Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of January 11 - 17, 2016. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.
Men's Basketball
Jerrick Stevenson / Eckerd/ Guard/ Forwad/ Sr. / Lakeland, Fla.
Stevenson is awarded this week's SSC Player of the Week honors for his efforts in keeping Eckerd undefeated in conference play. Stevenson recored one of the best games of his career as the games leading scorer with 25 points. Nine points came from the line (9-13), six from beyond the arc (2-6). Stevenson scored two short of his career high to go along with five rebounds and two assists as No. 6 / 7 Tritons stayed perfect in SSC play with a 90-74 win over No. 23 Barry. Previous to the Barry win, Stevenson recorded five points, four rebounds, and one assist in a win against Lynn. With the play of Stevenson, Eckerd sits a top the SSC standings at 8-0. They own a 16-game winning streak which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division II and has extended their overall record to 16-1.
Duke Shelton / Tampa / Forward / So. / Ocala, Fla.
Shelton brings home this week's SSC Defensive Player of the Week honor after grabbing 18 defensive rebounds in two games. Shelton recorded back-to-back double-doubles for the first time in his career. Against Palm Beach Atlantic, Shelton recorded 23 points and 13 rebounds. Ten of the his 13 rebounds came on the defensive end. He added five blocks and two steals as the Spartans were defeated by Palm Beach Atlantic, 78-69. Against Saint Leo, he scored a career-high 27 points and brought down 12 rebounds, eight of which came on the defensive end. Shelton has tallied 10+ rebounds in four of the last five games and was a key factor for Tampa, as they picked up their first SSC victory of the season, 86-71, over Saint Leo. The Spartans are 5-11 overall, and 1-6 in SSC play this season.
2015-16 SSC Men's Basketball Award Winners - Week by Week
Women's Basketball
Molly Blomer / Nova Southeastern / Foward / Sr. / West Chester, Ohio
Blomer earns this week's SSC Player of the Week after guiding Nova Southeastern to victories over two top conference opponents. Against Barry, she scored 10 points and added seven rebounds. Scoring four of the team's last five points to help secure the 78-66 victory over the Buccaneers. She added three assists and two blocked shots, both in the final frame. Against Florida Southern, she made six 3-pointers towards 21 total points, both career highs, with two 3's (one in the fourth and one in OT) pushing the Sharks ahead. Again, she added seven rebounds in the Sharks, 81-79, overtime victory against No. 21/ RV Florida Southern. NSU is first in SSC play at 7-0. The Sharks are 15-1 overall.
Harris takes SSC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after helping force overtime against a Top-15 opponent on the road. Harris recorded six defensive rebounds (eight overall) and had three blocks in the Moccasins, 81-79, overtime loss, Saturday at No. 7 / 11 Nova Southeastern. Harris helped the Moccasins win the turnover battle forcing 16 turnovers to FSC's 9. Harris and the Moccasins held NSU to 26% shooting in the second half from 58% in the first half to help push the game to overtime. In addition to the eight boards, Harris also had 19 points, picked up a steal and an assist. Florida Southern is 14-2 overall, 5-2 in SSC play.
Swimming
Diego Gimenez / Florida Southern College / Jr. / Burgos, Spain
Gimenez helped lead Florida Southern to a 133½ - 71½ win over Indian River State by being involved in a team-high three race victories (two individual and one relay) as the Moccasins won 10 of the 11 races held. Gimenez posted individual wins in the 50-freestyle and 200-backstroke, each time edging out other Florida Southern swimmers who placed second. He also anchored their winning 400-medley relay team. It was the first time in his career Gimenez won two individual races in a single meet.
Alli Crenshaw / Florida Southern College / Sr. / Marietta, Georgia
Crenshaw picked up her first two individual wins of the season by capturing the 1,000-freestyle (10:38.03) and the 500-freestyle (5:08.42) to lead Florida Southern to a 120-85 win over Indian River State. She also helped their top 200-freestyle relay (1:39.94) team place second by swimming the anchor leg. Crenshaw provided the Moccasins with two off their six event wins in the meet. This is Crenshaw's second SSC Women's Swimmer of the Week Award this season.
2015 SSC Men's Basketball Award Winners (Player; 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
Dec. 14: Drushaun McLauren, Eckerd; Yunio Barrueta, Barry
Dec. 21: Kevin Walsh, Eckerd; Dylan Travis, Florida Southern
Jan. 4: Yunio Barrueta, Barry; Corbin Jackson, Florida Tech
Jan. 11: Marcus Dewberry, Saint Leo; EJ Moody, Eckerd
Jan. 18: Jerrick Stevenson, Eckerd; Duke Shelton, Tampa
2015 SSC Women's Basketball Award Winners (Player; 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
Dec. 14: Charla Nelson-James, Lynn; Kimbreli Flournoy, Barry
Dec. 21: Kayla Wright, Nova Southeastern; Angela Alvarez, Tampa
Jan. 4: Ines Kerin, Barry; Alysia Johnson, Saint Leo
Jan. 11: Kayla Wright, Nova Southeastern; Jensen Blassage, Florida Southern
Jan. 18: Molly Blomer, Nova Southeastern; Mariah Harris, Florida Southern
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 Southeastern;
Alli Crenshaw, Florida Southern
Nov. 16: None;
Rebecca Matthews, Lynn
Nov. 23: Pawel Trenda, Saint Leo;
Natalia Garriock, Saint Leo
Dec. 7: Khalid Aldaboos, Tampa;
Brittany Bayes, Tampa
Dec. 21: Jeremy Parker, Tampa
; Rebecca Matthews, Lynn
Jan. 11: Thiago Sickert, Nova Southeastern;
Emma Wahlstrom, Nova Southeastern
Jan. 18: Diego Gimenez, Florida Southern;
Alli Crenshaw, Florida Southern