Sunshine State Conference

SSC Athletes of the Week | February 11 - 17, 2019

Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of February 11 - 17, 2019. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.

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Men's Basketball Player of the Week

Michael Baez / Lynn University / Sr. / G-F / Charlotte, North Carolina
Baez earns Player of the Week honors after leading Lynn to a pair of conference overtime wins last week. In the Fighting Knights’ 81-70 win over the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Wednesday, the senior recorded 21 points, six rebounds, and an assist. In Saturday’s 99-98 victory against No. 19 Florida Southern College, the Charlotte native recorded a 38-point / 11-rebound double-double.  For the week, Baez scored 59 points by shooting 51% from the floor (21-41), 55% from beyond the arc (6-11), and 79% from the free throw line (11-14). In his 82 minutes on the court, Baez tallied 17 rebounds and three assists. He is the fourth player in the SSC to score 38 or more points in a game this season.

Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week

Dwayne Gibson / Nova Southeastern University / Sr. / G-F / Carmel, Indiana
Gibson repeats as Defensive Player of the Week for his play in No. 4 Nova Southeastern’s conference wins over Eckerd College (72-70) and Florida Tech (128-84) last week. In Wednesday's road victory at the Tritons, Gibson led a defensive effort that held the Tritons to just 23 first-half points on 26.9% shooting. Additionally, he totaled a team-high 25 points and collected a career-high 13 rebounds. In Saturday's 44-point victory over the Panthers, the Carmel, Indiana product helped limit SSC leading scorer Derek Murphy to just 6-of-18 shooting with 12 more rebounds to his credit.  
 

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Women's Basketball Player of the Week

Jonika Garvin / Palm Beach Atlantic University / Sr. / G / Lake Worth, Florida
Garvin earns her second Player of the Week award this season after leading PBA in an upset over No. 15 Florida Southern College. The senior from Lake Worth, Florida scored 38 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Sailfish to a 65-64 upset win over FSC on the road. Garvin set the Sailfish record for points in a game in the win. The senior added 10 points and eight rebounds on Saturday against Eckerd College and is in the top six of the SSC in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals per game.

Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week

Lauren Kotey / University of Tampa / Sr. / C / Findlay, Ohio
Kotey led Tampa’s defense in a conference victory over Rollins College (67-50) last Wednesday to earn SSC weekly honors. The Findlay, Ohio native tallied career highs in blocks (8), defensive rebounds (8), and minutes played (40). Kotey’s eight blocks are the most by a Tampa player since Sheena Walton in 2008. She also scored four points and pulled in an offensive rebound in the win.

 

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Baseball Player of the Week

Garrett Hiott / Eckerd College / Sr. / OF / Coconut Creek, Florida
Hiott receives SSC Player of the Week for the first time in his career after leading Eckerd to a home series sweep against Albany State University. The senior from Coconut Creek, Florida went 8-11 on the series, raising his season batting average to .500 for the season. Hiott had multiple hits in every game of the series, and half of his hits were for extra bases. For the series, the senior had a .727/.769/1.364 slash line while scoring six runs, batting in five runs, and stealing a base.

Baseball Pitcher of the Week

Garrett Leonard / Rollins College / Jr. / Fort Mill, South Carolina
Leonard takes home Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing 11 innings across two games and earning his first win of the season. The South Carolina native received the no-decision against Flagler College after pitching six innings, surrendering only one unearned run and two hits while striking out eleven. The junior earned a win against Bentley University by tossing five scoreless innings and striking out six batters. Over his 11 innings pitched, Leonard posted a .2727 WHIP by allowing only three hits and no walks.

 

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Softball Player of the Week

Kacie Kelly / Saint Leo University / Jr. / INF / Jacksonville, Florida
Pre-season NFCA Player of the Year candidate, Kelly, takes home SSC Player of the Week honors by helping No. 5 Saint Leo to a series win against No. 18 Palm Beach Atlantic University. The junior leadoff hitter went 7-11 at the plate, totaling ten bases and scoring a team-high five runs. The Jacksonville, Florida native slashed .636/.667/.909 in helping the Lions get back to .500 on the year.



Softball Pitcher of the Week

Makaleigh Dooley / University of Tampa / Sr. / Tampa, Florida
Dooley led the Spartans to two wins in the circle to earn Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time this season and ninth time in her career. The senior from Tampa pitched two complete games surrendering only one earned run in each start and moving her record to 6-0 on the year. The preseason First-Team All-American led the Spartans to a series win at Eckerd College by striking out 18 batters over her 14 innings. Dooley is now top five in school history in career strikeouts (478), complete games (62), and career wins (53).
 

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