SSC Weekly Awards Presented by Pollo Campero: April 27-May 3
Athletes of the Week | April 27-May 3
A.J. Vazquez, Communications Contractor
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.
Sunshine State Conference Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of April 27-May 3, 2026. Athletic Communication Directors of
member institutions nominate athletes.
Baseball Player of the Week
Jhoander Irigoyen, University of Tampa
Junior - Catcher - Winter Garden, Florida
Irigoyen led the Spartans to a series victory over Eckerd to help Tampa clinch the 2026 SSC Championship. He batted .727 (8-for-11) with 7 runs scored, 8 runs batted in, and 4 home runs with an .800 on-base percentage. He opened the series with a historic performance, going 5-for-5 with 4 runs scored, 5 RBI, and 3 home runs, accounting for one of the top single-game outputs in program history. This is Irigoyen’s second weekly honor.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Tyler Brashear, Eckerd College
Sophomore - Pitcher - Spring City, Pennsylvania
Brashear tossed a complete game in Eckerd’s 2-1 win over No. 2 nationally ranked and SSC champion Tampa on Sunday. He struck out nine batters and restricted the Spartans to just four hits. During the game, he retired 19 Spartans in a row. Brashear improved to 4-1 on the season. This is his second weekly honor of the season.
Softball Player of the Week
Destiny Lewis, Nova Southeastern University
Senior - Utility - Indianola, Iowa
Lewis led the Sharks to a series sweep against Florida Southern, finishing with a .500 batting average, scoring three runs, and driving in three runs. In the series opener, she went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run, and then added a hit and a run in game two. She capped the series off by posting a triple and one run batted in. Lewis is currently tied for the most home runs in a single season for Nova Southeastern with 13.
Softball Pitcher of the Week
Gwen McGinnis, University of Tampa
Senior - Pitcher - Tallahassee, Florida
McGinnis led the Spartans to two shutout wins against Eckerd, the SSC regular-season runner-up. She tossed 14.0 innings in back-to-back shutouts while striking out seven batters. She limited the Tritons to just seven total hits and allowed no runs for a perfect ERA. This marks McGinnis’ seventh weekly honor of her career.
LINKS: SSC Player of the Week Database / SSC Award Database