EDISON, NJ— The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced its 2025 Baseball All-MAAC teams and Major Award Winners on Tuesday morning. The Iona University baseball team garnered four All-MAAC selections and one major award as announced by the league office.
Freshman
Sean Stephenson became the first player in program history to receive MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. Graduate student
James Kemp was named to the All-MAAC First Team at first base and senior
Andrelys Payamps was named to the All-MAAC Second Team at starting pitcher. As for the rookies, Stephenson was joined by freshman
Justin Trinidad on the All-MAAC Rookie Team.
Sean stephenSon
Stephenson won MAAC Rookie of the Week three times this season, in route to winning MAAC Rookie of the Year. Stephenson was a core piece atop the Gael batting order, hitting .341 while slugging .517 with an on base percentage of .410. Stephenson launched seven homers in his rookie season, but none more clutch than his go ahead nine inning shot against Merrimack late in the season.
He started his season off on a seven game hitting streak in which he had four multi hit games. He finished with 22 multi hit games on the season and had a stretch of four straight games with multi hit showings. He was also able to swipe five bases on the year as he went on to produce the greatest rookie season in program history.
During his first Rooke of the Week award, he produced four multi-hit games. Producing ten hits, six RBIs and seven runs scored. When he won his second award, this time he went for eight hits, four of which were extra base hits, driving in six runs and stole one base. He had two home runs and scored as a run four times. Finally when he claimed his third award, Stephenson tallied six hits, three RBIs and five runs scored.
Jimmy Kemp
Kemp had a historic season in a Gael uniform breaking the single season RBI record with 57 and winning MAAC player of the week once. He started all 52 games this season and led the Gaels in almost all hitting stats. Kemp batted .365 on the year and produced a 1.103 OPS, going for 12 doubles, 2 triples, and 12 home runs. He scored 41 runs and drew 33 walks while getting plunked 12 times. He had a .478 on base percentage which also was a new program record for single season.
Some of his best games included a four hit game at Hofstra, a five hit six RBI game at Seton Hall, and his walk off win against Siena when he reached 100 career RBIs. On the season he produced two walk offs, with the first coming against the Mount back in March. This marks the second season in a row a Gael position player earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team.
Payamps produced a strong season starting in 13 games and collecting a win in four of them. As a mainstay in the Gaels weekend rotation, he pitched to the tune of a 4.52 era while striking out 72, 23 of which were caught looking, in 65.2 innings pitched. He allowed just a .235 average and had a 1.38 WHIP.
The New York City native produced his best start of the season against Rider, going seven innings allowing one run and striking out 11 in a massive victory for the Gaels. He also went 6.2 shut out innings against Canisius, striking out nine in a win. Payamps ranked third in the conference in strikeouts and was 7th for ERA.
Trinidad earned All-MAAC Rookie Team honors with a strong performance in conference play, going for a 2.49 ERA. Overall, Justin pitched to a 3.72 ERA striking out 27 in 36.1 innings. He appeared in 12 games, and started in five games. He did not allow a home run on the season and allowed a .298 batting average. Trinidad is the third Iona pitcher to make the All-MAAC Rookie Team, with Hunter Sibley and Blake Helmstetter being the other two.
