Melijah Sullivan and Aliyah Abney Named SSC Players of the Week

February 7, 2022

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Following a pair of Sunshine State Conference victories, the University of Tampa swept the weekly awards as the SSC presented its Offensive and Defensive Women's Basketball Player of the Week to Melijah Sullivan and Aliyah Abney.

Sullivan earns Player of the Week accolades for her performance in two SSC wins last week. The Bartow, Florida product tallied 19 points and seven rebounds as Tampa defeated No. 12 Eckerd, 67-56, in St. Petersburg. The junior scored 11 points as Tampa bested Embry-Riddle 63-41 at home. Sullivan tallied 30 points by shooting 58% from the field (11-19) and 73% from the free-throw line (8-11). She averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while playing a total of 58 minutes. The weekly award is the fourth of her career.

Abney nets weekly awards as the top defensive player for the Spartans in two wins last week. The guard from Rochester, New York, tallied nine defensive rebounds and a pair of steals as Tampa defeated No. 12 Eckerd, 67-56, in St. Petersburg. She followed with seven defensive rebounds and three steals as Tampa bested Embry-Riddle 63-41 at home. Offensively, Abney scored 33 points, dished five assists, and pulled in four offensive boards across the two games.

Sunshine State Conference Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of January 30 - February 6, 2022. Athletic Communication Directors of member institutions nominate athletes.

2021-22 SSC Women's Basketball Award Winners (Offense; Defense)
Nov. 8: Melijah Sullivan (Tampa); Grace Gilmore (NSU)
Nov. 15: Aliyah Abney (Tampa); Yoke Tassent (Rollins)
Nov. 22: Ayanna Trigg (Saint Leo); Lauryn Vieira (Eckerd)
Nov. 29: Dori Nagy (Tampa); Maya Price (Eckerd)
Dec. 6: Whitney Jacob (FSC); Sofia Persson (Eckerd)
Dec. 13: Amanda Ulrich (Saint Leo); Dani Lozzi (Lynn)
Dec. 21: KiKi McIntyre (Saint Leo); Kash Ayuso (PBA)
Jan. 3: Sofia Persson (Eckerd); Emma Hergot (Barry)
Jan. 10: Madeline Hardy (NSU); Uloma Enyogasi (Lynn)
Jan. 17: KiKi McIntyre (Saint Leo); Ayanna Trigg (Saint Leo)
Jan. 24: McKenah Peters (NSU); Whitney Jacob (FSC)
Jan. 31: Maya Price (Eckerd); Whitney Jacob (FSC)
Feb. 7: Melijah Sullivan (Tampa); Aliyah Abney (Tampa)