Five Spartans Named to All-Sunshine State Conference Teams

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Twenty-six volleyball student-athletes earn All-Sunshine State Conference honors following the 2022 season. The SSC Regular Season Champion, the University of Tampa boasts three First Team honorees. Voting for the team was conducted among the league's volleyball coaches. 

Diana Akopova from Barry University captures Player of the Year honors. The outside hitter from Mozdok, Russia, becomes the seventh Buccaneer named Player of the Year and the first since 20101. Akopova finished the season first in league kills (540), kills per set (5.45), points (607.5), and points per game (6.14). Additionally, the sophomore finished seventh in SSC hitting percentage (.293), 15th in total blocks (77), and 17th in blocks per set (.78). 

SSC Volleyball History: ALL-SSC Teams | Players & Coaches of the Year | Conference Champions | National Champions  

Taylor Stockman of Nova Southeastern University is named Freshman of the Year. The right side from Overland Park, Kansas, is the second Shark to win the honor2. Stockman finished the regular season 10th in league kills (319), 11th in points (355), 13th in kills per set (2.85), 15th in points per set (3.17), and 21st in hitting percentage (.250). 

Barry's Leonid Yelin was chosen as the 2022 SSC Coach of the Year by his peers. Under Yelin's leadership, the Buccaneers finished the regular season with a 25-5 overall record and a runner-up mark of 16-4 in the conference standings. Barry has spent 10 consecutive weeks in the AVCA Top-25 and earned an NCAA regional berth. It is Barry's seventh Coach of the Year award and the third for Yelin3.  

Claudia Rivera of Tampa highlights the repeat All-SSC award winners following her second consecutive First Team honor. At the same time, her teammate Kalli Cors and Krysten Garrison of Eckerd College jumped to the First Team from Third Team honors in 2021. Second Team honorees Nadia Lindner (Lynn University), Djuly Schmorantz (Barry), and Beatrice Formilan (Florida Southern College) repeat as All-SSC from last season. Third Team selections Jaden McBride (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) and Mackenzie Peterman (Florida Southern College) also repeat as All-SSC from 2021. Cors, McBride, and Petermann collected Freshman Team laurels in 2021, and McBride was tabbed the 2021 Freshman of the Year. 

Player of the Year: Diana Akopova, Barry 

Freshman of the Year: Taylor Stockman, Nova Southeastern 

Coach of the Year: Leonid Yelin, Barry 

* = 2021 First Team All-SSC ~ = 2021 First Team All-SSC ^ = 2021 Third Team All-SSC  

† = 2021 All-Freshman Team ‡ = 2021 Freshman of the Year