The Rider News 2024-25 men’s and women’s players of the year

By Samantha Clark and Benjamin Shinault

Michael Palmer

Junior jumper Michael Palmer’s collegiate record is getting better and better by the day as the field star will add another honor to his record as he has been named The Rider News’ 2024-25 men’s player of the year after a poll published in the April 23 edition of The Rider News.

Palmer racked up awards left and right ever since he stepped on the track at Rider. Most recently, Palmer was named field performer of the week by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for the second time this season for his performance at the Duke Invitational for the week of April 15.

The 2.10-meter mark placed Palmer third all-time in Rider’s history, was the best in the MAAC and could qualify Palmer for the NCAA Championships. 

Palmer also had a great deal of success at the Rider 4 Way meet on March 29 as he picked up a win in the high jump and set a personal record in the long jump with a winning leap of 6.67 meters.

Palmer is the first member of Rider’s track team to win a Rider News player of the year award since Teagan Schein-Becker in 2023.

“It’s a pretty surreal moment,” Palmer said of receiving the award. “At Rider, basketball and wrestling are like the big sports when you think of Rider, so I think being able to be granted this award is something that’s big for the track program.”

At the Indoor MAAC Championships in February, Palmer took home the field most outstanding performer award as he captured the MAAC title in high jump. The success was not new for the Hawthorne, New Jersey, native as a few months after, Palmer also took home the Outdoor MAAC Championship field most outstanding performer honor after winning the triple jump as well as finishing second in long jump.

With that, Palmer took home All-East honors, awarded by the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

“I’d say I’m a man of faith, so when it comes down to it, I want to give all the glory to the man above, Jesus Christ, because without him, I know I wouldn’t be in the place I’m at now,” Palmer said.

With one more year of eligibility, Palmer looks to keep snapping records and racking up points for the Broncs in the future.

The Rider News will publish a feature story on Palmer in its April 23 issue.

Mariah Stephens

At the close of her fourth and final year as a Bronc, senior jumper, sprinter and hurdler, Mariah Stephens was voted The Rider News’ 2024-25 women’s player of the year after a poll published in the April 2 edition of The Rider News.

Going into the 2024-25 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in New York, Stephens’ final time competing in one of the most important meets of the season, there was a heightened level of competition with two teams added to the MAAC.

On day one of the two-day competition, Stephens faced a grade two quad strain, prohibiting her from fully competing in finals the next day. Although she could not run, Stephens walked the 60-meter hurdle event, stepping over each obstacle, to score two valuable points for the Broncs. 

Rider Associate Head Coach Brett Harvey said, “She went out there with her leg all wrapped up and walked those finals to get a point for the team, which not a lot of kids would do… I thought that showed a lot of character to be able to do that.”

Stephens said she competed with the mindset that although track is an individual sport, it is the combination of everyone’s points that gets the team to the top. With that in mind, she did everything she could to earn points for the Broncs. 

With her efforts, along with those of her teammates, Rider track and field placed first in the meet, becoming MAAC champions for the third year in a row.

“That was one of the best feelings that I’ve had,” Stephens said. “We’ve won three years but this one felt the most special as it being senior year.”

Stephens first laced up her spikes in the spring of her freshman year at Egg Harbor Township High School. 

Formerly a competitive gymnast, Stephens wanted to find something new to do with her friends as she entered the ninth grade, and she found her home on the track. 

“I had some very talented teammates in high school. That’s kind of what motivated me and inspired me to continue track and field… Then one day my coach said, ‘You’re actually kind of good at this,’” said Stephens. 

Stephens currently holds the university’s long jump and triple jump records for the indoor season. She is also a three-time Rider athlete of the month and a five-time MAAC performer of the week.

Stephens has yet to compete in the 2024-25 outdoor season due to her injury, but will return to the track at the Rider Invite on April 19 after a full recovery.

The Rider News will publish a feature story on Stephens in its April 23 issue.