POMONA, NY (May 21, 2024) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) today announced the 2024 Baseball Major Award winners and All-MAAC Teams, voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
Headlining major award winners in 2024 was MAAC Player of the Year Eric Rataczak of Niagara University. Rataczak, who was also the only unanimous player named to the All-MAAC First Team at the first base position, appeared in 50 games for the Purple Eagles this season, making 48 starts. The red-shirt junior was the league leader in batting average (.400), RBIs (65), RBIs per game (1.30), OPS (1.195) and slugging percentage (.705). Rataczak’s batting average also ranked 16
th in the nation. He was second on the MAAC leaderboard in hits per game (1.60), on-base percentage (.490), total bases (75), and toughest to strike out (10.0), while ranking third in hits (80), and home runs (15). He also scored 53 runs, which ranked fourth in the conference and hit 14 doubles, the seventh-best mark in the MAAC.
Fairfield University’s Colin McVeigh was named the unanimous MAAC Pitcher of the Year. A right-handed senior pitcher, McVeigh made 12 starts and 14 total appearances on the mound, earning a 9-2 record in 78.2 innings of work this year. Hailing from Lansdale, PA, he posted an ERA of 3.66, striking out 91 batters while only allowing 18 walks. McVeigh was the MAAC leader in victories, strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.06), WHIP (1.04), and walks allowed per nine innings (2.06). His earned runs average, hits allowed per nine innings (7.32), strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine innings (10.41) all ranked second in the league. Moreover, McVeigh’s nine wins were the 12
th most in the NCAA this season.
The MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year selection was Zach Cameron from Niagara. Cameron made 20 appearances out of the bullpen in 2024, earning a MAAC-most 10 saves, a mark that ranked ninth in the nation and two-times more than the next closest pitcher in the MAAC. The Ontario, Canada native pitched a total of 48.2 innings, posting an 8-1 record. Cameron’s eight wins were second in the conference, only trailing McVeigh. Additionally, he struck out 48 hitters, had an ERA of 3.14, and a WHIP of 1.19.
Deven Sheerin of Mount St. Mary’s University was honored as the MAAC Rookie of the Year. Sheerin, a right-handed pitcher from Reading, PA, took the mound 15 times, getting the starting nod twice in his rookie campaign. He recorded a 5-4 record, pitching 61.2 innings, with 99 strikeouts, an ERA of 4.82, one complete game, and one save. Sheerin was the league-leader in hits allowed per nine innings (5.84), strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings (14.45), which ranked eighth in the nation, and he also ranked second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.67) and WHIP (1.09). He was one of three freshmen named to an All-MAAC squad and the only freshman to earn a spot on the First Team.
Niagara head coach Rob McCoy was voted amongst his peers as the MAAC Coach of the Year. The winningest head coach in Purple Eagles history, McCoy is in his 16
th season at the helm of Niagara, leading the Purple Eagles to a 20-4 (.833) MAAC record and 35-15 (.700) overall mark in 2024. Niagara secured a share of the MAAC Regular Season title, the first in program history. The Purple Eagles are the hottest team in the league, riding a MAAC-best five-game winning streak heading into postseason action. At the plate, McCoy’s squad ranked first in scoring, accounting for 8.4 runs per game. On the mound, his unit led the conference in hits allowed per nine innings, giving up 9.15. Niagara’s .700 overall winning, also led the MAAC and was the 23
rd best percentage nationally. The Purple Eagles were also the only team in league with an overall win percentage above .600 and the only conference team this season with under 20 total defeats.
The full list of major award winners and All-MAAC Teams are below.
| 2024 Baseball Major Awards |
| Awards |
Player |
School |
| Player of the Year |
Eric Rataczak |
Niagara |
| Pitcher of the Year |
Colin McVeigh* |
Fairfield |
| Relief Pitcher of the Year |
Zach Cameron |
Niagara |
| Rookie of the Year |
Deven Sheerin |
Mount St. Mary's |
| Coach of the Year |
Rob McCoy |
Niagara |
| All-MAAC First Team |
| Player |
Class |
Position |
School |
| Ethan Hibbard |
Gr. |
Catcher |
Fairfield |
| Eric Rataczak* |
R-Jr. |
First Base |
Niagara |
| Zach Selinger |
Gr. |
Second Base |
Fairfield |
| Daniel Perez |
R-So. |
Second Base |
Manhattan |
| Dean Ferrara |
Jr. |
Third Base |
Fairfield |
| Chase Swain |
So. |
Shortstop |
Manhattan |
| Jackson Strong |
Jr. |
Outfield |
Canisius |
| Matt Bucciero |
So. |
Outfield |
Fairfield |
| Josiah Ragsdale |
So. |
Outfield |
Iona |
| Colin McVeigh |
Sr. |
Pitcher |
Fairfield |
| Deven Sheerin |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Mount St. Mary's |
| PJ Craig |
So. |
Pitcher |
Rider |
| Scott Seeker |
Sr. |
Designated Hitter |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Ethan Conrad |
So. |
Utility |
Marist |
| All-MAAC Second Team |
| Player |
Class |
Position |
School |
| Ashby Vining |
Jr. |
Catcher |
Saint Peter's |
| Matt Bergevin |
Sr. |
First Base |
Fairfield |
| Joe Tiroly |
Fr. |
Second Base |
Rider |
| Drew Wyers |
So. |
Third Base |
Manhattan |
| Luke Nomura |
So. |
Shortstop |
Fairfield |
| Nick Groves |
So. |
Outfield |
Niagara |
| Nick Monile |
Fr. |
Outfield |
Niagara |
| Jared Zimbardo |
Sr. |
Outfield |
Quinnipiac |
| Brendan Yagesh |
So. |
Pitcher |
Mount St. Mary's |
| Zach Cameron |
Gr. |
Pitcher |
Niagara |
| Ryan Minckler |
R-So. |
Pitcher |
Niagara |
| Trevor Hansen |
So. |
Designated Hitter |
Manhattan |
| Carlin Dick |
Sr. |
Utility |
Canisius |
| MAAC All-Rookie Team |
| Player |
Class |
Position |
School |
| Ben Alekson |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Fairfield |
| Carter Groen |
Fr. |
Outfield |
Iona |
| Vincent Davis |
Fr. |
Infield |
Manhattan |
| Michael Staiano |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Manhattan |
| Deven Sheerin |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Mount St. Mary's |
| Rees Kozar |
Fr. |
Catcher/Outfield |
Niagara |
| Nick Monile |
Fr. |
Outfield |
Niagara |
| Kyle Neri |
R-Fr. |
Outfield |
Rider |
| Joe Tiroly |
Fr. |
Infield |
Rider |
| Tyler Figueroa |
Fr. |
Infield |
Siena |
*Denotes Unanimous Selection
The 2024 MAAC Baseball Championship returns to Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY for the third straight season. The six-team double elimination championship, will take place from May 22-25. For all information regarding the 2024 MAAC Baseball Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/baseball.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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