 Rookie of the Week awards this season. 
 
Brendan May (McGraw, NY/McGraw) totaled three all-conference selections as first team shortstop, first team utility and third team relief pitcher, bringing his career total to five All-E8 selections. He is the first player in program history to earn three all-conference honors in a single season. At the plate, May slashed .331/.449/.471 with 45 hits on 12 doubles, two triples and a home run. He also scored 40 runs and drove in 29 himself. On the mound, he became the all-time program saves leader with his third and final save of the season against Medaille on April 22. In 16.2 innings over 11 outings, including one start, he posted a 2-2 record on a 3.78 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a .224 opponent batting average. 
 
Nathan Yantz (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) was named to the All-Empire 8 First Team at catcher and was also Utica's recipient of the Sportsman of the year award. In 48 at-bats, Yantz hit .396 with 10 RBIs over his 19 hits, five of which going for extra-bases. One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2023 Empire 8 Baseball Sportsman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
 
John Son (Mellville, NY/Half Hollow Hills) received All-Empire 8 First Team honors as an outfielder for the second all-league honor of his career. Son tied the single-season program record with 43 RBIs this season and also became the 18th player in program history to reach 100 career hits. Over a team high 147 trips to the plate, Son slashed .347/.408/.571 while 20 of his 51 hits went for extra-bases (11 doubles, five triples, four home runs). In the field he finished with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over 68 putouts and one assist. He also earned one Empire 8 Player of the Week honor this year. 
 
Joe Battista (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) earned his third consecutive All-Empire 8 honor as the first team designated hitter. Over 106 at-bats, Battista hit .292 while posting a .425 slugging percentage. He drove in 27 runs on the year while 11 of his 31 hits went for extra-bases. Battista also drew 18 walks to just 13 strikeouts and finished as the team leader with six sacrifice hits. Earlier this season, he became the 17th player in program history to reach 100 career hits. 
 
Steve Sclafani (North Massapequa, NY/Farmingdale) was named to the All-Empire 8 Second Team at second base for the first All-E8 honor of his career. Over 29 games and 73 at-bats, Sclafani hit .288 with 22 runs scored and 15 runs driven in. He also posted a .449 on-base percentage, much thanks to his ability to have drawn 19 walks. 
 
Dom Fasolo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) earned Second Team Empire 8 All-Conference honors as an outfielder for the first All-E8 honor of his career. Fasolo led the Pioneers with a .384 batting average (43-112) and totaled 11 doubles, three home runs and a pair of triples. Fasolo also posted a .598 slugging percentage which ranked first on the team and fifth in the conference. He finished the year with 32 RBIs and 27 runs scored as well. 
 
Dylan Sullivan (West Orange, NJ/Columbia) was named to the All-Empire 8 Second Team as a relief pitcher following a tremendous freshman season. Over 27.1 innings of work, Sullivan posted a 4-0 record on the back of a 2.30 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He earned two saves on the season and recorded 25 strikeouts to just 12 walks issued. Sullivan also held opponents to an impressive .194 batting average and earned two Empire 8 Rookie of the Week honors this year. 
 
Jack Bono (Frankfort, NY/Frankfort-Schuyler) earned his first career All-Empire 8 honor as a third team first baseman. Over 58 at-bats, Bono hit .345 while posting a .506 on-base percentage. He also drove him 14 runs and came across to score 15 times. In the field, he posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on 124 putouts and eight assists with 10 double plays turned. 
 
John Longeretta (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) was also a first team All-Empire 8 recipient as he was named to the third team as a third baseman. In his first full season as the starting third baseman, Longeretta hit .320 (32-100) with three doubles, a triple and one home run. He also scored 28 runs and drove in 18 with 17 walks worked to just 14 strikeouts. 
 
Joe Crossley (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) was named to his second consecutive All-Empire 8 team as a third team outfielder. Crossley hit .281 over 135 at-bats and set a single-season program record with 45 runs scored. With that, he also drove in 27 runs and, just as he did last season, slashed his leather over each of his 37 outings. He totaled a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 69 putouts and 2 assists in center field.