Sunshine State Conference

SSC Athletes of the Week | April 2 - 8, 2018

Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of April 2 - 8, 2018. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.

Baseball Player of the Week

Jacob Buser / Florida Tech / Jr. / 1B / Staten Island, New York
Buser is named Player of the Week after leading Florida Tech to a series win over Lynn University this past week. The Staten Island, New York product went 5-for-13 across the three games while recording three home runs, nine RBIs, and 15 total bases in the series. Buser’s top performance of the week came in the first game against the Fighting Knights, where he went 2-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored, and five RBIs. The junior homered in every game of the series and finished the week with a .385/.500/1.154 slash line. Florida Tech is now 14-21 overall and 6-9 in SSC play.

Baseball Pitcher of the Week

J.T. Hintzen / Florida Southern College / P / Old Greenwich, Connecticut
Hintzen earns Pitcher of the Week honors following 13 strikeouts in relief over two games against Rollins College. The Old Greenwich, Connecticut native earned two wins after allowing three hits, a walk, and one run across sevens innings of work. In four innings of work in game one, Hintzen struck out nine batters and allowed just two hits and a walk. He followed with four strikeouts in three innings during game three, while letting up one run on one hit. With the play of Hintzen, the Moccasins have now won seven straight ball games and stand at 29-4,12-3 in SSC play.

 

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Softball Player of the Week

Kailah Rain / Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Sr. / OF / Cartersville, Georgia
Rain earns Player of the Week after playing a pivotal role in Embry-Riddle's series victory over Rollins College. In three games against the Tars, Rain went 7-for-8 from the plate with four RBIs and three runs scored. Over the three games, the senior had 11 total bases and put up a .875/.900/1.375 slash line. The top game of the week for the Cartersville, Georgia native was a 2-for-2 effort with one run scored, three RBI, a triple, and a walk. Following the series win, Embry-Riddle is now 27-12 and 15-9 in SSC play.
 

Softball Pitcher of the Week

Kristen Beacham / Florida Southern College / So. / Bartow, Florida
Beacham is awarded Player of the Week after pitching a three-hit shutout against No. 4 Palm Beach Atlantic University. In her only appearance of the week, Beacham threw a complete game against the SSC-leading Sailfish, striking out four and walking just two batters. Beacham kept PBA from scoring with two on base and one out in both the second and third inning. She then allowed only one baserunner over the final four innings to toss her first complete game shutout of the season, ending PBA's team-record 23-game winning streak. It was the third time since 2008 the Moccasins ended a team's 20-game winning streak or longer. The Moccasins are now 23-15 on the year and 10-14 in SSC play.

 

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Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week

Connor Ashton / Rollins College / Sr. / Midfield / Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Ashton earns Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in Rollins’ 11-10 loss to No. 6 Saint Leo University and a 16-11 win at Florida Southern College. Ashton scored eight goals, dished out two assists, fired off 17 shots, and 11 shots on goal while adding a ground ball on the week. In the Tars' near-upset at No. 6 Saint Leo, Ashton tallied a hat trick and added an assist, firing off six shots and four shots on goal while adding a ground ball. Rollins wrapped up the week with an SSC victory over Florida Southern thanks to Ashton's five goal and six-point performance, both career highs, as he added one assist on the day. The Tars now stand at 5-5 on the season and 2-2 in SSC play.

Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week

Thomas Tatarian / Saint Leo / Sr. / GK / Shoreham, New York

Tatarian earns Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season after a win against Rollins College. Tatarian showcased an outstanding 60 minutes inside the crease against the Tars on Wednesday, tallying 23 saves and a .697 save percentage while facing 47 shots (33 on frame). The Shoreham, New York native collected four saves in the first, eight in the second, six in the third, and five in the fourth. With the play of Tatarian, Saint Leo now stands at 9-1 on the year and 3-0 in SSC play.

 

Men's Lacrosse Specialist of the Week

Lance Pavlina / Florida Tech / Sr. / FOS / Desert Vista, Arizona

Pavlina is named Specialist of the Week after winning 80.5% of his face offs in two games for the Panthers. The Desert Vista, Arizona product went 33-for-41 from the X and recorded 21 ground balls as well as two goals last week to lead No. 16 Florida Tech to a pair SSC victories over Lynn University and Palm Beach Atlantic University. The senior won 20-of-22 (.910) face offs and collected ten ground balls, and one goal as the Panthers defeated Lynn 16-8 on Wednesday. Pavlina then won 13-of-19 (.684) face offs and picked up 11 ground balls and scored a goal in FIT's 12-8 win over PBA on Saturday. The Panthers move to 7-4 on the year and 4-0 in SSC play.

 

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Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week

Lauren Tybor / Florida Tech / So. / Midfield / Jacksonville, Florida
Tybor is awarded Offensive Player of the Week following her performance in two Top-20 matchups this week. The sophomore posted two goals, four assists, 11 draw controls, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers to lead FIT to a 22-13 win over No. 16 the University of Tampa on Wednesday. Tybor then tallied four goals, one assist, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers and tied a single-game program record with 12 draw controls as the Panthers cruised past No. 8 Rollins College, 21-12, on Saturday. For the week, Tybor recorded 11 points on six goals, five assists, 23 draw controls, seven ground balls, and four caused turnovers. The win over RC snapped the Tars 11-game win streak as FIT improved to 7-1 against ranked opponents this season. The Panthers now sit at 12-1 overall and 2-1 in SSC play.

Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week

Malorie Olin / Rollins College/ Sr. / GK / Skaneateles, New York

Olin earns Defensive Player of the Week following a new career high in saves in a single game. The Skaneateles, New York product also became the program's all-time career leader in saves at 464 as the Tars went 1-1 in Sunshine State Conference action this week. Rollins toppled No. 1 Florida Southern College, 11-10, and then squared up against No. 5 Florida Tech just three days later. Olin put up a total of 26 saves and added nine ground balls on the week. In the Tars' big win over No. 1 Florida Southern, Olin posted up a career-high 18 saves as she faced 28 shots on goal from Florida Southern. Olin added five ground balls on the evening as the No. 8 Tars handed the top-ranked Moccasins their first loss of the season, snapping a 27 game regular-season winning streak and marking FSC's first regular season SSC loss in program history. Against the fifth-ranked Florida Tech Panthers, Olin faced 27 shots, allowing 19 goals and earning eight saves while picking up four ground balls as the Tars fell to the Panthers 21-12. The Tars now sit at 12-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
 

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Men's Golfer of the Week

John VanDerLaan / Florida Southern College / Sr. / Southbury, Connecticut

VanDerLaan earned his fifth win of the season, one shy of the school record set by Jeff Klauk in 1999-00, by taking the Battle at the Shores hosted by Barry University. It was VanDerLaan’s seventh straight top-five finish. The Southbury, Connecticut native defeated teammate John Coultas with an eagle on the first playoff hole, marking the third tournament in a row VanDerLaan went to a playoff to decide tournament medalist. During the tournament, VanDerLaan had a tournament-best 17 birdies and rounds of 66, 66, and 73 to finish at eight-under-par (205), tied with Coultas and two shots ahead of the rest of the field. They led the second-ranked Moccasins to a one-shot victory over Lynn University and a four-shot margin over third-place Nova Southeastern University. It was the Moccasins' fourth team title of the season.

Women's Golfer of the Week

Tilda Larsson / Barry University / Jr. / Emmaboda, Sweden

Larsson won her third outright tournament this season at the Argonaut Invitational, hosted by the University of West Florida. The junior had 10 par-or-better rounds at 76, 67, and 71 to finish at 214, two-under-par. Larsson’s win helped Barry secure its third first-place finish in a tournament of the season and the first of spring. Larsson has now won nine SSC weekly awards, which is three more than any men’s or women’s golfer in league history.

 

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Men's Tennis Player of the Week

Thomas Grinberg / Saint Leo University / Jr. / Vincennes, France
Grinberg recorded another 2-0 week for the Lions, extending his perfect season to 17-0, 6-0 SSC. In #1 doubles play, No. 11 Grinberg and Vincent Suillerot also captured a 2-0 week, raising the duo’s season record together to 13-3. In singles play, No. 1 Thomas Grinberg took care of No. 22 Nicolo De Fraia from Rollins College (6-0, 6-1) and No. 44 Juan Ortiz Cloudier from No. 12 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (6-3, 6-3). In doubles, Saint Leo’s No. 11 pair handed in an 8-0 win over No. 10 Nicolo De Fraia and Guillermo Nicolas from Rollins and then defeated No. 12 Embry-Riddle’s No. 2 partners, Rodolfo Arreygue and Andres Donayre, 8-4. Together, Grinberg and Suillerot hold a seven-match winning streak.

 

Women's Tennis Player of the Week

Klaudia Boczova / Lynn University / Gr. / Nové Zámky, Slovakia
Boczova continues to dominate Sunshine State Conference competition as she went 6-0 this week at the top singles and doubles positions to help Lynn to a 2-1 mark in league play, all against nationally-ranked opponents. The Fighting Knights first suffered a tough 5-4 setback to No. 4 Barry University before bouncing back and taking down No. 26 Nova Southeastern University, 8-1, and No. 24 the University of Tampa, 7-2. At No. 1 doubles, Boczova and Eliska Petrackova improved to 11-0 as they first took down Barry’s 14th-ranked duo of Sonja Larsen and Verena Schmid, 8-6, before defeating NSU’s 10th-ranked pair of Andrea Ivanovic and Daniella Obando, 8-3. They capped the week with an 8-2 win at Tampa. In singles, 11th-ranked Boczova started the week with her biggest win of the season, beating undefeated and second-ranked Sonja Larsen, 6-2, 6-0. She then took down NSU’s 26th-ranked Ana Navas, 7-5, 6-3, before winning at Tampa, 6-0, 6-0. With the play of Boczova, the Fighting Knights improve to 16-3 overall and 8-1 in the SSC.
 

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Women's Rowing Boat of the Week

Varisty 8 / Florida Tech / Melbourne, Florida

Coming in as the No. 1 seed for the varsity eight buoyed race, Florida Tech won its second consecutive FIRA Championship. The Panthers shell defeated all six opponents, which included four Sunshine State Conference institutions. Over the 2000-meter course, the crew finished with a first-place qualifying time of 6:36.60, besting the second place Buccaneers boat by a 4.46-second split.