SSC 40 Great Moments: December 10th Edition

On December 6th, 2014, Lynn University men's soccer and University of Tampa volleyball secured the Sunshine State Conference's 88th and 89th national titles. The two programs emerged through the NCAA tournament brackets to raise the trophies at the 2014 NCAA Division II Fall Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
The SSC sent seven programs to the 2014 NCAA Division II Fall Festival. In addition to the national championship in women's volleyball and men's soccer, Rollins College women's soccer finished as national runner-up, while Florida Southern College men, Tampa women, Saint Leo University men & women participated in the cross-country national championship.

It was the first time in conference history that three teams have reached a Fall national title game. The SSC celebrated two Fall national championships in 2001. When Tampa men's soccer won the title and Barry University achieved the women's volleyball title.
 
"I was tremendously proud to witness this historic day for the Sunshine State Conference on this historic day," commented Ed Pasque, Sunshine State Conference Commissioner, who was in Louisville that day with his young son, Ollie. "When I was walking around the venues that day, I remember people from other conferences and the NCAA coming up to me and smiling, and shaking their heads a little and saying this is quite a day for the SSC."
 
For Lynn men's soccer the championship was their third in men's soccer. It was the university's 12th NCAA Division II National Championship. Lynn won both the 2014 SSC Regular Season and Tournament championship, gaining a bye into the NCAA South Regional. The Fighting Knights lived up to their name, dispatching Saint Leo (3-0), Young Harris (4-1), Quincy (4-1), and Charleston (3-2) to hoist the trophy.

Tampa finished the 2014 season at the true number one with their second volleyball national championship. The title is the 14th overall for UT. The Spartans received the No. 1 seed into the NCAA South Regional after securing the 2014 SSC Regular Season championship for the 10th consecutive season. The Spartans defeated Claflin (S.C.) (3-0), Valdosta State (Ga.) (3-0), and Palm Beach Atlantic (3-1) to win the region. Tampa defeated Wheeling Jesuit (3-0) during the quarterfinals and Arkansas-Fort Smith (3-1) in the Semifinals. In the championship, Tampa overcame the only team to defeat them this season, Southwest Minnesota State, 3-0.