EDISON, NJ (July 16, 2025) – Iona University’s Michael Faughnan and Marist University’s Kiley Myers have been named as the 2024-25 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Student-Athletes of the Year, announced today by the league office.
Faughnan, a member of the Iona men’s swimming & diving team, earned MAAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year for the second straight season, becoming the fifth male to win the award in back-to-back academic years, the first repeat winner since Chartt Miller (Iona, Cross Country/Track) won the honor in three straight years from 2015-16 to 2017-18. He is the 15
th recipient of the Male Student-Athlete of the Year award from Iona – the most male honorees among all current and former MAAC members – with the Gaels having secured four out of the last five awards, and eight out of the past 10 awards dating back to 2015-16. Overall, this is the 19
th MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year selection from Iona, which also leads the conference all-time.
Myers, who competes in softball, is the seventh MAAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year from Marist – the most female selections all-time among MAAC schools – becoming the first Red Fox to win the honor since Willow Duffell (Women’s Basketball) in 2020-21. In total, she is the eighth overall MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year recipient from Marist.
“I want to congratulate the 2024-25 MAAC Student-Athletes of the Year, Michael and Kiley,” said MAAC Commissioner, Travis Tellitocci. “These two outstanding student-athletes exemplified the MAAC mantra of excellence in academics and athletics during their time on campus and have left an indelible mark on the conference. We’re proud of their outstanding achievements and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors!”
A native of Hopewell Junction, NY, Faughnan became the first national champion in Iona swimming history, winning titles in the 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle at the National Invitational Championship (NIC). Faughnan helped lead the team to a thirteenth place finish out of the 48 team championship field, up from 18
th in 2024, at the NIC. He was named MAAC Most Outstanding Swimmer at the 2025 MAAC Swimming & Diving Championships, an honor he earned for the third straight year, after garnering seven gold medals at the meet. Faughnan won individual titles in the both the 500-yard and 200-yard freestyles and the 200-yard backstroke, setting MAAC Championship Records in all three events. He was a leg on four Iona record breaking relay quartets at MAACs including the 200-yard medley, 400-yard medley, 400-yard freestyle, and 800-yard freestyle relays. Faughnan was also a two-time MAAC Swimmer of the week during the 2024-25 season. During his stellar career, Faughnan was a two-time MAAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year (2023-24 and 2024-25), a three-time MAAC Men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer (2023, 2024, and 2025), a four-time NIC qualifier (2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025), and a 16-time MAAC gold medalists which included four straight in the 200-yard freestyle and three straight in both the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard backstroke. Moreover, he holds 12 Iona program records, owning seven individual times and five relay times. Academically, he holds two degrees from Iona, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 2024 and an MBA in 2025, graduating with a 3.71 (undergraduate) and a 3.88 (graduate) grade point averages, respectively. He was a four-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree, a 2024-25 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America and All-District choice, and a member of Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting) Academic Honor Society.
A six-time varsity letter winner and five year starter as a pitcher for Marist softball, Myers was a two-time MAAC Softball Champion, winning the 2025 MAAC crown to cap off her career. During the 2025 campaign, she recorded a 23-2 record with two saves and tied for the nation’s lead with 11 shutouts and setting Marist’s single-season program record with 23 wins. Myers struck out 114 batters against just 20 walks in 147.1 innings of work, posting a 1.66 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and allowing the opposition to hit just .215 against her. She tossed 17 complete games, which included two no-hitters (LIU, Feb. 21; Canisius, April 1), the program’s first since 2016. After a historic 2025 regular season for the Red Foxes, Myers led Marist to the MAAC Championship title and secured her second Most Outstanding Player award at the MAAC Championship, having also won it in 2023, making her one of six players in MAAC history to lockup the honor twice. Marist would go on to set a school record for wins (48), earning the first #3 seed at NCAA Regionals of any MAAC team, while Myers pitched a shutout over Saint Francis as Marist earned its first NCAA victory in program history. For her career, Myers won 61 games, the fourth most in program history and most in head coach Joe Ausanio’s 17-year tenure. She finished her career ranked second in program history in appearances (123), fourth in innings pitched (613.1), fourth in complete games (64), fourth in strikeouts (465), and sixth in ERA (2.39). Additionally, Myers was the 2024 MAAC Co-Pitcher of the Year, a three-time All-MAAC selection (First Team in 2024 and 2025 and Second Team in 2023), a three-time NFCA All-Region pick (First Team in 2025, Second Team 2023, and Third Team in 2024), and an All-ECAC choice in 2025. Myers recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA as a graduate student (MBA) and held a 3.91 GPA as an undergraduate earning a degree in Criminal Justice. She is a four-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection, a three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection (2023, 2024, 2025), and an eight-time selection to the Marist’s Dean’s List.
To be eligible for the MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at a full-time MAAC member institution, compete in a sport sponsored by the MAAC and completed one full academic year at the institution. The student-athlete must also have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale and be a significant starter or reserve for his/her team(s).
Honorable Mention recognition was awarded to the following nominees:
Canisius University: Ella Johel (Softball) & Ryan Edholm (Men’s Golf)
Fairfield University: Maddy Theriault (Women’s Soccer) & Matthew Bucciero (Baseball)
Iona University: Kira Varada (Women’s Lacrosse)
Manhattan University: Brooke Zimmer (Women’s Soccer) & Dimitri Mihelakos (Men’s Golf)
Marist University: Josh Balcarcel (Men’s Lacrosse)
Merrimack College: Prakruthi Sastry (Women’s Golf) & Brian Bouwman (Men’s Lacrosse)
Mount St. Mary’s University: Meghan Speicher (Women’s Track & Field) & Arran Fahey (Men’s Track & Field)
Niagara University: Bella Peroni (Volleyball) & Braden York (Men’s Cross Country)
Quinnipiac University: Alessandra Zaffina (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field) & Daniel Velek (Men’s Tennis)
Rider University: Hailey Palmer (Women’s Track & Field) & Joe Tiroly (Baseball)
Sacred Heart University: Camryn Luginbuhl (Volleyball) & Ethan Phillips (Men’s Golf)
Saint Peter’s University: Tai Turner (Softball) & Ashby Vining (Baseball)
Siena College: Grace Dobrzynski (Women’s Lacrosse) & Pratt Reynolds (Men’s Lacrosse)
| Male Student-Athletes of the Year |
| Year |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Sport |
| 2001-02 |
Matthew Spring |
Manhattan College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2002-03 |
David Bennett |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2003-04 |
Magnus Ahlen |
Manhattan College |
Track & Field |
| 2004-05 |
Richard Kiplagat |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2005-06 |
Richard Kiplagat |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2006-07 |
Timothy Bayley |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2007-08 |
Michael Mulieri |
Loyola University (MD)* |
Golf |
| 2008-09 |
Andrew Ledwith |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2009-10 |
Ryan Sheridan |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2010-11 |
Sean Jamieson |
Canisius College |
Baseball |
| 2011-12 |
Mitch Goose |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2012-13 |
Mitch Goose |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2013-14 |
Connor Panas |
Canisius College |
Baseball |
| 2014-15 |
Connor Panas |
Canisius College |
Baseball |
| 2015-16 |
Chartt Miller |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2016-17 |
Chartt Miller |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2017-18 |
Chartt Miller |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2018-19 |
Johannes Motschmann |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2019-20 |
Justin Carey |
Rider University |
Swimming & Diving |
| 2020-21 |
Jack O’Leary |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2021-22 |
Ehab El-Sandali |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2022-23 |
Charlie Pagliarini |
Fairfield University |
Baseball |
| 2023-24 |
Michael Faughnan |
Iona University |
Swimming & Diving |
| 2024-25 |
Michael Faughnan |
Iona University |
Swimming & Diving |
| *Former MAAC Member |
| Female Student-Athletes of the Year |
| Year |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Sport |
| 2001-02 |
Melissa Santos |
Fairfield University |
Softball |
| Valentina Zaharieva |
Saint Peter’s University |
Volleyball |
| 2002-03 |
Milena Matijevic |
Niagara University |
Tennis |
| 2003-04 |
Jenel Stevens |
Canisius College |
Basketball |
| Milena Matijevic |
Niagara University |
Tennis |
| 2004-05 |
Miriam Al-Shikarchy |
Niagara University |
Tennis |
| 2005-06 |
Ali Andrzejewski |
Loyola University (MD)* |
Soccer |
| Liz Hubbard |
Siena College |
Volleyball |
| 2006-07 |
Alisa Kresge |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2007-08 |
Katie Miranto |
Canisius College |
Softball |
| 2008-09 |
Ahna Johnson |
Fairfield University |
Soccer |
| 2009-10 |
Rachele Fitz |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2010-11 |
Teresa Healey |
Niagara University |
Softball |
| 2011-12 |
Corielle Yarde |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2012-13 |
Katie Conard |
Marist College |
Swimming |
| 2013-14 |
Kate Avery |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2014-15 |
Kate Avery |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2015-16 |
Tara Jameson |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2016-17 |
Erica Evans |
Canisius College |
Lacrosse |
| 2017-18 |
Megan Theiller |
Fairfield University |
Volleyball |
| 2018-19 |
Hailey Wagner |
Marist College |
Lacrosse |
| 2019-20 |
Stella Johnson |
Rider University |
Basketball |
| 2020-21 |
Nicole Ceraso |
Monmouth University* |
Lacrosse |
| Willow Duffell |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2021-22 |
Sophie Murphy |
Iona University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2022-23 |
Olivia Lomascolo |
Siena College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2023-24 |
Teagan Schein-Becker |
Rider University |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2024-25 |
Kiley Myers |
Marist University |
Softball |
| *Former MAAC Member |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 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 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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