Alex Canney, E.J. Cumbo Take Major Awards as SSC Champs Have Nine Honorees
MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference presents its 2023 baseball postseason awards with the league champion University of Tampa collecting 12 accolades, including Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. Thirty-nine student-athletes are recognized on the league's all-conference baseball teams. Voting for the All-SSC baseball awards is conducted among the league's head baseball coaches.
SSC Baseball All-Conference History: All-SSC Teams | Players & Coaches of the Year
E.J. Cumbo from Tampa collects SSC Player of the Year honors. The junior outfielder ranks first in league hits (87) and runs batted in (58). He's also Top-3 in batting average (.429), doubles (19), slugging percentage (.631), and on-base percentage (.471). The East Meadow, New York product is the eighth Spartan to win Player of the Year honors and the first since 20191. The Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year award is presented by College Ave Student Loans.
Alex Canney is selected Pitcher of the Year following an 8-0 record on the bump for Tampa. The sophomore from Valrico, Florida, recorded a 2.58 earned run average and one save over his 16 appearances. In 69.2 innings pitched, he struck out 48 batters and registered a WHIP of 1.19. Canney is the 12th Spartan to be named SSC Pitcher of the Year2.
Barry University's Jake Ogden is awarded Freshman of the Year accolades. The third baseman from Homestead, Florida, saw action in 47 games this season, earning 46 starts. Ogden tallied a .315/.397/.506 slash line following 51 hits, 16 extra-base hits, 41 runs scored, and 31 runs batted in. He is the third Barry player named SSC Freshman of the Year and the first since 20153.
Jon Sjogren of Rollins College is selected Coach of the Year by his peers. In his 16th year with the program, Sjogren led the Tars to a .680 overall win percentage (34-16) and second place in the SSC standings (22-8). Rollins earned the fourth seed in the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament and has received numerous national rankings throughout the season. Sjogren is the third Rollins manager named Coach of the Year and the first since 20044.
Cumbo highlights the repeat All-SSC winners with his third consecutive First Team award. He becomes the 10th baseball athlete to win three First Team All-SSC honors5. UT's Drew Ehrhard and Michael Paul each earn a third career All-SSC honor in 2023. Ehrhard repeats as First Team and was Second Team in 2018. Paul was previously named First Team in 2022 and 2021. Ten athletes honored in 2023 repeat as All-SSC First or Second Team. The SSC's All-Defensive Team moves into its third year, with Florida Tech's Sam Schner as the only athlete honored all three years.
SSC Major Award Winners
Player of the Year: E.J. Cumbo, Tampa
Pitcher of the Year: Alex Canney, Tampa
Freshman of the Year: Jake Ogden, Barry
Coach of the Year: Jon Sjogren, Rollins
2023 All-SSC Baseball First Team |
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|
1B |
Jeslyn Whitehead |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Orlando, Florida |
|
2B |
Adams Torres |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Kissimmee, Florida |
|
3B |
Rohsean Riley |
Florida Southern |
Jr. |
Winter Haven, Florida |
|
SS |
Mike Ballard |
Eckerd |
So. |
Lake Mary, Florida |
|
C |
Drew Cavanaugh |
Florida Southern |
So. |
Rochester Hills, Michigan |
|
UT |
Tampa |
Gr. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
|
DH |
Joe Stella |
Barry |
So. |
Pittston, Pennsylvania |
|
OF |
Tampa |
Jr. |
East Meadow, New York |
|
|
OF |
Bryce Safferwich |
Florida Southern |
So. |
Richmond, Virginia |
|
OF |
Tampa |
Sr. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
|
OF |
Braden Forchic‡ |
Barry |
Jr. |
Boca Raton, Florida |
|
SP |
Drew Dwyer |
Lynn |
Sr. |
Fort Myers, Florida |
|
SP |
Tampa |
So. |
Valrico, Florida |
|
|
SP |
Carlos Rey |
Nova Southeastern |
Jr. |
Miami Springs, Florida |
|
SP |
Edward Berry |
Rollins |
So. |
Mountain Brook, Alabama |
|
RP |
Tampa |
Sr. |
Statesboro, Georgia |
|
2023 All-SSC Baseball Second Team |
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|
1B |
David Judge |
Lynn |
Jr. |
Troy, New York |
|
2B |
Duncan Pastore^~F |
Nova Southeastern |
Jr. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
3B |
Jake Ogden |
Barry |
Fr. |
Homestead, Florida |
|
SS |
Tampa |
So. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
|
C |
Tampa |
So. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
|
UT |
Connor Berry† |
Florida Southern |
Sr. |
Seminole, Florida |
|
DH |
Daniel Irisarri† |
Nova Southeastern |
Sr. |
Miami, Florida |
|
OF |
Parker Smith^ |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Orlando, Florida |
|
OF |
Zach Benson |
Saint Leo |
Sr. |
Lithia, Florida |
|
OF |
Ryan Coleman |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
OF |
Kevin Noriega |
Barry |
Jr. |
Caracas, Venezuela |
|
SP |
Mike Reagan |
Barry |
Sr. |
Safety Harbor, Florida |
|
SP |
Nick Berger |
Rollins |
So. |
Winter Park, Florida |
|
SP |
Cooper Omans |
Nova Southeastern |
Jr. |
Oviedo, Florida |
|
SP |
Tampa |
Sr. |
Clearwater, Florida |
|
|
RP |
Nick Jennings |
Saint Leo |
Sr. |
Land O'Lakes, Florida |
2023 SSC Baseball Honorable Mention |
||||
|
UT |
Tyler Cox |
Eckerd |
Jr. |
Winfield, West Virginia |
|
DH |
Adrien Roa* |
Saint Leo |
Gr. |
Davie, Florida |
2023 SSC Baseball All-Defensive Team |
||||
|
1B |
Jeslyn Whitehead |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Orlando, Florida |
|
2B |
Mitch Donofrio |
Florida Southern |
Gr. |
Venice, Florida |
|
3B |
Tampa |
So. |
Hialeah, Florida |
|
|
SS |
Mike Ballard |
Eckerd |
So. |
Lake Mary, Florida |
|
C |
Drew Cavanaugh |
Florida Southern |
So. |
Rochester Hills, Michigan |
|
OF |
Cam Collier |
Eckerd |
Jr. |
St. Petersburg, Florida |
|
OF |
Sam Schner% |
Florida Tech |
Jr. |
Boca Raton, Florida |
|
OF |
Christian Maceda |
Barry |
Jr. |
Englewood, New Jersey |
|
P |
Tampa |
Sr. |
Clearwater, Florida |
|
