A New Conference is Born
Norm Kaye was a catalyst. His work and vision proved to be the motivating force in banding together schools into what we now call the Sunshine State Conference. A practical idea and a series of meetings were the meager beginning of the "Conference of National Champions."
With Kaye leading the way, an exploratory meeting was held on the campus of Florida Southern College to discuss the formation of an NCAA Division II conference. Two main focuses were evident at the March 2nd, 1975, gathering: the league will be basketball-focused, and it will be located in Central Florida. Representatives from five of the six original member schools were in attendance.
Following positive reports, a second exploratory meeting was hosted two weeks later at Eckerd College. The conclave focused on membership, dues, officiating, and NCAA selection. Kaye was unanimously named Interim Commissioner, and Dr. Thomas B. Southard, President of Saint Leo College*, was named President of the newly formed conference. Dr. Calvin C. Miller, Florida Technological University President, suggested the "Sunshine State Conference," and the name was adopted.
A deadline of 6:00 p.m. on March 21st, 1975, was set. All schools with the intention to enter the conference must notify the newly elected commissioner. Saint Leo, Florida Technological University**, Rollins College, Florida Southern College, Biscayne College***, and Eckerd were in, and a new NCAA conference was born.
"When the league was formed in March of 1975, we believed we were starting something that could be special," commented Jim Harley, Eckerd's former head basketball coach and athletic director." It was just basketball that first year, but we thought that all sports would be part of the league over time."
Following the approval of a league constitution in June of 1975, the first official meeting of the Sunshine State Conference took place on October 8th in Orlando. Athletic Directors, Coaches, and Faculty Representatives of the six-member institutions were in attendance. Amendments to the constitution were made, committees were created, future growth was discussed, and basketball regulations were approved. With i's dotted and t's crossed, league play in men's basketball was set to begin.
The "basketball only" league tipped off on December 3rd, 1975. Originally composed of six member schools, the Sunshine State Conference has developed into an athletic and academic national powerhouse.
Membership Timeline
1975 - Conference is established with six founding members: Biscayne College, Eckerd College, Florida Southern College, Florida Technological University, Rollins College, and Saint Leo College
1981 - Florida Tech and the University of Tampa join
1984 - Florida Technological University withdraws
1987 - Biscayne College withdraws
1988 - Barry University joins
1991 - University of North Florida joins
1996 - University of North Florida withdraws, Lynn University joins
2002 - Nova Southeastern joins
2014 - Palm Beach Atlantic University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University join as provisional members
*Now Saint Leo University
**Now University of Central Florida, no longer an SSC member
***Now St. Thomas University, no longer an SSC member
[Published: 6/17/16 / Edited: 3/24/20]
A Triton of Major League Baseball
Brian Sabean went from Division II baseball player to winning three World Championships as the San Francisco Giants General Manager. The Eckerd College graduate had stops at Saint Leo College, University of Tampa, and the New York Yankees before his illustrious stretch in San Francisco began.
The Concord, New Hampshire native, played baseball and football at the University of Maine before transferring to Eckerd in 1976. Following graduation, Sabean took an assistant coaching position at Saint Leo. He served under Jack Gillis, a former assistant coach at Eckerd.
He left Saint Leo in 1982 after the University of Tampa offered him a head coaching position. Highlighting his career at Tampa was the Spartan's South Region runner-up finish in 1984. Sabean amassed an 88-55 record in three years at UT and delivered the school its first NCAA tournament appearance.
In 1985, Sabean's former coach at Eckerd, Bill Livesey, reached out about scouting for the New York Yankees. Livesey, who held the position of Director of Player Development for the Yankees at the time, hired Sabean as a Scout.
"I said, 'Sabes, we're looking for a scout. We need a young guy with a passion for the game," Livesey commented to Jerry Crasnick in a 2002 Baseball American interview. "He said, 'How about me?' And I told him, 'I'm glad you mentioned that.'"
Although the Bronx Bombers were in a slump during the late '80s, Sabean was making inroads. He transitioned into the Director of Scouting for the ball club in 1987 and then made the climb to Vice President of Player Development and Scouting in 1991.
In 1993, Sabean accepted the Assistant to the General Manager position for the San Francisco Giants. Following three consecutive seasons under .500, Sabean shifted into the General Manager. He went on to become the longest-tenured GM in Major League Baseball, holding the position for 18 seasons and posting a 1,556-1,358-1 (.534) record.
Fourteen years after taking the GM position, Sabean piloted the Giants to their first World Series title since 1954. In his time as GM, the team won three World Championships (2010, 2012, 2014), four National League pennants (2002, 2010, 2012, 2014), five NL West Division flags (1997, 2000, 2003, 2010 and 2012), and two Wild Card entries (2002, 2014). The Giants earned Organization of the Year honors in 2009 and 2011 by Topps, and by Baseball America in 2010.
Sabean accepted Executive of the Year accolades from BBWAA (2010), The Sporting News (2003), and Baseball America (2003, 2012). Before the 2015 season, Sabean was promoted to the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and was awarded a contract extension through the 2019 season.
[Published: 6/17/16 / Edited: 3/24/20]
About the 40 Great Moments Campaign
The "40 Great Moments" campaign was created to bring attention to the athletic excellence, academic excellence, community engagement, and sportsmanship that has made up the Sunshine State Conference over the last 40 years. Moments were nominated by current and former student-athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni, and fans. The final 40 moments were decided upon by a vote of conference Sports Information Directors. The "40 Great Moments" campaign concluded during the Summer of 2016.
View all 40 of the SSC's Great Moments, here.