Sunshine State Conference

Sunshine State Conference Weekly Awards: March 4 - 10

03.11.24

Weekly Honors in baseball, softball, lacrosse, golf, and tennis

SSC Athletes of the Week | March 4 - 10, 2024

Sunshine State Conference Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of March 4 - 10, 2024. Athletic Communication Directors of member institutions nominate athletes.

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Baseball Player of the Week

Mike Valdez - Tampa
Senior - Outfield - Miami, Florida

Valdez takes Player of the Week honors following a 10-for-13 effort at the plate across a single game against No. 11 Seton Hill and a three-game sweep of Lenoir-Rhyne. For the week, the senior tallied five runs batted in, five runs scored, five extra-base hits, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. The Miami product's top game of the week was the finale against Lenoir-Rhyne, where he went 4-for-4, hit for the cycle, and drove in the game-winning run. Valdez becomes the fifth to complete the cycle in Tampa's history. He finished the week with a .769 batting average, a .800 on-base percentage, and a 1.385 slugging percentage. He totaled 18 bases in 15 plate appearances while recording multiple hits in all four contests. Defensively, the outfielder had seven putouts in seven chances.

Baseball Pitcher of the Week

Dillon Moran - Embry-Riddle
Sophomore - Stuart, Florida

Moran claims Pitcher of the Week by leading Embry-Riddle to a 5-4 win at Valdosta State. The Stuart, Florida native, started the game for the Eagles, tossing six scoreless innings in which he allowed no walks and three hits. The sophomore struck out eight batters, five looking, as he held opposing hitters to a .143 average to earn his second victory this season. This week's accolade is the second of his career.
 

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Softball Player of the Week

Kinnah Kreidler - Tampa
Freshman - Catcher/Third Base - New Port Richey, Florida

Kreidler grabs Player of the Week honors following a 12-for-15 performance in Tampa's six-game sweep last week, including a doubleheader against No. 20 Wilmington. For the week, the freshman tallied five runs batted in, three runs scored, four extra-base hits, four walks, two stolen bases, and a sacrifice hit. Kreidler's top series came against Southwest Minnesota State, where she went 4-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, two walks, and two doubles. The New Port Richey, Florida, native had a hit in all six games and multiple hits in four contests. She finished the week with a .800 batting average, a .842 on-base percentage, and a 1.133 slugging percentage. Defensively, the infielder had six putouts in six chances.

Softball Pitcher of the Week

Mallory Kinahan - Embry-Riddle
Junior - Sayville, New York

Kinahan collects Pitcher of the Week after tossing 17 scoreless innings for Embry-Riddle last week, including a no-hitter. The Sayville, New York native first saw action in a relief effort against Lander, where she tossed 5.1 innings, allowing no runs on five hits and two walks. Kinahan followed with the fifth no-hitter in ERAU program history, hurling five innings against Chowan, nearly missing a perfect game due to an error. Finally, the junior three a seven-inning complete game shutout of King, where she allowed four hits and a pair of weeks. Kinahan struck out five batters in each appearance, retired the side in order nine times, and held opponents to a .145 batting average last week.
 

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Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week

Canyon Birch - Tampa
Senior - Attack - Brielle, New Jersey

Birch gathers Offensive Player of the Week by leading Tampa to an 11-10 double overtime victory against No. 6 Wingate. The Brielle, New Jersey native scored six goals for the Spartans, including the game-winner in double overtime. Birch led all players in goals and points; he also caused a turnover in the win. His six goals came on 16 total shots and 11 shots on goal.

Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week

Luca Mercaldo - Tampa
Sophomore - Goalkeeper - Baltimore, Maryland

Mercaldo picks up Defensive Player of the Week following his performance on the road in a neutral site double overtime victory against No. 6 Wingate (11-10). The Baltimore native led Tampa to a win following 11 saves and 10 goals allowed in net. Mercaldo faced 27 total shots in the match during his 65+ minutes in net and collected three groundballs.

Men's Lacrosse Specialist of the Week

Alex Poma - Tampa
Grad Student - FOS - Marietta, Georgia

Poma earns Specialist of the Week for the second time in 2024 after overwhelming the competition in Tampa's 11-10 double overtime, neutral site victory against No. 6 Wingate (11-10). The grad student from Marietta, Georgia, won 20-of-26 face-offs in the win for a .769 winning percentage. Poma also gave the Spartans a game-high 12 groundballs and an assist in the win. This week's accolade is the third of his career.
 

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Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week

Jackie Stoller - Florida Southern
Grad Student - Attack - Wayland, Massachusetts

Stoller secures Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in 2024 for her performance in FSC's three games against Top-20 competition. The Wayland, Massachusetts native began the week two goals and an assist in a 16-14 loss to No. 8 Regis. She followed with two goals, one assist, and one draw control as the Moccasins fell to No. 1 Pace, 16-12, on the road. Lastly, Stoller scored seven goals and dished four assists in FSC's 18-13 win at No. 17 Mercy. The grad student averaged 5.7 points, 3.8 goals, and 1.3 assists per game for the week. Stoller also had a .875 shot-on-goal percentage, with 14-of-16 total shots hitting the mark. Her 11 points against Mercy are tied for fifth most in the SSC's single-game records. This week's accolade is the third of her career.

Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week

Jessica Harclerode - Saint Leo
Sophomore - Goalkeeper - Sayville, New York

Harclerode wins Defensive Player of the Week with her efforts in Saint Leo's 2-1 week. The sophomore helped the Lions to an 18-16 win over No. 22 Seton Hill with 11 saves while facing 41 total shots. The Sayville, New York product also led SLU to a 23-8 victory over Belmont Abbey with 10 saves against 23 shots in 45 minutes between the pipes. Harclerode made eight in a 16-9 loss to No. 21 Assumption while facing 31 total shots. She provided her team 18 groundballs and a .426 save percentage last week. This week's accolade is the fourth of her career.
 

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Men's Golfer of the Week

Justus Verge - Palm Beach Atlantic
Sophomore - Bozeman, Montana

Verge earns Golfer of the Week following a second-place finish at the Keiser Cup at Okeeheelee Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Bozeman, Montana sophomore carded a 5-under 208 over his three rounds, besting 77 golfers and finishing one back of the tournament leader. Verge opened the three-day 54-hole event with a four-under 67 before an even-par 71 and a one-under 70. With the play of Verge, Palm Beach Atlantic finished third of 14 teams at the event.
 

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Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week

Mario Garoz - Florida Southern
Sophomore - Toledo, Spain

Garoz is selected Athlete of the Week by leading Florida Southern to a 3-0 record last week. Against No. 15 Wingate, Garoz won in two sets over the ITA's No. 32 singles player Florian Walcher in the #3 position (7-5, 4-6, 6-3) but fell at #1 doubles (6-2). Garoz went on to defeat the #3 players from Georgia College (6-0, 6-2) and Jefferson (6-1, 6-0) on the road. Additionally, Garoz and partner Chris Fok Kow finished the week unblemished, 7-6 (7-5) and 6-4, respectively.

Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week

Oliva Lindestaf - Eckerd
Freshman - Höganäs, Sweden

Lindestaf is named Athlete of the Week with a 4-0 record at #2 singles and a pair of doubles wins in Eckerd's 2-2 week. The Swede bested athletes from Catawba (6-3, 6-2), Walsh (6-0, 6-0), Stonehill (6-2, 6-1), and West Chester (6-1, 6-0) in singles play to be the first Eckerd women's tennis athlete to be named Athlete of the Week since March 13, 2006. Lindestaf also captured #3 doubles wins against Catawba (6-3) and West Chester (6-1), but fell against Walsh and Stonehill. With the play of Lindestaf, Eckerd bested Stonehill and West Chester last week.
 

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Women's Rowing Boat of the Week

Embry-Riddle Varsity 8

Embry-Riddle's Varsity 8 boat, which includes Shelby Ernst, Kristen Vigna, Abby Webb, Sofia Lorenzini, Soleil Edwards, Alexandra Weilert, Aria Moses, Sofia Glaser, and Jadyn Harjung (coxswain), collects Boat of the Week honors. The Eagles posted a solid win against Barry at the Halifax River in Daytona Beach last week. The V8 took first with a 2000-meter time of 7:32.4, defeating Barry by 17.73 seconds (7:50.17).
 

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