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Photo by Hector Flores.
Photo by Hector Flores.
Posted: May 05, 2026

Stephens named Player and Freshman of the Year as Comets sweep PCAC postseason honors

SAN MARCOS, CA (5/5/2026) – In a season that saw the Palomar College Comets win their fifth straight PCAC Championship, finish 23-2 in conference play, and earn the No. 1 seed in the state, it was only fitting that the conference award haul matched the magnitude of the year. The Comets dominated the PCAC All-Conference selections, placing ten players and two coaches on the list.

Elijah Stephens was the centerpiece of it all. The freshman two-way standout was named both the PCAC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, a remarkable double for a player in his first college season. Stephens hit .510 in conference play with nine home runs and 47 RBI, and also carved out a 1.76 ERA on the mound across 15.1 innings. He was the engine of this team in every sense of the word.

Ryan Herrod was named the PCAC Pitcher of the Year, capping a dominant season that saw him go 7-1 in conference play with a 3.80 ERA across 45 innings. Herrod was one of the most reliable arms in the conference all year, giving the Comets a true ace when it mattered most.

Head Coach Ben Adams was recognized as the PCAC Coach of the Year, a well-earned honor for a program builder who has guided Palomar to five consecutive conference championships. Assistant Coach Dylan Tye was named the PCAC Assistant Coach of the Year.

The All-Conference first team was loaded with Comets. Rainn McMillan (.375, 20 RBI) earned the nod at catcher, Michael Rodda (.410, 9 HR, 44 RBI) at first base, Preston Conklin (.372, 28 RBI) and Jacob Loving (.394, 28 RBI) at infield, and Justin Tucker (.366, 23 RBI) and Braedon Peterson-Cheek (.368, 17 RBI) in the outfield. Joey Halter rounded out the group as the conference's top relief pitcher, posting a perfect 0.00 ERA in 14 innings with five saves.

As a team, Palomar hit .380 in conference play and held opponents to a .266 average. The pitching staff struck out 187 batters against just 88 walks across 218.2 innings, a reflection of a group that was both deep and dependable from the first pitch of conference play to the last.