Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of November 23 - 29. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.
Men's Basketball
Marcus Dewberry / Saint Leo University / Guard / Jr. / Lake Wales, Fla.
Dewberry takes the Player of the Week honor after averaging 26.5 points per game and leading the Lions to a 1-1 week. Dewberry scored 20 points with seven rebounds in Saint Leo’s 91-89 come-from-behind win over defending national champion Florida Southern. Dewberry's layup with 43 seconds remaining gave the Lions their first lead since the 11:15 mark of the first half. Dewberry was 9-of-18 from the field against Florida Southern, and finished with seven rebounds, two assists, and a career-high nine assists. On Saturday at Lynn, Dewberry netted a career-high 33 points in a 97-91 loss. He went 11-of-18 from the floor with two three-pointers, and was 9-of-11 at the free-throw line. He tallied seven rebounds, six assists, and a pair of steals against the Fighting Knights. For the week, Dewberry shot .555 from the field and .818 at the line, while averaging 7.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists. The 33 points put Dewberry over 500 points for his career and was the first 30 point game in his career. Saint Leo is 6-3 overall, 2-2 in SSC play.
Deion Clark / Rollins College / Guard / Jr. / Naples, Fla.
Clark is named SSC Defensive Player of the Week after his efforts helped Rollins to two victories. Against Embry-Riddle, Clark was instrumental in helping the Tars hold the Eagles, who came into the game averaging better than 91 points per game, to 31.9 percent shooting, including just 27 percent in the first half. Clark registerd two steals and four defensive rebounds in the 85-68 victory. During a 75-74 win at Nova Southeastern, Clark spearheaded a Tars defense that forced 11 turnovers which led to 18 points while leading the team in rebounding. Rollins continues their perfect season at 9-0 overall, 2-0 in SSC play.
2015-16 SSC Men's Basketball Award Winners - Week by Week
Women's Basketball
Shequana Harris / Florida Tech / Guard / Jr. / Bronx, N.Y.
Harris earns her second SSC Player of the Week award by averaging 20.5 points per game last week while guiding Florida Tech to road victories over Eckerd and Florida Southern. She scored a game-high 22 points in the 69-49 rout of Eckerd on Wednesday. The junior also matched a career-high with eight rebounds to go along with four assists against the Tritons. Harris had another all-around performance in the 73-61 win over previously undefeated Florida Southern on Saturday. The Bronx, N.Y. native registered 19 points, a team-high five assists, four rebounds and two steals against the Mocs. Harris and the Panthers are 6-2 overall, 3-1 in SSC play.
Merritt's defensive efforts have secured her a second SSC Defensive Player of the Week award. In two Shark wins over the last week, she had a combined total of four steals and four blocked shots against Palm Beach Atlantic and Rollins, while pulling down five rebounds in each game. Merritt and the Sharks forced 28 turnovers in the two games which game them a 44-19 points-off-turnover advantage. NSU surrendered just over 60 points per game in those two victories. With the wins, Nova Southeastern moves to 8-1, 4-0 in SSC play.
Swimming
Khalid Aldaboos / University of Tampa / Sr. / Louisville, Ky.
Aldaboos led the University of Tampa men's swimming team to a 168-93 win over Rollins College. The senior posted a top finish in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall with a 1:45.50 time. In the 200 medley relay, Tampa claimed another top finish with Aldaboos recording a 22.13 leg of a 1:31.91 combined effort with Runar Borgen, Jordan Augier and Jeremy Parker.
Brittany Bayes / University of Tampa / So. / Mullica Hill, N.J.
Bayes led the University of Tampa to a 170-88 win over Rollins College. The sophomore recorded a top finish in the 1000 Freestyle, touching the wall with a time of 10:42.61. The Mullica Hill, N.J. native added another first-place event in the 500 Freestyle, posting a top-time of 5:08.59.
2015 SSC Men's Basketball Award Winners (Offense; Defense)
Nov. 16: Caleb Stewart, Saint Leo; Corbin Jackson, Florida Tech
Nov. 23: Dylan Travis, Florida Southern; Corbin Jackson, Florida Tech
Nov. 30: Fred Landers, Lynn; Obi Kyei, Eckerd
Dec. 7: Marcus Dewberry, Saint Leo; Deion Clark, Rollins
2015 SSC Women's Basketball Award Winners (Offense; Defense)
Nov. 16: Sydni Payne, Florida Southern; Monaye Merritt, Nova Southeastern
Nov. 23: Shequana Harris, Florida Tech; Sydni Payne, Florida Southern
Nov. 30: Jensen Blassage, Florida Southern; Mariah Harris, Florida Southern
Dec. 7: Shequana Harris, Florida Tech; Monaye Merritt, Nova Southeastern
2015 SSC Swimming Award Winners (Men; Women)
Oct. 19: Anton Lobanov, Nova Southeastern;
Nicole Weber, Saint Leo
Oct. 26: Jesus Marin, Florida Southern;
Kelsey Gouge, Florida Southern
Nov. 2: Pawel Trenda, Saint Leo;
Nicole Weber, Saint Leo
Nov. 9: Thiago Sickert, Nova Southeatern,
Alli Crenshaw, Florida Southern
Nov. 16: None;
Rebecca Matthews, Lynn
Nov. 23: Pawel Trenda, Saint Leo;
Natalia Garriock, Saint Leo
Nov. 30: None
Dec. 7: Khalid Aldaboos, Tampa;
Brittany Bayes, Tampa