The YESPYS, the 50th annual York College Athletic Awards Banquet
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@yorkcardinals celebrate 2025-26 achievements at The YESPYS

York College hosted its annual athletics awards banquet to honor the Cardinals' achievements of the 2025-26 academic year

JAMAICA, NY -- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College Department of Athletics held its year-end awards banquet Thursday evening, celebrating the  2025-26 season in Cardinal athletics with The YESPYS, the momentous 50th annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held inside the York College Gymnasium.
 
Gallery: (5-27-2026) The YESPYS 2025-26

Bobby Ciafardini, who serves as Special Assistant to the VP for Athletics, welcomed the crowd and recognized outstanding athletic achievements as the emcee for the night.

Director of Athletics Carl Christian opened the program with welcoming remarks before the 2025-26 awards presentation.  

The department of athletics handed out appreciation awards by recognizing a select group of campus personnel for their contributions to further enhance the student-athlete experience:
  • Danielle Holmes – Chief Diversity Officer / Title IX Coordinator
  • The Office of Institutional Advancement and Communications
CUNYAC Scholar-Athletes, CUNYAC Vice Chancellor Honor Roll members, CUNYAC All-Stars, and CUNYAC Sportsmanship Team recipients from the 2025-26 academic year were also recognized.

Coaches then handed out the 2025-26 Team Awards.

Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Men's Cross Country Women's Cross Country Men's Soccer Women's Soccer Softball Men's Swimming Women's Swimming Men's Tennis Women's Tennis Men's Track & Field (Indoor) Women's Track & Field (Indoor) Men's Track & Field (Outdoor) Women's Track & Field (Outdoor) Men's Volleyball Women's Volleyball The 2025-26 senior class of 20 (listed below) was presented with Senior Awards and a tribute video for their dedication to York College Athletics.
In addition to the team awards, the following department awards were presented:
Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year award recognizes a student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average. The honoree must have competed in a minimum of one season of competition and completed two academic semesters of full-time enrollment with a minimum of 24 credits at York.

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Michael Zhang (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
  • For the second consecutive year, Michael Zhang has taken home York's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. The senior Clinical Laboratory Science major boasts a 3.923 cumulative grade point average. During his time at York, Zhang is a five-time Dean's List honoree, a four-time CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection, and a recent CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention recipient. Across a combined nine campaigns with cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field, the scholar-athlete received a CUNYAC Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention nod, made the 2024 CUNYAC Outdoor Track All-Conference team, landed on the 2025 CUNYAC Men's Cross Country Sportsmanship Team, and has claimed four medals at the CUNYAC Championships.
Team Academic Award
The Team Academic Award recognizes the team with the highest cumulative grade-point average based on our academic report before the start of the Spring semester.  The Team Academic Award encompasses all student-athletes rostered and/or who triggered a season of eligibility based on the average individual GPA.  

Team Academic Award: Men's Tennis
  • Men's Tennis earned the 2025-26 Team Academic Award as they combined for a 3.173 cumulative grade point average.
Newcomer of the Year Award
Newcomer of the Year awards are presented to our top female and male student-athlete newcomer who had the most successful first season as a Cardinal.

Female Newcomer of the Year: Stephanie Gonzalez (Women's Soccer)
  • Stephanie Gonzalez dominated in her first season with the women's soccer program, starting all 13 matches and leading the conference with 21 points and 10 goals. Her standout performances against Cedar Crest College and Keystone College propelled her to two CUNYAC Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week honors. Additionally, Gonzalez claimed one CUNYAC Player of the Week selection and one CUNYAC Player of the Week Honorable Mention. For her outstanding success, the Brooklyn native was voted the conference's Rookie of the Year and named to the All-CUNYAC First Team, becoming the first Cardinal in program history to claim both honors in the same season. Her First-Team selection marks the program's first since Taylor Bellmon in 2021.
Male Newcomer of the Year: Derick Aboagye-Frimpong (Men's Soccer)
  • An attacking and defensive force from the midfield, Derick Aboagye-Frimpong appeared in all 13 of York's matches, scoring a team-high six goals, producing a team-leading 26 shots on target, and distributing three assists. He netted braces against Sarah Lawrence College and the University of Valley Forge in September, earning two CUNYAC Men's Soccer Rookie of the Week accolades. With the feat, he became the first Cardinal rookie since Ahmed Algendy in 2021 to collect a pair of weekly conference honors. Aboagye-Frimpong's clutch performances against Medgar Evers College and Baruch College in October propelled York to key CUNYAC victories, keeping the Cardinals in postseason contention all season. Ultimately, his five goal contributions in league play vaulted him to a spot on the CUNYAC Men's Soccer All-Conference First Team. 
Career Award (Female/Male)
Career Awards are given to a female and male student-athlete who were deemed to have the most impactful career with a minimum of three years played at York.  The honoree must have exhausted eligibility in their primary sport, if applicable, or be a graduating student-athlete. 

Female Career Award: Madison Plaza (Women's Basketball/Softball /Volleyball)
  • A versatile three-sport standout during her York tenure, Madison Plaza was a four-year member of both the women's basketball and softball programs while contributing to the volleyball team for three seasons. On the hardwood, Plaza played in 66 career games—averaging over 39 minutes per game in her final two years—while adding 93 softball contests and 55 volleyball matches (165 sets) to her resume. On the hardwood, Plaza helped the women's basketball squad reach the CUNYAC postseason in the 2022-23 campaign and netted a career-best 19 points against Hunter College in 2024-25. On the softball field, Plaza generated a career-high three hits, four runs, and three RBI in a resounding 31-18 win over Yeshiva University during the 2025 season. In her final volleyball season, the Brooklyn native smacked down nine kills and served eight aces in a thrilling four-set victory over Medgar Evers College in September. Throughout her career, Plaza received four CUNYAC Sportsmanship Team selections: two for women's basketball, one for softball, and one for women's volleyball this past season. Additionally, her leadership earned her both a York College Softball Coaches Award and a Women's Basketball Coaches Award prior to this year's ceremony.
Male Career Award: Michael Zhang (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
  • A true fixture of endurance and excellence over the last three years, Michael Zhang has anchored York's running programs across nine total campaigns. The senior distance savant has amassed a notable career resume, competing in 14 cross country meets—where he led the Cardinals with eight first-place team finishes—alongside 16 indoor track competitions and 19 outdoor meets. This past fall, Zhang capped off his cross country career by crossing the finish line at the CUNYAC Championships in a career-high 16th place. On the track, Zhang's consistency has been a point-scoring guarantee for the Cardinals. He accumulated 18 points across three CUNYAC indoor championships and 24 points in three CUNYAC outdoor championships, claiming four combined conference medals. His decorated athletic career includes being named to the 2025 CUNYAC Men's Cross Country Sportsmanship Team, earning 2024 CUNYAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference honors in the 5,000-meter event, securing a 2025 CUNYAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Honorable Mention nod in both the 800-meter and mile, and receiving a CUNYAC Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention selection. Equally dominant in the classroom, the Clinical Laboratory Science major stands as a five-time Dean's List honoree and a four-time CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection. His balance of academic excellence and athletics culminated in his recent recognition as a CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention recipient. Over his distinguished tenure, Zhang has claimed five York College department awards leading up to this year's prestigious YESPYS Career Award.
"I Am A Cardinal" Award
The 'I Am a Cardinal' Award is presented to the student-athletes who best embody the team-first principles of sportsmanship, mutual respect, commitment, and discipline. In 2025-26, York recognizes a female and male student-athlete who demonstrated these values. These student-athletes stepped up to display the leadership that each team needed.

"I Am A Cardinal" Award (Female): Keanna Clouden
  • Keanna Clouden has been a beacon of leadership and consistency for the women's cross country and track & field programs, competing in nine cross country (2024-25) meets, 15 indoor (2023-26) competitions, and 18 outdoor (2024-26) contests during her career. Her elite balance of academics and athletics was recognized with her selection as a CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention recipient, alongside two career placements on the CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and multiple Dean's List honors. On the championship stage, Clouden amassed 23 career CUNYAC Championship points and earned two conference medals in relay events. Renowned for her character, she was a perennial conference leader, capturing a CUNYAC Sportsmanship Award, landing on six CUNYAC Sportsmanship Teams, and being selected as a Preseason Athlete to Watch on four separate occasions. Adding to her versatile legacy, the multi-sport student-athlete also provided vital depth for the women's basketball team, appearing in 11 games throughout the 2025-26 season.
"I Am A Cardinal" Award (Male): George Molina
  • A versatile four-sport student-athlete during his York tenure, George Molina competed in 49 matches as a four-year member of the men's soccer program (2021, 2023-25), drawing 35 starts as the Cardinals' goalkeeper. He turned away 269 saves across his career, highlighted by a career-high 17-save performance at Hunter College in 2023. On the court, Molina played in 46 matches and 135 sets as a dedicated three-year member of the men's volleyball squad (2024-26). He helped anchor the Cardinals' return to the CUNYAC postseason in 2025 and capped off his final campaign by setting single-season career highs in kills, aces, assists, total blocks, and digs. Rounding out his multi-sport career, the senior competed in 10 total meets for the men's track and field team across three outdoor seasons (2024-26) and one indoor campaign (2024-25)—primarily specializing in the shot put, where he tossed a career-best mark of 7.65 meters in 2025. Molina also appeared in three meets for the men's swimming team during the 2023-24 season.
Coach of the Year Award
The Coach of the Year award honors a coach who has demonstrated an exemplary ability to develop and improve individual and team performance on and off the court.  

Coach of the Year: Clarence Emengo (Men's Basketball) Team of the Year Award
The Team of the Year award recognizes a team that was deemed to have had the best overall season and with not only success on the field of play, but also consistently representing the school with character and integrity.

Team of the Year: Men's Basketball
  • Picked to finish seventh in the CUNYAC preseason coaches' poll, the Cardinals defied expectations by securing eight conference wins to earn the No. 4 seed and host a playoff game for the first time since the 2022-23 season, where they battled John Jay College all the way to the final buzzer. Statistically, York finished second in the conference in points per game and rebounds per game, third in blocked shots, and led all CUNYAC schools in steals per contest. On a weekly basis, the Cardinals were a constant presence in the awards cycle, producing six CUNYAC Rookie of the Week honors, two conference Player of the Week accolades, and five Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Divisions II/III Honorable Mention selections.
Student-Athlete of the Year (Female/Male)
The Student-Athlete of the Year awards recognize our top male and female student-athletes who had the most successful season of competition in 2025-26.

Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Stephanie Gonzalez (Women's Soccer)
  • Stephanie Gonzalez put together one of the most dominant debut seasons in program history, starting all 13 matches for the women's soccer program and leading the CUNYAC with a spectacular 21 points and 10 goals. The skillful midfielder spearheaded the Cardinals' offense, providing a goal and an assist against the University of Valley Forge and netting the game-winning goal against Yeshiva University to power York to three victories this season. Her defining masterpiece came against Keystone College, where she etched her name into the school record books by blasting seven goals in a single game—the most ever by a Cardinal in a single contest. Remarkably, after just one season on the pitch, Gonzalez already ranks in the top five in York history for career points, goals, shots, and shots on target. On a weekly basis, her clutch performances against Cedar Crest College and Keystone propelled her to two CUNYAC Rookie of the Week honors, alongside one CUNYAC Player of the Week selection and a Player of the Week Honorable Mention. For her historic excellence, Gonzalez was voted the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year and named to the All-CUNYAC First Team, becoming the first player in program history to claim both prestigious awards in the same season. Her First-Team selection also marks the program's first since Taylor Bellmon in 2021, cementing Gonzalez's status as a true freshman sensation.
Male Student-Athlete of the Year: Jonte Wallace (Men's Basketball)
  • Bursting onto the scene as a freshman for the men's basketball team, Jonte Wallace claimed six CUNYAC Rookie of the Week awards en route to earning CUNYAC Rookie of the Year honors and guiding the Cardinals back to the postseason. The dynamic forward dominated the conference leaderboards, finishing fifth in scoring, eighth in rebounding, and third in steals. During league action, Wallace elevated his offensive output to 15.4 points per game and scored in double figures in 13 of the team's final 14 contests, highlighted by a career-high 25-point, 12-rebound double-double in an 81-74 victory over Brooklyn College. Facing John Jay College in the opening round of the CUNYAC Championship, Wallace left it all on the court, playing all 40 minutes while hauling in nine rebounds, distributing seven assists, and racking up a game-high six steals.
Gallery: (5-27-2026) 2025-26 Department / Team Awards

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Players Mentioned

Ahmed Algendy

#1 Ahmed Algendy

L
6' 1"
Junior
Alisha Adams

Alisha Adams

5' 2"
Sophomore
Zia Lefebvre

#3 Zia Lefebvre

OH
5' 7"
Freshman
Jamar Johnson

#10 Jamar Johnson

M
5' 6"
Senior
Derick Aboagye-Frimpong

#2 Derick Aboagye-Frimpong

M
6' 0"
Freshman
Chris Cruz

#7 Chris Cruz

D
5' 7"
Freshman
Emelin Cajamarca

#8 Emelin Cajamarca

F
5' 1"
Graduate Student
Gema Guillen

#5 Gema Guillen

D
5' 4"
Graduate Student
Karyme Martinez

#7 Karyme Martinez

D
5' 0"
Sophomore
Melanie Guerrero

Melanie Guerrero

5' 3"
Sophomore
Julia Wyman

Julia Wyman

5' 0"
Junior
Bisola Babanumi

Bisola Babanumi

5' 6"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Ahmed Algendy

#1 Ahmed Algendy

6' 1"
Junior
L
Alisha Adams

Alisha Adams

5' 2"
Sophomore
Zia Lefebvre

#3 Zia Lefebvre

5' 7"
Freshman
OH
Jamar Johnson

#10 Jamar Johnson

5' 6"
Senior
M
Derick Aboagye-Frimpong

#2 Derick Aboagye-Frimpong

6' 0"
Freshman
M
Chris Cruz

#7 Chris Cruz

5' 7"
Freshman
D
Emelin Cajamarca

#8 Emelin Cajamarca

5' 1"
Graduate Student
F
Gema Guillen

#5 Gema Guillen

5' 4"
Graduate Student
D
Karyme Martinez

#7 Karyme Martinez

5' 0"
Sophomore
D
Melanie Guerrero

Melanie Guerrero

5' 3"
Sophomore
Julia Wyman

Julia Wyman

5' 0"
Junior
Bisola Babanumi

Bisola Babanumi

5' 6"
Senior