SSC Athletes of the Week | February 3 - 9, 2020
Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of February 3 - 9, 2020. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.
Men's Basketball Player of the Week
RJ Sunahara / Nova Southeastern University / Fr. / Forward / Bay Village, Ohio
Sunahara averaged a double-double throughout two victories, as No. 5 Nova Southeastern ran its win streak to eight games with wins against Rollins College and Eckerd College on the road. On Wednesday, the Sharks defeated Rollins, 89-85, led by a game-high 25 from the Bay Village, Ohio native. On Saturday, Sunahara registered 20 points and a game-high 14 rebounds on the way to his fifth double-double of the season as NSU bested Eckerd by 15 points. The freshman scored his 45 points by shooting 77% from the field (20-26) and 56% from the free-throw line (5-9). Sunahara played 68 minutes on the court, where he totaled 22 rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and two steals.
Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Jalyn Hinton / Florida Southern College / Jr. / Forward / Boston, Massachusetts
Hinton takes Defensive Player of the Week honors for the third time this season following FSC's wins at Lynn University and against Florida Tech. The Bostonian began the week with a block and six defensive rebounds in FSC's 97-92 road victory at Lynn. Hinton picked it up in FSC's 30-point win over Florida Tech, grabbing 10 defensive boards while blocking five shots and tallying a pair of steals. Offensively, Hinton provided his team with 28 points, seven assists, and six offensive rebounds.
Women's Basketball Player of the Week
Amanda Ulrich / Saint Leo University / Fr. / Guard / Secaucus, New Jersey
Ulrich pulls in Player of the Week honors following another her performances against No. 20 University of Tampa and Rollins College last week. On Wednesday, Ulrich scored 19 points and added four steals as Saint Leo fell to Tampa, 73-58, on the road. On Saturday against Rollins, Ulrich scored a game-high 18 points, which helped the Lions secure the 63-48 victory. The freshman scored her 37 points this week by shooting 31% from the field (10-32), 29% from behind the arc (4-14), and 81% from the free-throw line (13-16). She played in 70 of her team's minutes, where she totaled eight rebounds, six assists, six steals, and a blocked shot.
Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Sarah Jones / Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Guard / So. / Monroe, Ohio
Jones is named Defensive Player of the Week after helping ERAU to a pair of conference wins. The product of Monroe, Ohio, had three steals on Wednesday during a 69-38 road victory at Palm Beach Atlantic University. On Saturday, she tallied six steals and two defensive rebounds in ERAU's 68-53 home win against Barry University. The sophomore averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 steals, and 3.4 assists per game for Embry-Riddle last week. Jones and the Eagles held PBA and Barry to 16 and nine points below their season scoring averages, respectively. The weekly award is the second of her career.
Baseball Player of the Week
Andrew Martinez / Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Jr. / Outfield / Jupiter, Florida
Martinez tallied 11 hits last week to earn Player of the Week honors as ERAU went 3-1 at home. A junior from the Jupiter, Florida, Martinez went 11-for-16 at the plate, with three extra-base hits, six runs scored, three runs batted in, and three walks. The outfielder had a streak of eight straight at-bats with a base hit and a streak of 11 straight plate appearances where he reached base. Martinez's top game of the week saw him go 4-for-4 at the plate against Tusculum University, with a double, triple, three runs scored, and an RBI. For the weekend, Martinez slashed .688/.737/.938 with three stolen bases and 15 total bases.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Drew Daczkowski / Rollins College / Sr. / Sterling, Virginia
Daczkowski is awarded SSC Pitcher of the Week honors following his efforts against the nationally ranked University of West Florida on Saturday. The Sterling, Virginia product tossed six shutout innings in the 2-0 victory, allowing just two hits and one walk. Daczkowski provided the Tars with seven strikeouts while holding the Argonauts to a .105 batting average. The senior currently ranks second in the conference in strikeouts (14).
Softball Player of the Week
Juliana Speranza / Nova Southeastern University / Jr. / First Base / Woodbridge, Ontario
Speranza was the leading offensive player for the Sharks, who went 6-0 during their home-opening weekend, picking up doubleheader wins over Georgian Court University, Washburn University, and East Stroudsburg University. The Woodbridge, Ontario native accounted for nine runs across the six games with seven runs batted in and two runs scored. She went 7-for-15 from the plate with a pair of extra-base hits. Speranza slashed .467/.526/.733, was hit by a pitch twice, earned a walk, and tagged 11 total bases. Defensively, the first baseman made 31 putouts and had a .969 fielding percentage.
Softball Pitcher of the Week
Kristen Beacham / Florida Southern College / Sr. / Fort Meade, Florida
Beacham stepped up big for the Moccasins with a 3-0 record and 0.00 ERA in 19.1 innings pitched last week. The Fort Meade, Florida product made her first start of the season with four scoreless innings versus Ursuline College before giving way to the bullpen. The senior made her way through the lineup of No. 18 University of Alabama at Huntsville, scattering just two hits over five innings pitched and striking out two while walking one in a 1-0 win for her first victory since the 2018 season. Beacham came back the next day and limited No. 4 University of West Florida to just three hits in five innings while striking out four batters. She closed out her weekend with another five-inning shutout victory over Molloy College (8-0). Beacham held No. 4 UWF, a team averaging 4.56 runs per game, to zero runs and their +.400 hitters to a combined 0-for-6. Beacham becomes the first Moccasin to win weekly honors since she last won Pitcher of the Week on April 9, 2018. The senior now has a total of three weekly awards for her career.
Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
Bryan Wright / University of Tampa / Sr. / Attack / Moorestown, New Jersey Wright earns Offensive Player of the Week with his efforts in Tampa's season opener against No. 14 Queens University. The senior from Moorestown, New Jersey, scored a career and game-high four goals (three unassisted) in the 14-10 Spartans victory. Wright placed nine of 13 shots on goal and added two groundballs and a caused turnover to his stat sheet.
Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week
Scott Phillips / University of Tampa / Jr. / LSM / Rolling Hills Estates, California
Phillips takes Defensive Player of the Week after being the anchor in Tampa's 14-10 victory over No. 14 Queens University. Phillips, a Long Stick Midfielder from Rolling Hills Estates, California, caused three turnovers while collecting three groundballs in the victory. His three caused turnovers were a game-high.
Men's Lacrosse Specialist of the Week
Dryden Brous / Lynn University / Sr. / FOS / Ocean City, Maryland
Brous takes Specialist of the Week for his work at the dot during Lynn's 19-15 win at North Greenville University. The senior faceoff specialist won 34-of-38 faceoffs (.895) in the victory. Brous also forced a turnover and had a shot on goal in the game. With this weekly award, Brous moves into a tie at 12 for the most SSC weekly awards all-time in men's lacrosse (Conor Whipple, Tampa).
Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
Carly Vaccaro / University of Tampa / Sr. / Attack / Mooresville, North Carolina
Vaccaro led the way for the Spartans as they defeated the University of Alabama at Huntsville (22-11) on Friday. The senior attacker scored a program-record seven goals in the win. Vaccaro tallied her seven goals with just seven shots and added three assists to rack an SSC season-high 10 total points. The weekly award is the second of her career.
Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week
Bridget Sutter / University of Tampa / Jr. / Goalie / Evergreen, Colorado
Sutter claims Defensive Player of the Week for her goaltending performance during Tampa's win over the University of Alabama at Huntsville (22-11). The Evergreen, Colorado product had 13 saves and allowed 11 goals while facing 29 shots. Her .542 save percentage currently is the best in the conference.
The weekly award is the sixth of her career.
Men's Golfer of the Week
Ian Aldarondo / Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Jr. / San Juan, Puerto Rico
Aldarondo becomes the first ERAU men's golfer to win SSC Golfer of the Week following his performance at the Eastern Florida State College Titan Invitational. The Puerto Rican finished tied for fourth in a field of 80 at the invite. Aldarondo shot a three-round score of 216, which included rounds of 1-under and 2-under.
Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Erik Nordblom / Florida Southern College / Jr. / Molle, Sweden
Nordblom went undefeated in doubles and singles last week as Florida Southern stunned No. 7 Flagler College (5-2). The junior from Molle, Sweden, made a huge impact in his first game as a Moccasin by partnering with Andres Cabezas in the No. 1 doubles flight to defeat the Carvalho brothers (6-1), clinching the doubles point for FSC. Nordblom then won (6-4, 6-1) against Rodrigo Cavalho in the No. 2 singles flight to help ensure the upset win. The win over No. 7 is the second-highest ranked win for the Moccasins men's tennis program.
Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Karolina Snita / Nova Southeastern University / So. / Glogow, Poland
Snita produced an impactful debut week for the Sharks, going 3-0 in both singles and doubles while only dropping a single set in three matches. Against No. 13 Flagler, Snita battled back at No. 2 singles with a first-set tiebreaker that she trailed 5-1 and charged forward to win 7-5 over Lixin Wang, then rally from a second-set loss to take the third 6-1 - wrapping up a singles match that lasted nearly 2 1/2 hours. Snita then produced commanding wins over the competition, topping Georgia College's Kim Yatribi (6-1, 6-0), then closing out the weekend with (6-1, 6-2) victories over Valdosta State's Birte Langestein. In doubles with Diane Follin-Arbelet, Snita played in all three flights this week. The pair finished first in a 6-2 win over Flagler, 6-3 top-flight win over Georgia College, and closed out with a shutout, 6-0 at No. 2 versus VSU.
Week-by-Week Winners
2019-20 SSC Men's Basketball Award Winners (Offense; Defense)
Nov. 11: Brett Hanson, FSC; Romeo Crouch, ERAU
Nov. 18: Elijah Jenkins, ERAU; Luka Majstorovic, ERAU
Nov. 25: Christian Peevy, Lynn; Romeo Crouch, ERAU
Dec. 2: E.J. Dambreville, FSC; Darhius Nunn, PBA
Dec. 9: Brett Hanson, FSC; Jalyn Hinton, FSC
Dec. 16: Jakobi Bonner, Rollins; Luka Majstorovic, ERAU
Dec. 23: Myron Hagins, Eckerd; Rusty Moorer, Saint Leo
Jan. 6: Mark Matthews, NSU; Romeo Crouch, ERAU
Jan. 13: Pat Bacon, Tampa; Tylan Birts, Barry
Jan. 20: Kyran McClure, Saint Leo; Jalyn Hinton, FSC
Jan. 27: Brett Hanson, FSC; Darhius Nunn, PBA
Feb. 3: Tylan Birts, Barry; Luka Majstorovic, ERAU
Feb. 10: RJ Sunahara, NSU; Jalyn Hinton, FSC
2019-20 SSC Women's Basketball Award Winners (Offense; Defense)
Nov. 11: Nichel Tampa, Barry; Alani Gallagher, Saint Leo
Nov. 18: Alani Gallagher, Saint Leo, Julia Jenike, FSC
Nov. 25: Dori Nagy, Tampa; Bekki Kalaydjiev, FSC
Dec. 2: Uloma Enyogasi, Lynn; Claire McMahon, NSU
Dec. 9: Kris Nelson, Tampa; Dori Nagy, Tampa
Dec. 16: LaShayla Wright-Ponder, Tampa; Zoe Richards, Eckerd
Dec. 23: Hailey Conley, NSU; Jordan Tully, NSU
Jan. 6: Julia Jenike, FSC; Zoe Richards, Eckerd
Jan. 13: Uloma Enyogasi, Lynn; Kris Nelson, Tampa
Jan. 20: Jordan Tully, NSU; Maya Price, Eckerd
Jan. 27: Dori Nagy, Tampa; Sydney Jones, ERAU
Feb. 3: Melijah Sullivan, Tampa; Alani Gallagher, Saint Leo
Feb. 10: Amanda Ulrich, Saint Leo; Sarah Jones, ERAU