Alum Named All-MAAC First Team
in Baseball
James Beck crushed the baseball for Iona College this spring, earning All-MAAC first team honors. The 2008 Huntington High School graduate was one of the top batters in the conference and was legitimately feared by opposing pitchers.
Beck, who wears uniform No. 27, earned his third varsity letter. He played in 50 games for the Gaels, starting 48 of them and appearing at catcher, first base and designated hitter.
The former Blue Devil star once again proved he belongs in NCAA Division I. Beck batted .339, second highest on Iona and 13th best in the conference. He belted out a MAAC leading 23 doubles and swatted two triples and seven homeruns (5th in conference).
Beck connected for 68 hits (8th in conference), 33 of which came in conference play (5th best), collected 42 RBIs (7th in conference), 29 runs scored and 20 bases on balls. He had a .597 slugging average, fifth highest in the MAAC.
The Huntington alum was also landed a spot on the MAAC All-Academic baseball team for the second straight year, notching a 3.42 grade point average. In all, 51 conference baseball players qualified for the all-academic squad, which requires a 3.2 grade point average over a minimum of two semesters.
Beck enjoyed a breakthrough season as a sophomore, leading the Gaels in hitting with a .341 average. The Blue Devil great broke into Iona's starting line-up during the season and banged out 44 hits, including 10 doubles and five homeruns, scored 23 runs, had 34 RBIs and compiled a slugging average of .535.
Beck earned varsity letters in three sports at Huntington High School, contributing to the Blue Devil football, basketball and baseball teams. He was All-League three consecutive years in baseball, All-Division in football as a senior and a Suffolk Gold Key Award recipient. A fine student, he garnered a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Award.
The junior is majoring in marketing at Iona.