Eight different institutions were represented on the 2006 All-Sunshine State Conference volleyball team, it was announced today by SSC Commissioner Michael J. Marcil.
SSC co-champions Florida Southern College and the University of Tampa led all institutions with six all-conference selections and five all-conference honorees, respectively. Barry University placed two student-athletes on the all-SSC team, while Eckerd College, Florida Tech, Lynn University, Rollins College and Saint Leo University received one all-conference selection apiece.
Tampa led the way with four first-team selections, followed by Florida Southern with two and Barry with one.
Along with the All-Conference teams, major individual awards winners were also announced. Tampa’s Stephanie Rivera was recognized as the SSC Player of the Year, Eckerd’s Lydee Benoit was named SSC Freshman of the Year and Tampa’s Chris Catanach was selected SSC Coach of the Year. Voting for the all-conference team and the individual award winners was conducted among SSC volleyball coaches and sports information directors.
Comprising the All-SSC first team were Rivera, middle blocker Erin Clark (Tampa), middle hitter Samara de Freitas (Barry), outside hitter Katelen Dixon (Tampa), opposite Ashley Martin (Florida Southern), setter Jordan McAfee (Florida Southern) and defensive specialist Margeaux Sinibaldi (Tampa).
Second team selections were Benoit, defensive specialist Daryl Baby (Florida Southern), outside hitter Danielle Durham (Florida Southern), middle blocker Alisha Green (Tampa), middle hitter Danielle Higginbotham (Florida Southern), outside hitter Stephanie Nichols (Rollins), outside hitter Audrey Starkebaum (Saint Leo), outside hitter Beverly Stasis (Florida Southern) and outside hitter Larissa Witherspoon (Lynn).
Two players, outside/middle hitter Lorine Durski (Barry) and defensive specialist Melissa Reinders (Florida Tech) received honorable mention.
A seven person all-freshman team was also selected. Student-athletes from six different institutions were represented among the all-freshman selections, which included Benoit, Green, Reinders, outside hitter Chelsea Armer (Saint Leo), setter Megan Bedner (Lynn), middle blocker Brittainy Daiger (Rollins) and setter Michelle Nogueras (Saint Leo).
Rivera, a senior outside hitter from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, becomes the fifth Spartan to be recognized as SSC Player of the Year. Rivera enters the postseason ranked fifth in the SSC with .331 hitting percentage and is currently second on her team--the SSC’s leading team in kills and hitting percentage--with 298 kills. She has already been named to the 2006 AVCA all-region team, and was also selected as a second-team all-America and all-region performer in 2005. As a sophomore in 2003, Rivera received AVCA all-America honorable mention winner. On September 23, Rivera became the 12th member to join the UT 1,000 kill club, and she joins Ericka Womack (2005), Ania Ruiz (2001), Danielle Faggion (1999) and Kim Dix (1991) among Spartans recognized as SSC Player of the Year.
Benoit, an outside hitter from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., has been a welcome addition to the Eckerd volleyball team, which will be making the first NCAA Championship appearance in the 24-year history of the program. The Tritons enter postseason with a 21-13 overall record, the second-best mark in program history. Benoit enters the postseason averaging 3.92 kills per game, the third-highest average among all SSC players and tops among SSC freshmen. She raised her play during conference competition, ranking second in the league with 4.11 kills per game.
Catanach, in his 23rd year at Tampa, guided the Spartans to a share of the 2006 SSC Championship, the 16th time that Tampa has won at least a share of the conference title, the SSC record for volleyball. The 2006 Spartans enter the postseason ranked second in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Rankings and will serve as the host and top-seed for the NCAA south region championships. UT currently sports a 29-1 overall record, including a 15-1 conference mark, which has raised Catanach’s career record to 715-143 (.833), the highest winning percentage and the fourth-highest win total among active Division II coaches.
2006 ALL-SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
MB - Erin Clark, Tampa, Junior
MH - Samara de Freitas, Barry, Junior
OH - Katelen Dixon, Tampa, Junior
OPP - Ashley Martin, Florida Southern, Sophomore
S - Jordan McAfee, Florida Southern, Senior
OH - Stephanie Rivera, Tampa, Senior
DS - Margeaux Sinibaldi, Tampa, Junior
SECOND TEAM
DS - Daryl Baby, Florida Southern, Junior
OH - Lydee Benoit, Eckerd, Freshman
OH - Danielle Durham, Florida Southern, Sophomore
MB - Alisha Green, Tampa, Freshman
MH - Danielle Higginbotham, Florida Southern, Sophomore
OH - Stephanie Nichols, Rollins, Sophomore
OH - Audrey Starkebaum, Saint Leo, Sophomore
OH - Beverly Stasis, Florida Southern, Junior
OH - Larissa Witherspoon, Lynn, Senior
HONORABLE MENTION
OH/MH - Lorine Durski, Barry, Sophomore
DS - Melissa Reinders, Florida Tech, Freshman
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OH - Chelsea Armer, Saint Leo
S - Megan Bedner, Lynn
OH - Lydee Benoit, Eckerd
MB - Brittainy Daiger, Rollins
MB - Alisha Green, Tampa
S - Michelle Nogueras, Saint Leo
DS - Melissa Reinders, Florida Tech
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Stephanie Rivera, Tampa
COACH OF THE YEAR - Chris Catanach, Tampa
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Lydee Benoit, Eckerd