Pitcher of the Year Jordan Leasure Heads All-SSC Selections
MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference presents its 2021 baseball postseason awards. The University of Tampa collects nine accolades, including Pitcher of the Year and Coach of the Year, after winning the 2021 conference championship. In total, 37 student-athletes are recognized on the league's all-conference baseball teams. Voting for the All-SSC baseball awards is conducted among the conference's baseball coaches.
SSC Baseball All-Conference History: All-SSC Teams | Players & Coaches of the Year
Vaun Brown from Florida Southern College is named the 2021 SSC Player of the Year. The senior outfielder ranks at the top of the league in runs scored (40), hits (43), runs batted in (31), home runs (13), and at-bats (111). The Sarasota, Florida product is second in conference batting average (.387) and slugging percentage (.793). Brown is the fourth Moccasin to win Player of the Year honors and the first since 20021.
Jordan Leasure earns Pitcher of the Year following 12 appearances in 2021 for Tampa. In 26.1 innings pitched, he struck out 42 batters (14.35 K/9) and registered a WHIP of 0.570. The junior from Tampa recorded a 0.68 earned run average and .133 batting average against this season. Leasure earned four saves and posted a 1-1 record while allowing three runs, three walks, and 12 hits. He is the second relief pitcher2 and the 11th Spartan to be named SSC Pitcher of the Year3.
Nova Southeastern University's Tyler Epstein is awarded Freshman of the Year. The Shark finished the regular season with a .360 batting average, which ties him for the team lead and seventh in the league. The Pembroke Pines, Florida native finished Top-5 in SSC on-base percentage (.496), runs scored (24), and hits (31). Epstein is the second consecutive NSU player to be named SSC Freshman of the Year and the fourth overall4.
SSC baseball coaches select Joe Urso as Coach of the Year for the 13th time in his career. Urso guided the Spartans to the program's 20th SSC championship following a 16-4 overall record and 15-3 conference record. In 2021, the Tampa offense finished first in on-base percentage (.403), second in batting average (.292), and third in slugging percentage (.428). Spartan pitching led the league in ERA (3.24), WHIP (1.219), and BAA (.236).
Nicholas Winkelmeyer earned a spot on the first team as he finished the season with a .344 batting average and 17 runs scored. He led Tampa with a .488 on-base percentage and in base on balls with 15. He also finished with 4 doubles.
E.J. Cumbo was named to the first team after he finished the year with a team-best .382 batting average and .645 slugging percentage. He was not done as he also led Tampa with 20 runs scored, 29 hits, 5 doubles and 5 home runs.
Michael Paul was named to first-team after he finished the year with a perfect 7-0 record. Paul led Tampa in innings pitched with 42.2. He struck out 39 batters while averaging 8.23 strikeouts per nine innings.
John Malcom earned a spot on the second team as he led Tampa with 21 runs batted in. He finished the season with 18 hits, 3 doubles, 4 home runs and a .579 slugging percentage.
Jamarcus Lyons earned a spot on the second team after he finished the year with a .327 batting average. He had 18 hits, 3 doubles and 2 home runs for Tampa during the season.
Eric Linder found himself a spot on the second team after he finished the year with 26 strikeouts and a 2.06 earned run average. He also finished the year second on the team with 35.0 innings pitched.
Florida Southern's Jacob Teter and Barry University's Andrew Rapoza repeat as All-SSC honorees, while 35 student-athletes earn their first career All-SSC honor in 2021. This year's accolades include All-Defensive Team honors for the first time in league history.
Player of the Year: Vaun Brown, Florida Southern
Pitcher of the Year: Jordan Leasure, Tampa
Freshman of the Year: Tyler Epstein, Nova Southeastern
Coach of the Year: Joe Urso, Tampa
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2021 All-SSC Baseball First Team |
||||
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Jacob Teter* |
Florida Southern |
Jr. |
Melbourne, Florida |
|
2B |
Tampa |
So. |
Sarasota, Florida |
|
|
3B |
Sam LaFontaine |
Rollins |
Gr. |
Hudson, Ohio |
|
SS |
Tyler Epstein |
Nova Southeastern |
Fr. |
Pembroke Pines, Florida |
|
C |
Robert Fabelo |
Palm Beach Atlantic |
Gr. |
Miami, Florida |
|
UT |
Paul Coumoulos |
Saint Leo |
Jr. |
Spring Hill, Florida |
|
DH |
Connor Berry |
Florida Southern |
So. |
Seminole, Florida |
|
OF |
Vaun Brown |
Florida Southern |
Sr. |
Sarasota, Florida |
|
OF |
Adan Fernandez |
Nova Southeastern |
Jr. |
Miramar, Florida |
|
OF |
Tampa |
So. |
East Meadow, New York |
|
|
OF |
Lawrence Cicileo |
Lynn |
Sr. |
Milford, Pennsylvania |
|
SP |
Tampa |
Jr. |
Clearwater, Florida |
|
|
SP |
Jaylyn Whitehead |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Ocoee, Florida |
|
SP |
Frank Gonzalez |
Barry |
So. |
Miramar, Florida |
|
SP |
JP Williams |
Nova Southeastern |
Sr. |
Melbourne, Florida |
|
RP |
Tampa |
Jr. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2021 All-SSC Baseball Second Team |
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|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Tampa |
So. |
Detroit, Michigan |
|
|
2B |
Byron Murray |
Lynn |
Jr. |
Nassau, Bahamas |
|
3B |
Braden Forchic |
Lynn |
So. |
Boca Raton, Florida |
|
SS |
Raul Quintero^ |
Florida Tech |
Sr. |
Weston, Florida |
|
C |
Cody Oerther |
Rollins |
Jr. |
Windermere, Florida |
|
OF |
Jake Vander Wal |
Saint Leo |
Sr. |
Ada, Michigan |
|
OF |
Ihosvany Castaneda |
Barry |
So. |
Pembroke Pines, Florida |
|
OF |
Tampa |
So. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
|
OF |
Nick Santucci |
Rollins |
Gr. |
Franklin, Massachusetts |
|
SP |
Tampa |
So. |
St. Johns, Florida |
|
|
SP |
Boris Villa |
Florida Tech |
Jr. |
Barranquilla, Colombia |
|
SP |
Jarrod Cande |
Florida Southern |
Jr. |
Tampa, Florida |
|
SP |
Misael Castillo |
Lynn |
Sr. |
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey |
|
RP |
Ben Terwilliger |
Barry |
Jr. |
Elmira, New York |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2021 All-SSC Baseball Honorable Mention |
||||
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
|
OF |
Landen Morrison |
Palm Beach Atlantic |
Fr. |
Bradenton, Florida |
|
SP |
JJ Lorenz |
Florida Tech |
So. |
Rockledge, Florida |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2021 SSC Baseball All-Defensive Team |
||||
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Jacob Teter* |
Florida Southern |
Jr. |
Melbourne, Florida |
|
2B |
Dylan Costa |
Florida Southern |
So. |
Wellington, Florida |
|
SS |
Tyler Epstein |
Nova Southeastern |
Fr. |
Pembroke Pines, Florida |
|
C |
Blake Brito |
Barry |
Jr. |
Pembroke Pines, Florida |
|
OF |
Sam Schner |
Florida Tech |
Fr. |
Boca Raton, Florida |
|
OF |
Andrew Rapoza†^ |
Barry |
Sr. |
New Bedford, Massachusetts |
|
OF |
Stephen Schissler |
Nova Southeastern |
Fr. |
Pembroke Pines, Florida |
|
P |
Jaylyn Whitehead |
Rollins |
Sr. |
Ocoee, Florida |
† = 2019 All-SSC First Team
^ = 2018 All-SSC Second Team
* = 2017 Freshman of the Year
1 Previous FSC Player of the Year winners: James Vida (1994), BJ Leach (1999), Justin Hancock (2002)
2 Previous RP's to be named Pitcher of the Year: Mike Adams, Tampa (2013)
3 Previous Tampa Pitcher of the Year Winners: Ricky Burton (1996), Mike Valdes (1998), Charlie Manning (2001), Eric Beattie (2003), Sergio Perez (2006), Kevin Ferguson (2007), Sean Bierman (2012), Mike Adams (2013), Preston Packrall (2014), David Lebron (2017-189)
4 Previous NSU Freshman of the Year Winners: Carlos Asuaje (2011), Brayan Valencia (2007), Duncan Pastore (2018)
5 No Sunshine State Conference All-Conferences awards were issued in Spring 2020