SSC Releases All-Conference, Four Spartans Earn All-SSC Accolades

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Twenty-seven volleyball student-athletes earn All-Sunshine State Conference honors following the 2024 season. The SSC Regular Season Champion, Lynn University, boasts nine awards, including Defensive Player of the Year, Setter of the Year, and Coach of the Year. Voting for the team was conducted among the league's volleyball coaches.

Both Kalli Cors and Zoey Seput were First Team selections. Junior, Nathaly Perez was named Second Team while freshman Connor Rahn was named to the Third Team.

Diana Akopova from Barry captures Player of the Year honors for the second time in her career. The outside hitter from Mozdok, Russia, remains the seventh Buccaneer named Player of the Year and the third from Barry to win the award twice. Akopova finished the season first in league kills per set (4.96), attack attempts (840), and points per set (5.76) during conference play. Additionally, the senior outside hitter finished Top-10 in SSC hitting percentage (.300), kills (337), blocks (66), and blocks per set (0.97).

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

Lynn's Isabella Gentile becomes the second SSC Defensive Player of the Year honoree. During conference play, the libero from Naples, Florida, led all players in digs (373) and digs per set (5.11). She was also Top-10 in service aces (27) and service aces per set (.37). Gentile helped limit conference opponents to a league-leading .168 hitting percentage against the Fighting Knights and was the match-leader in digs during 80% of Lynn's conference contests.

Hope Passerello of Lynn is the second Setter of the Year in conference history, joining former teammate Emily Edwards (2023). The Davie, Florida native was the SSC leader in assists (600) and assists per set (10.53) during the conference schedule. Passerello piloted the Fighting Knights to a .252 hitting percentage, third highest against SSC opponents, and league-leading numbers in kills (1018) and kills per set (13.95). She was the match-leader in assists during 14 of her 15 conference games played.

Veronika Eremeeva of Barry collects Freshman of the Year accolades. The right side hitter from Moscow, Russia, is the third Buccaneer to win the honor. Across her 20 SSC matches played, Osychenko was seventh in SSC kills per set (3.35), eighth in kills (228), fifth in points per set (4.25), sixth in points (298), second in service aces (36), and second in service aces per game (.53)

Lynn's Adam Milewski is honored as the SSC Coach of the Year for the second time by his fellow coaches. Milewski guided the Fighting Knights program to a 27-win regular season and its second conference championship following a 17-3 record in SSC play. Lynn has been ranked nationally by the AVCA every week in 2024, topping out at No. 16 in the November 18th poll. 

Akopova highlights the repeat All-SSC award winners following her third consecutive First Team honor. Previously, Akopova was tabbed the 2022 SSC Player of the Year and the 2022 AVCA National Player of the Year. Fellow First Team honorees  Jaden McBride (Embry-Riddle) and Kallie Cors (Tampa) earned a fourth consecutive All-SSC honor. Lynn's Samantha Wolf and NSU's Taylor Stockman join Akopova with three All-SSC nods. A total of 16 athletes repeat as All-SSC First, Second, or Third Team during their careers, including four former Freshman of the Year winners.

Player of the Year: Diana Akopova, Barry
Defensive Player of the Year: Isabella Gentile, Lynn
Setter of the Year: Hope Passerello, Lynn
Freshman of the Year: Veronika Eremeeva, Barry
Coach of the Year: Adam Milewski, Lynn