Aidan Sullivan ’26 is a junior outfielder from Cos Cob, CT, on the baseball team. The Canterbury High School graduate is a psychology and mathematics double major. Outside of the classroom he is a baseball game changer. Sullivan has broken the program record for single-season walks (43 in 2024), ranks second in single-season slugging percentage (0.767 in 2023), ranks third in single-season on-base percentage (0.559 in 2024), tied for third in career home runs (13), and tied for third all-time in single-season home runs (8). It’s clear that Sullivan has made a statement of his athletic caliber from the get-go. His awards include two-time D3 Baseball All-Region First Team (2023, 2024), ABCA All-Region Second Team (2024), Centennial Rookie of the Year (2023), All-Centennial First Team (2023), and All-Centennial Second Team (2024). As Swarthmore pushes into the latter half of its season, it is more than certain that Sullivan has much more to give in the upcoming games and post-season playoffs.
Katie Kerman: How did you feel about the recent wins against Muhlenberg College and the prospect of playoffs?
Aidan Sullivan: Those wins felt great. Muhlenberg is a team that always plays us tightly, so it felt great to take two wins from them. We are a confident group of guys that believes in ourselves, so we are feeling great heading into the playoffs.
KK: What have been some highlights of the season thus far?
AS: Beating the reigning national champion Misericordia University, or our trip down to North Carolina where we had the opportunity to play on an MLB field.
KK: What are some team or personal goals for the rest of the season?
AS: Right now, the two-seed for the playoff bracket is up for grabs, so securing that is a goal of ours right now.
KK: Do you have any pre-game or post-game rituals?
AS: Yes, myself and a teammate go to Wawa the night before games to get an energy drink for our game the next day.
KK: Do you have an athlete role model or someone in the sport you look up to?
AS: Growing up a Yankees fan, the obvious answer is Derek Jeter. The composure and grit that he played with is someone that I try to model my own game after.
KK: Why do you play baseball?
AS: Baseball has been ingrained into my identity ever since I was a little kid. It has served as an escape from my everyday life, and is something I always look forward to doing.
KK: Why did you choose Swarthmore? What is your area of study?
AS: A lot of my decision had to do with Coach Midkiff. On my visits, I could really sense the family-like atmosphere amongst the team, and felt like I could see myself fitting right in with the group of guys. I am studying both psychology and statistics.
KK: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore?
AS: My favorite class at Swarthmore would probably be Patterns of Asian Religions with Professor Hopkins or Multivariable Calculus with Professor Mavinga.
KK: How has being a student athlete impacted your experience at Swarthmore?
AS: Being a student-athlete here at Swarthmore has definitely made being a student here more challenging. However, the experience of being a student athlete has brought the best out of me, as it has forced me to be meticulous with my time. Moreover, being a member of the baseball team has given me a built-in group of best friends.
KK: What do you like to do outside of school and baseball?
AS: Outside of baseball and school, I love to cook and go on hikes.
KK: Do you have any favorite artists or movies?
AS: My favorite artist is Tyler Childers.
