11 Spartans Earn All-SSC Honors, Beddow, Birch and Staff Secure Major SSC Awards

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Fifty student-athletes have been recognized as All-Conference in the 11th year of Sunshine State Conference men's lacrosse. The University of Tampa's Canyon Birch garners Offensive Player of the Year recognition, while the Spartans coaches are named Staff of the Year. Nick Shannon from Florida Southern and Matthew Beddow of Tampa share the Defensive Player of the Year accolade, while Florida Tech's Joe Coveleski wins Freshman of the Year Laurels. Voting for the All-SSC Men's Lacrosse honors was conducted among the league's head coaches.

All-SSC History: SSC Players and Coaches of the Year| All-SSC Teams

Birch, a senior attackman from Brielle, New Jersey, tallied 64 points from 53 goals and 11 assists with a .330 shooting percentage in 16 games for the Spartans this season. He currently sits as the league leader in goals, goals per game (3.31), shots (143), and shots per game (8.94). Nationally, he ranks tied for fourth in goals and 12th in goals per game. Birch becomes the first player in SSC men's lacrosse history to be named Offensive Player of the Year.

Shannon, a graduate student from Boyton Beach, Florida, and Beddow, a graduate student from San Diego, were chosen by league coaches to receive the first-ever SSC Defensive Player of the Year awards. Shannon recorded 58 groundballs, 34 caused turnovers, a goal, and an assist in 15 games for the Moccasins. Beddow tallied 30 groundballs, 26 caused turnovers, four goals, and an assist for the Spartans through 16 games.

Coveleski, an attackman from Lewes, Delaware, is the first Florida Tech athlete named Freshman of the Year in men's lacrosse. Coveleski is second in Panther scoring with 21 goals and a .512 shooting percentage across 14 games. He's also provided his team with nine ground balls, two assists, and a caused turnover so far in 2024.

Tampa garners Coaching Staff of the Year recognition following the program's seventh regular-season championship, the first since 2022. The Spartans staff, led by head coach JB Clarke, has piloted the program to a 14-1 overall record with a 7-0 mark in conference play. Currently ranked No. 3 in the USILA national poll, Tampa led SSC play in goals per game (17.9), assists per game (9.0), points per game (26.9), shots per game (49.3), shooting percentage (.362), shots on goal per game (32.9), goals against average (8.5), and lowest turnovers per game (11.4).

Beddow highlights the repeat All-SSC award winners for 2024. The 2022 SSC Player of the Year and 2022 USILA Player of the Year earned a fourth consecutive First Team All-SSC award. Beddow joins Conor Whipple (Tampa, 2014-17) and Dryden Brous (Lynn, 2017-21) as the only four-time First Team All-SSC winners in men's lacrosse. Tampa's Owen Miller is now a three-time First Team honoree following his third consecutive nod from conference coaches. The 2023 SSC Player of the Year, Shahé Katchadurian of Rollins, and his teammates Mikey Berkman and Ben Kopen, repeat as First Team award winners from last season. In total, 14 athletes honored in 2024 repeat as All-Conference.

Offensive Player of the Year: Canyon Birch, Tampa

Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Shannon, Florida Southern

Defensive Player of the Year: Matthew Beddow, Tampa

Freshman of the Year: Joe Coveleski, Florida Tech

Coaching Staff of the Year: Tampa

* = 2023 First Team

^ = 2023 Second Team

§ = 2023 Player of the Year

† = 2022 First Team

‡ = 2022 Second Team

$ = 2022 Player of the Year

~ = 2022 Freshman of the Year

# = 2021 First Team