WAYNE, N.J. – Graduate student Steve Yelin of the William Paterson baseball team was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Rawlings Sporting Goods National Position Player of the Year June 26.

Yelin becomes the first Pioneer in program history to earn the prestigious national award from the ABCA/Rawlings. Following his final campaign with William Paterson, he collected all-America and all-region recognition from the ABCA/Rawlings, on top of being tabbed the region 4 position player of the year.

The River Edge, N.J., native posted a .447 average, .527 on-base percentage and .824 slugging percentage while starting in all 40 contests this season. He totaled a team-best 76 hits, 23 doubles, 13 home runs, 70 RBI and 61 runs scored. He broke the program's career hits and doubles records in addition to compiling the fifth-best batting average by a Pioneer in single-season history.

In the national rankings, he finished inside the top-10 in doubles and RBI, while ranking inside the top-30 in runs scored, batting average, hits and slugging percentage.