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Bridgewater, NJ -- Central Connecticut and LIU were neck-and-neck all year long at the top of the Northeast Conference (NEC) standings, with the race for first place coming down to the final weekend. And when it came time for the postseason voting, the NEC powers also split the league’s two most prestigious individual honors.
Completing a year as one of the most dominant hitters in the country, CCSU senior second baseman
Aidan Redahan (Greenwich, CT/Brunswick School) became the first Blue Devil since 2010 to garner NEC Player of the Year honors.
At the same time, LIU’s veteran ace
Garrett Yawn (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark (Moorpark College)) earned his flowers after being voted the NEC Pitcher of the Year, capping off a dominant season for the regular season champions. In doing so, he became the first Shark to take home the honor since 2022 and fourth overall.
In his 26th year at the helm in New Britain, CCSU's
Charlie Hickey tied the league record by claiming his fifth NEC Coach of the Year award after piloting the Blue Devils to a 23-7 campaign in conference play.
History was made in Easton, MA, as sophomore outfielder
Grayson Sparr (Pawtucket, RI/Wheeler) earned Stonehill’s first major NEC baseball award with his crowning as NEC Rookie of the Year.
One of the nation’s most dangerous hitters, Redahan finished the regular season as the NCAA leader in both batting average (.462) and hits per game (1.88). He also ranks second nationally in RBIs per game (1.57), 11th in runs per game (1.38), 13th in on-base percentage (.522), 27th in slugging percentage (.737), 31st in total RBIs (66) and 35th in total hits (79). A three-time NEC Player of the Week, Redahan dominated within the league as well, pacing the conference in batting average, slugging, OBP, OPS (1.259), runs (58), hits, and RBIs. He was especially lethal in NEC games, where he hit .513 and led the league in OBP (.579), hits (60), and RBIs (50), while ranking second in slugging (.761), OPS (1.340), runs (45), and doubles (12).
Redahan is the first player from the NEC to the lead the country in batting average since Bryant’s Liam McGill in 2021 and in hits per game since the Bulldogs’ Ryan Ward in 2018.
The senior second baseman is the fourth Blue Devil to be tabbed NEC Player of the Year, joining Tim D’Aquila (2003), Keith Stegbauer (2004) and Sean Allaire (2010).
Landing on the All-NEC first team in back-to-back years, Yawn took his game to a whole new level in 2025. The senior righty was a workhorse all season, tying for the league lead with nine wins while pacing the NEC in both strikeouts (98) and innings pitched (88.1). Yawn also posted the second-best ERA (3.97) and ranked seventh in opposing BA (.247). In league play, Yawn achieved the unofficial pitching “Triple Crown” as he finished his conference campaign with the top ERA (2.65), most strikeouts (98) and tied for the most wins (8) through 10 starts against NEC opponents. Yawn joined CCSU’s Dominic Niman (2023) as the only athletes to achieve the feat since 2011. The Golden State native was the lone NEC hurler to toss multiple shutouts (2), with both coming against conference foes. The three-time NEC Pitcher of the Week posted a 1.257 WHIP for the regular season. In the national rankings, Yawn’s nine victories rank 12th in the country while his 98 strikeouts are 22nd in DI.
After missing the entirety of his freshman year due to injury, Sparr pieced together quite the comeback campaign in his debut season of college ball. The sophomore outfielder ranks in the NEC top-10 in six different stat categories including RBIs (48, 3rd), BA (.348, 5th), slugging percentage (.590, 5th), OPS (1.055, 5th), home runs (10, 8th) and OBP (.465, 9th). The three-time NEC Prime Performer led all rookies in those respective categories. Starting all 30 conference games, Sparr hit at a .381 clip (9th in the NEC) and smacked 43 hits (tied for 6th), which again were the best marks among league rookies. The Pawtucket, RI native is a key contributor to a groundbreaking Skyhawks squad that is making its first NEC Championship appearance and just registered its first 20-win season as a Division I program. In addition to his NEC Rookie of the Year selection, Sparr was tabbed to the All-NEC first team.
Arriving in New Britain ahead of the 2000 season, Hickey is the undisputed dean of NEC baseball coaches, and has guided the Blue Devils eight conference crowns. CCSU will be making its 20th conference tournament appearance - the most in league history - after going 23-7 in league play. After dropping their NEC opener, the Blue Devils rattled off 19 straight conference wins - the longest streak by an NEC team since Monmouth won 16 in a row in 2002 - en route to their fourth 20-win NEC season. At the plate, CCSU was one of the top hitting teams in the nation as its .335 BA ranks second in DI, while its .444 OBP sits fifth nationally. The Blue Devils caught fire at the plate once NEC play began, leading the league with a .352 team batting average, 302 runs scored, 280 RBIs, a .545 slugging percentage, a .466 on-base percentage and 197 walks. After posting 28 regular season wins, it marked the 19th season CCSU has amassed 25+ victories under the tutelage of Hickey.
AWARD WINNER HIGHLIGHTS
CCSU and Stonehill led the way with five All-NEC selections apiece, while LIU and Wagner had four players each earn All-Conference laurels. The four playoff-bound teams combined for 12 of the 13 All-NEC first team picks with the Blue Devils and Skyhawks showcasing four all-stars apiece on the top squad.
Redahan was joined on the first team by a trio of Blue Devils: third baseman
Chris Brown (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull (UConn/USC)), starting pitcher
Vincent Borghese (Southington, CT/Southington (Post U.)) and reliever
Wyatt Cameron (Salisbury, VT/Middlebury (New England College)).
During his first season in the blue and white, Brown paced the league with 46 runs and 14 doubles in conference play while posting the second-best OBP (.549) and second-most RBIs (40). On the mound, Borghese tossed a national-best six complete games on his way to nine wins. The junior righty rifled 74 strikeouts against NEC opponents to rank second on the circuit. In 27.0 innings of relief work, Cameron notched two wins and four saves with all his decisions coming against conference foes. His 2.00 ERA was the best among NEC relievers, improving from a 5.00 mark a year ago.
Leading the way for a Wagner squad that nabbed the No. 2 seed in the NEC Tournament after winning a program-best 23 league games, outfielder
Bryce Phelps (Denver, IA/Denver (Southeastern CC (IA))) and starting pitcher
Jake Toporek (Dana Point, CA/TVT Community Day School) took home first team accolades for the Seahawks. Hitting .404 heading into the postseason, Phelps is one of only two NEC players batting .400 or better this year. His 72 hits ranks him second in the conference. Toporek was lights out on the mound against league rivals, finishing the regular season with a perfect 8-9 record and the top ERA (3.29). The senior southpaw limited opposing batters to a .221 BA (2nd in NEC) while pitching the third-most innings (82.0) of all conference pitchers.
Stonehill soared to new heights after boasting its first NEC all-stars on the diamond in program history. Grad student
Jack Thorbahn (Hingham, MA/Thayer Academy (Northeastern)) earned the first baseman spot on the All-NEC first team after cracking a league-leading 16 homers and ranking third in slugging percentage (.652), OPS (1.120) and runs scored (54). It was a good year to be named Aidan in Easton as both junior
Aidan Cohall (Bronx, NY/Walter Panas (St. John’s) and sophomore
Aidan Sengenberger (Barrington, NH/Governor Dummer Academy) earned first team nods. Cohall was one of the elite power hitters in the league, wrapping the regular season with 14 round trippers, a conference-best 18 doubles and the second-best slugging percentage (.723), OPS (1.165) and RBIs (59) in the loop. An elite defensive backstop, Sengenberger caught 13 runners stealing while posting .992 fielding percentage on the year. He hit .331 with five homers and 33 RBIs.
LIU junior shortstop
Ryan Rivera (San Diego, CA/San Marcos) accompanied teammate Yawn on the first team to give the regular season champs two first team distinctions. A NEC Player of the Week award winner on April 15, River was one of four batters to hit over .400 in NEC play with a .420 average, which ranked third on the circuit, while racking up 50 hits, the second-most against league opponents. Power-hitting LIU senior first baseman
Jack Power (Northampton, MA/Northampton) earned repeat second-team honors after tying for second-most home runs (15) in the conference.
Norfolk State junior outfielder
Justin Journette (Richmond, VA/Hermitage) upgraded his second team laurels to a first team honor this season. The junior outfielder hit 15 moonshots (2nd in NEC) and compiled the fourth-best slugging percentage (.645) and OPS (1.074).
In its debut season as a NEC member, Mercyhurst earned a pair of All-NEC second team plaudits thanks to outfielder
Eric Chorba (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) and starting pitcher
Jacob Bazala (Scottdale, PA/Norwin).
Coppin State claimed two pitchers’ spots on the second team for its first-ever All-NEC honors, earned by starter
Reagan Rivera (San Diego, CA/San Diego) and reliever
Justin Ritz (Portsmouth, VA/Ramstein (Alderson Broaddus Univ.)). Rivera recorded the second-most strikeouts (97) in the NEC while Ritz tied for a league-leading six saves.
Sophomore catcher
Cooper Romich (North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili) became the first Le Moyne player tabbed an NEC all-star on the diamond with his second team selection.
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 44th season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#8). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#87). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.