Tampa’s Hamlin Adds SSC Male Athlete of the Year to Standout Season

ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Tampa swimmer Jacob Hamlin has been named the 2024-25 Sunshine State Conference Male Athlete of the Year. Hamlin finished the season as a five-time national champion, four-time NCAA Division II record holder, and the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America's Men's D2 Swimmer of the Year.

The Male Athlete of the Year award is voted on by Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators, Athletic Communication Directors, and Faculty Athletic Representatives from each of the 11 SSC member institutions.

The Orlando, Florida native led Tampa to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division II Men's Swimming Championship following one of the greatest individual efforts in Division II swimming history. Hamlin brought home national titles in the 200 Free, 500 Free, 1000 Free, 1650 Free, and the 800 Free Relay. At the D2 championship meet in Indianapolis, he broke his national record in the 1000 Free (8:47.23) and then set national records in the 1650 Free (14:55.02) and 800 Free Relay (6:17.93). Hamlin's overall performance at the NCAA meet yielded All-America honors in all five events, along with his National Men's Swimmer of the Year laurels from the CSCAA.

Earlier in the season, the sophomore set the 500 Free national record at the Gamecock Invitational (4:16.84). He was crowned an individual SSC champion four times in 2024-25, mirroring his event wins at the national meet. Along with his teammates, Hamlin won the 400 and 800 Free Relays, all a part of his larger efforts, which led Tampa men's swimming to clinch its third consecutive SSC title, achieving a historic milestone by winning both the men's and women's conference championships in the same year for the first time in school history. The SSC Swimmer of the Year and UTampa Male Athlete of the Year owns SSC overall records in all five of his national championship-winning events. He also holds SSC championship meet records in the 500 Free, 1000 Free, and 800 Free Relay.

Hamlin is the fourth swimming athlete to win the SSC Athlete of the Year since it became a league sport in 2010-11, joining his former teammate Santiago Corredor, who won in 2023-24. Before Corredor, Florida Southern's Jeb Halfacre won in 2010-11 and 2011-12) followed by Anton Lobanov from Nova Southeastern in 2016-17. Hamlin is the seventh Tampa student-athlete to be honored as SSC Male Athlete of the Year, joining  Paul Russo (Baseball - 1989-90), Mike Valdes (Baseball - 1997-98), Eric Beattie (Baseball - 2002-03), Jeremy Black (Basketball - 2007-08), Matthew Beddow (Lacrosse - 2021-22), and Corredor.

Complete Listing: SSC Athletes of the Year