Founded in 1975, Sunshine State Conference member institutions have won a total of 138 NCAA national championships across 15 sports and boast an NCAA Division II leading 89% Academic Success Rate. In 2025-26, the SSC marks its 50th anniversary, reflecting on a proud history of athletic and academic excellence.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Forty-six student-athletes were recognized as All-Conference in the 13th year of Sunshine State Conference men’s lacrosse. The University of Tampa’s Aaron Cho earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, Florida Tech’s Jax Francisco earned Defensive Player of the Year, and Florida Southern College’s Elijah Terry garnered Freshman of the Year honors, sponsored by Athletic Solutions. The Panthers’ coaching staff was also named the league’s Coaching Staff of the Year, the conference announced Wednesday.
All-SSC History: SSC Players and Coaches of the Year | All-SSC Teams
Cho, a senior midfielder from Albertson, New York, earned the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award after tallying 18 goals and 24 assists over the course of the season. Cho recorded three goals three different times this season and had a season-high four assists against the University of Montevallo. He was named SSC Men’s Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week once this season and also earned first-team All-SSC honors for the first time in his career.
Francisco earned the SSC Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year award after a standout season between the posts for Florida Tech. The goalkeeper from Westminster, Maryland, broke the conference record for career saves on April 11 after an 11-save performance against Palm Beach Atlantic University, bringing his total to 688 at the time, which now stands at 701. He recorded 20 saves on 45 shots faced against Rollins College in an 11-6 win. Francisco also held all opponents to fewer than 12 goals in every contest.
Terry, a freshman midfielder, was named the league’s Freshman of the Year after a strong opening campaign for the Mocs. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native posted 22 goals in the regular season with seven assists. He scored a season-high four goals against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in a tightly contested 11-10 regular-season finale win.
Florida Southern faceoff specialist Jacob Czyz and Rollins short-stick defensive midfielder Charlie Metz earned All-SSC honors for the fourth time in their careers. Czyz is now a three-time first-team honoree and a 2025 third-team selection. Metz earned second-team honors in 2023, first-team in 2024, third-team in 2025, and second-team honors this season.
Florida Tech earned Coaching Staff of the Year recognition after an 11-3 regular season, following a 6-10 finish in 2025. Head coach Brad MacArthur, along with assistants Zach Wynne and Chris Hawley, led the Panthers to their best season since MacArthur took the helm in 2022.
Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Cho, Tampa
Defensive Player of the Year: Jax Francisco, Florida Tech
Freshman of the Year: Elijah Terry, Florida Southern
Coaching Staff of the Year: Florida Tech
All-conference selections and individual award winners are determined by a vote of Sunshine State Conference head coaches with oversight and approval from member institution Athletic Directors.
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2026 Men's Lacrosse All-SSC First Team
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Pos.
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Name
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School
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Yr.
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Hometown
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Attack
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Maddux Walton#
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Florida Southern
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Junior
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Columbia, Md.
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Attack
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Greg Palmer
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Saint Leo
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Senior
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Holland Landing, Ont.
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Attack
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Aidan Knoetgen#
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Saint Leo
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Senior
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Center Moriches, N.Y.
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Midfield
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Tommy Ortega#
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Tampa
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Senior
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Coatesville, Pa.
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Midfield
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Thomas Strong
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Florida Tech
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Senior
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Ellicott City, Md.
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Midfield
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Aaron Williams^
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Rollins
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Junior
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Orlando, Fla.
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Midfield
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Aaron Cho
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Tampa
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Senior
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Albertson, N.Y.
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LSM
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Conley Stone*
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Tampa
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Junior
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Summerfield, N.C.
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SSDM
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Brooks Van Esselstyn
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Florida Tech
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Junior
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Bluffton, S.C.
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SSDM
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Harry Boland
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Tampa
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Sophomore
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West Caldwell, N.J.
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FO
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Jacob Czyz #!%
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Florida Southern
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Senior
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Baldwinsville, N.Y.
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Defense
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Steven Ulrichs^
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Florida Tech
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Redshirt Senior
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Richmond, Va.
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Defense
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Gordy Gombold#
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Tampa
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Junior
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Bloomington, Minn.
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Defense
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Jake Demert
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Tampa
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Graduate Student
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Brightwaters, N.Y.
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Goal
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Jax Francisco
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Florida Tech
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Redshirt Senior
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Westminster, Md.
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# = 2025 All-SSC First Team; * = 2025 All-SSC Second Team; ^ = 2025 All-SSC Third Team; † = 2024 All-SSC First Team; ‡ = 2024 All-SSC Second Team; ! = 2024 All-SSC Third Team; % = 2023 All-SSC First Team; = = 2023 All-SSC Second team
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2026 Men's Lacrosse All-SSC Second Team
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Pos.
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Name
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School
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Yr.
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Hometown
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Attack
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Rex Kesselring
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Tampa
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Junior
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Pittsford, N.Y.
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Attack
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Jackson Bashaw*
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Tampa
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Freshman
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Jupiter, Fla.
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Attack
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Joe Coveleski
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Florida Tech
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Junior
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Lewes, Del.
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Midfield
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Tim Keefe^
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Embry-Riddle
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Redhsirt Senior
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Bridgewater, Mass.
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Midfield
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John Raucci
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Saint Leo
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Senior
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Seaford, N.Y.
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Midfield
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Elijah Terry
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Florida Southern
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Freshman
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Shreveport, La.
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LSM
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Will Santella
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Palm Beach Atlantic
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Senior
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Seaford, N.Y.
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SSDM
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James Davies#!
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Saint Leo
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Senior
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Cornelius, N.C.
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SSDM
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Charlie Metz^†=
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Rollins
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Senior
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Dallas, Tex.
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FO
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Brady Greco
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Rollins
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Junior
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Raleigh, N.C.
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Defense
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Ethan Storey^
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Palm Beach Atlantic
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Senior
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Johns Creek, Ga.
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Defense
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Alex Haughn
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Florida Southern
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Junior
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Powell, Oh.
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Defense
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Dom Rottura
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Tampa
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Junior
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Wilmington, Del
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Defense
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Jimmy McGonigle*‡
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Saint Leo
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Senior
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Center Moriches, N.Y.
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Goal
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Westin Schmidt
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Tampa
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Graduate Student
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Centreville, Md
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# = 2025 All-SSC First Team; * = 2025 All-SSC Second Team; ^ = 2025 All-SSC Third Team; † = 2024 All-SSC First Team; ‡ = 2024 All-SSC Second Team; ! = 2024 All-SSC Third Team; % = 2023 All-SSC First Team; = = 2023 All-SSC Second team
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2026 Men's Lacrosse All-SSC Third Team
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Pos.
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Name
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School
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Yr.
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Hometown
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Attack
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Nate Paulo
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Rollins
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Redshirt Junior
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Parker, Colo.
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Attack
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Eric Burbank
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Tampa
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Graduate Student
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Newtown, Conn.
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Attack
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Noah Zimmerman
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Palm Beach Atlantic
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Freshman
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Centreville, Md.
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Attack
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Dom Veratti
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Lynn
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Junior
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Hillsboro Beach, Fla.
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Midfield
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Grant Green^
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Tampa
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Sophomore
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Aurora, Colo.
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Midfield
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Logan McHugh
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Rollins
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Sophomore
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Fairfax, Va.
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Midfield
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Cooper Porter
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Palm Beach Atlantic
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Senior
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Charleston, S.C.
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LSM
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Owen Wills#!
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Saint Leo
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Senior
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Kingston, Ont.
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SSDM
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Kellen Padgett
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Embry-Riddle
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Sophomore
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Jacksonville, Fla.
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SSDM
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Jack Epley
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Florida Southern
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Senior
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Oakwood, Oh.
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FO
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MP Thomas
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Tampa
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Graduate Student
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Roswell, Ga.
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Defense
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Garrett Gmeiner^
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Florida Tech
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Redshirt Senior
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Sykesville, Md.
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Defense
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Robert (Bobby) Cyr^
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Embry-Riddle
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Sophomore
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Wilmington, Mass.
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Defense
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Owen Lammy
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Rollins
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Sophomore
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Downington, Pa.
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Goal
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Reid Kerr^
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Embry-Riddle
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Senior
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Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
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Goal
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Luke Secreti
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Florida Southern
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Sophomore
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Watertown, N.Y.
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# = 2025 All-SSC First Team; * = 2025 All-SSC Second Team; ^ = 2025 All-SSC Third Team; † = 2024 All-SSC First Team; ‡ = 2024 All-SSC Second Team; ! = 2024 All-SSC Third Team; % = 2023 All-SSC First Team; = = 2023 All-SSC Second team
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