Sunshine State Conference

SSC Weekly Awards Presented by Pollo Campero: January 5 - 11

01.12.26

Weekly Honors in Swimming and Basketball

A.J. Vazquez, Communications Contractor

SSC Athletes of the Week | January 5 - 11, 2026

Sunshine State Conference Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their regular season performances during the week of January 5 - 11, 2026. Athletic Communication Directors of member institutions nominate athletes.

---

Men’s Basketball Player of the Week

Jared Berry, Embry-Riddle

Redshirt Junior - Guard - Apopka, Florida 

Berry averaged 22.5 ppg at a 46% shooting percentage for the week while leading the Eagles to a narrow loss against No. 8 Palm Beach Atlantic University and a win over Lynn University. Against Palm Beach Atlantic, he had a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double while dishing five assists. He followed this by capping off the week with a 23-point outing while shooting 57% from the field with six assists against Lynn. Berry currently leads the league in assists with 80, and has scored 20-plus points six times this season.

 

Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Week

Christian Kirkland, Palm Beach Atlantic

Redshirt Sophomore - Forward - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Kirkland’s defensive efforts anchored the No. 1 SSC Scoring Defense and played a pivotal role in Palm Beach Atlantic’s undefeated week with conference wins over Embry-Riddle and Saint Leo, averaging 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. In the road win at Embry-Riddle, he recorded three blocks, six rebounds, and a steal to go with his nine points. He followed this against Saint Leo by tallying two blocks, five rebounds, and a steal while scoring 19 points. This is Kirkland’s second SSC Weekly Honor of the season. 

---

Women’s Basketball Player of the Week

Trinity Mocadlo, Lynn

Junior - Guard - Greenville, Wisconsin

Mocadlo averaged 26.5 points on 49% shooting on the week and leads the league in total points scored with 266. She opened the week by scoring a career-high 34 points, also notching five steals, three assists, and a block in a double-overtime win against Florida Tech. At No. 18 Embry-Riddle, she added 19 points, two assists, and a steal. Through the last four games, she is averaging 25.8 points per game. 

 

Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Week

Anabel Ellison, Palm Beach Atlantic

Graduate - Guard - Clearwater, Florida

Ellison set the tone defensively for the Sailfish, consistently disrupting offenses, totaling eight steals on the week. On the road at Embry-Riddle, she recorded three steals, three defensive rebounds, and a block to go with her 24 points. She followed this with another stellar defensive performance, stealing the ball five times against Saint Leo University, grabbing six defensive rebounds, and scoring 23 points. 

---

Men's Swimmer of the Week

Nick Cavic, Tampa

Freshman - Berkley, Massachusetts 

Cavic opened the weekend facing Keiser University with a dominant victory in the 200-yard individual medley, touching in 1:51.79 for the top spot, before following that up with a strong second-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly at 1:50.79. The next day, against No. 5 Wingate University and No. 9 Lynn, he claimed first place in the 200-yard butterfly, posting 1:46.53, and added a third-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.55.
 

Women's Swimmer of the Week

Melissa Zucco, Florida Tech

Sophomore - Turin, Italy 

Zucco had an undefeated weekend, earning first in three different races against Rollins College. She opened the meet by earning first in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:06.74, before also winning the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.99. Zucco also contributed to the Panthers’ win in the 400-yard medley relay with a team time of 3:57.78. 

---

---

---