Past Award Winners

2012 All-Academic Team

2012 MAAC Baseball Awards Banquet

Troy, N.Y. - Iona College third baseman Chris Burke has been named the 2012 MAAC Baseball Player of the Year and headlines the 2012 All-MAAC Teams, as voted on by the league's head coaches.

Burke, a 6-1 senior from Islip, N.Y., was a Triple Crown threat throughout the MAAC season. He led the league with a .409 batting average, over .30 points better than the next hitter, and was second in both home runs (5) and RBI (26). Overall, Burke hit .351 in 53 games with 11 home runs, 50 RBI, 20 doubles, 44 runs scored, and 23 steals. He had 127 total bases and a .422 on-base percentage. He is the first Gael to win the award since 2000.

Rider University's Mike Murphy, a 6-2 sophomore from Hamilton, N.J., was named the 2012 MAAC Pitcher of the Year. Murphy, who red-shirted in 2011 due to injury, rebounded to post a 2.86 ERA in 13 starts. He surrendered less than a hit per inning and struck out 55 batters. The right-hander went 5-1 in MAAC games, the best win percentage in the conference, and held all opponents to a .255 average against. Murphy becomes Rider's second Pitcher of the Year in three seasons.

Canisius College's Jon Fitzsimmons was voted as the 2012 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year. Fitzsimmons, a 6-2 sophomore right-hander from London, Ontario, led the league with 11 saves during the regular season, tied for the fourth most all-time in MAAC history. Five of those saves came in conference games, tied for the most in the league. In eight and two-thirds innings against league opponents, Fitzsimmons did not allow a run and struck out 13. Overall, he posted a 0.82 ERA with only two runs allowed in 22 innings and 29 strikeouts. He is Canisius' first recipient of the Relief Pitcher of the Year award, which was first handed out in 2004.

Canisius' Devon Stewart was chosen as the 2011 MAAC Rookie of the Year after going 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA. Stewart, a right-hander from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, had three complete games and one shutout in 14 starts during his freshman campaign. He struck out 53 batters in 86.2 innings and allowed just two home runs. Stewart is the Griffs' third Rookie winner after having back-to-back honorees in 2007-08.    

Fairfield University head coach Bill Currier was selected as the Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year. In his first year in charge of the Stags, Currier led Fairfield to a program record 27 wins and the team's first MAAC Championship appearance since 2000. He served as Fairfield's Associate Head Coach in 2011 after 22 seasons as the head coach at the University of Vermont. Currier is the fourth Stags' coach to receive the honor, but the first since the conference eliminated the divisional format in 2000.

The All-MAAC First Team has Manhattan College's Ramon Ortega at catcher, Niagara University's Ryan McCauley at first base, and Iona's Burke at the other corner. Manhattan's double-play combination of Nick Camastro and Yoandry Galan take the spots at second base and shortstop, respectively. The outfield features Manhattan's Anthony Vega, Niagara's Wynton Bernard, and Rider's Brandon Cotten. Rider's Ian Lindsay is the designated hitter and Niagara's Eric Hink fills the utility slot. Rider's Murphy and Manhattan's John Soldinger are the pitchers. 

The All-MAAC Second Team includes Iona's James Beck behind the plate, Marist College's Mike Orefice at first, Iona's Eric Capowski at second, and Canisius' Drew Petit at third base. The shortstop position is shared by Fairfield's Larry Cornelia and Saint Peter's College's Justyn Carter. Fairfield's Ryan Plourde, Marist's Jake Berry, and Siena College's John Rooney make up the outfield. Niagara's Joel Klock is the designated hitter and Saint Peter's Matt Speckmann is the utility player. Canisius' Garrett Cortright and Marist's Chad Gallagher form the pitching duo. 

2012 ALL-MAAC BASEBALL FIRST TEAM

2012 ALL-MAAC BASEBALL SECOND TEAM

MAAC Player of the Year

Chris Burke, Iona College

MAAC Pitcher of the Year

Mike Murphy, Rider University

MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year

Jon Fitzsimmons, Canisius College

MAAC Rookie of the Year

Devon Stewart, Canisius College

Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year

Bill Currier, Fairfield University