2025 All-SSC Cross Country Runner and Freshman of the Year Honors Announced
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference is pleased to announce its 2025 men’s and women’s cross country runner and freshman regular season standouts. Jillian Thorning of Nova Southeastern repeats as Women’s Runner of the Year, while Nick Scarangelli takes Men’s Runner of the Year honors. Jordan Stygar from NSU and Taye Newman from ERAU capture Freshman of the Year nods. League coaches nominate and select the Runner and Freshman of the Year award winners.
The 2025 SSC Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Tampa and take place at Holloway Park in Lakeland on Saturday, October 25th. Runners who finish in the Top-14 at the championship will earn all-conference accolades. The conference will issue a formal All-SSC cross country awards announcement on Tuesday, October 28th.
Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Jillian Thorning, Nova Southeastern
Thorning repeats as Runner of the Year after going undefeated against conference opponents in her three races this season. The junior from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, began the season with a first-place finish at the Keiser Invitational (18:00). In 6,000-meter races, Thorning finished first of 59 runners at the St. Thomas Bobcat Invitational (22:25) and 13th of 351 runners at the Florida State Invite (21:36). She is the second Nova Southeastern athlete to earn the honor (joining Alexandria Palm in 2013) and just the sixth runner ever to win the award twice
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Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Nick Scarangelli, Embry-Riddle
Scarangelli, a junior from Ocean City, New Jersey, finished the regular season as the top or second SSC runner in all four of his races. In his lone 6K races, he finished second of 138 runners at the Swan City Classic (18:31). At 8,000-meters, Scarangelli placed 2nd of 96 runners at ERAU’s classic (26:06), 29th of 219 at Lucian Rosa (25:14), and sixth of 272 at the UAH Chargers Invite (24:31). Scarangelli is the fourth Embry-Riddle athlete to be named Runner of the Year2.
Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Jordan Stygar, Nova Southeastern
Styger opened the season with a third-place finish of 67 runners at the Keiser Invitational 5K. In 6,000-meter races, the Storrs, Connecticut product finished third of 59 athletes at the St. Thomas Bobcat Invitational (23:04), 56th of 351 at the Florida State Invite (22:49), and 27th of 246 at the UAH Charger Invite (22:13). Styger is the fourth Nova Southeastern women’s cross country runner to claim Freshman of the Year honors and the first since 2020-213.
Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Taye Newman, Embry-Riddle
Newman started his career with a win at the Swan City Classic 6K besting 138 runners (18:19). In 8K races, the Irvine, California native finished third of 96 runners at ERAU’s classic, 74th of 272 at Lucian Rosa (26:10), and 12th of 272 at the UAH Chargers Invite (24:41). Newman is the sixth Embry-Riddle runner to be named Freshman of the Year4.
Full Listing of SSC Runners and Freshman of the Year: Men | Women
See Also: 2025 SSC Cross Country Championship Central
1 Multiple WXC Runner of the Year winners: Kim Pawelek, North Florida (1994-95); Alli Tatangelo, Florida Southern (1999-00); Allison Macsas, Tampa (2003-05); Colett Rampf, Saint Leo (2014-17); Zoe Jarvis, Tampa (2019 & 2021).
2 Past SSC MXC Runner of the Year winners from ERAU: Shaun Bullock (2018); Paul Kraemer (2022); Tanner Rosolino (2023)
3 Past SSC WXC Freshman of the Year winners from NSU: Alexandria Palm (2010), Anabel Knoll (2015), Ivanova Yanes (2020-21)
4 Past SSC MXC Freshman of the Year winners from Embry-Riddle: Ryan Szklany (2018); Tanner Rosolino (2019); Micah Blair (2020-21); Brendon Shea (2021); Nick Scarangelli (2023)