2022 SSC Hall of Fame
2022 SSC Hall of Fame
August 18, 2022

Retired Head Coach Jarrett Slaven Set for SSC Hall of Fame Induction

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference has announced its 2022 Hall of Fame class, including retired University of Tampa cross country coach Jarrett Slaven among the newest class. The league will usher in the nine newest members on Saturday, October 8th, during the SSC Hall of Fame brunch and celebration. The event will take place in Fort Lauderdale on the campus of Nova Southeastern University.

The inductees of the SSC's 24th Hall of Fame class are Dr. Joan Davison (Rollins, Faculty Athletics Representative), Doug Gordin (Florida Southern, men's golf), Dr. Katie (Heinz) Stowers (Saint Leo, softball), Bill Livesey (Eckerd, baseball), Dr. Danielle Robinson (Nova Southeastern, women's basketball), Dr. George Samuel (Barry, tennis), Jarrett Slaven (Tampa, cross country), James Taylor (Lynn, men's basketball), and Dr. Frank Webbe (Florida Tech, Faculty Athletics Representative).

The SSC Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the league. Its purpose is to perpetuate the memory of those who brought distinction, honor, and excellence to the league. Conference officials selected a charter class in 1992, with 21 individuals honored. The 2022 class brings the number of SSC Hall of Fame inductees to 213.

Tickets are available for the SSC Hall of Fame Brunch and Celebration on October 8th at 11:00 am in Fort Lauderdale. Event space is limited, and you must purchase no later than Friday, September 30th. If you are interested in celebrating the SSC's 24th Hall of Fame Class, email Maryanne Simkulak, Sunshine State Conference Senior Associate Commissioner, for more information. 

For the complete Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame, click here.

2022 SSC Hall of Fame Class

Dr. Joan Davison | Rollins College | Faculty Athletics Representative | 1992-2022

  • President of the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative Association (2019-20)
  • NCAA Division II SAAC 2020 Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award winner
  • Served as Rollins' Faculty Athletics Representative for 31 years
  • She became the first woman inducted into the Wheeling University Athletics Hall of Fame, Graduating class of 1978, Hall of Fame class of 1987 (basketball)
  • Former Professor of Political Science, specializing in international and comparative politics, including U.S. foreign policy and international law

Doug Gordin | Florida Southern College | Men's Golf Coach | 1995-2018

  • 4x GCAA National Coach of the Year
  • 6x National Champion
  • 6x Individual National Champions
  • 2x GCAA National Players of the Year
  • 7x SSC Championship Teams
  • 6x Individual SSC Champions
  • 3x SSC Coach of the Year
  • GCAA Hall of Fame Class of 2001, Florida Southern Hall of Fame Class of 2007, Polk County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012
  • Teams qualified for the NCAA postseason play in all 23 seasons in which he was head coach
  • Coached eight SSC Male Athletes of the Year and 11 SSC Golfers of the Year

Dr. Katie (Heinz) Stowers | Saint Leo University | Softball | 2002 - 2006

  • NFCA All-American in 2005 & 2006
  • NFCA All-Region in 2004, 2005, & 2006
  • First Team All-SSC 2005 & 2006, Second Team All-SSC in 2004
  • SSC Sliver Anniversary Softball Team
  • Holds the career strikeouts record for SSC and is 11th all-time in NCAA Division II  (1,209)
  • NCAA Record for most combined strikeouts in a game (45)
  • Student of the Year for Chemistry in 2003
  • Saint Leo Board of Trustee student representative from 2004-2006
  • Currently an Assistant professor of Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU)

Bill Livesey | Eckerd College| Baseball & Men's Soccer Coach | 1972 - 1977

  • He transformed the Eckerd baseball program from a .300 winning percentage (36-84) in the previous nine years to a .746 winning percentage during his tenure (184-62-2)
  • Led the Tritons to a 1977 NCAA Division II National Runner-Up performance
  • Coached Eckerd's only 40-win season (1976)
  • Coached eight ABCA All-Americans, including three First Team members.
  • Cape Cod League Hall of Fame Class of 2002, University of Maine Hall of Fame Class of 2018, Eckerd Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019
  • Compiled a 43-9-1 (.821) record as Eckerd's men's soccer coach (1973-1976)
  • He served as the Director of Scouting for the New York Yankees from 1991 to 1996, helping lay a new foundation for the Bronx Bombers with the signing of Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter.
  • Director of Player Development & Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Tampa Bay Rays (1996-2002), Toronto Blue Jays (2002-2003), New York Mets (2004-2005), and Yankees (2008-12). Senior Advisor to Pittsburg Pirates GM (2012)
  • 2012 George Genovese Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation in 2012. Yankee GM Brian Cashman called him the "architect behind the architect" of the 1990s dynasty.

Dr. Danielle Robinson | Nova Southeastern University | Women's Basketball | 2011-2015

  • First Team All-SSC (2014-15)
  • SSC Tournament MVP (2014-15)
  • SSC All-Tournament Team (2013-14 & 2014-15)
  • Second Team All-SSC (2012-13)
  • SSC Defensive Player of the Year (2012-13)
  • All-SSC Newcomer Team (2011-12)
  • SSC Freshman of the Year (2011-12)
  • NSU Women's Basketball All-Time Leader in points (1,676), games played (125), and starts (123)
  • Three-time NSU Women's Basketball Team Captain
  • Played professionally both overseas in Spain and semi-professionally for the Dade County Lady Bulls
  • Member of NSU's Multicultural Affairs Committee to share information, promote diversity and inclusion within the university and community

Dr. George Samuel | Barry University | Tennis Coach | 1990 - 2021

  • 5x NCAA Division II Men's Tennis National Champion
  • 17x NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Regional Champion
  • 2x ITA Men's Tennis National Coach of the Year
  • 8x ITA Men's Tennis Regional Coach of the Year
  • 21x SSC Coach of the Year (17x in Men's Tennis)
  • 21x SSC Tournament Champions (17x in Men's Tennis)
  • 5x SSC Men's Tennis Regular-Season Champions
  • 587-138 (.810) career men's record; 308-122 (.716) career women's record

Jarrett Slaven | University of Tampa | Cross Country Coach | 1999 - 2021

  • 10x NCAA Division II Women's South Region Champion
  • 16x SSC Champion (15x in Women's Cross Country)
  • 10x NCAA Division II South Region Women's Coach of the Year
  • 18x SSC Coach of the Year (16x in Women's Cross Country
  • 7x NCAA Division II Women's All-Americans
  • 13x SSC Runners of the Year (11x in Women's Cross Country)
  • SSC Silver Anniversary Team Top Women's Coach
  • SSC Women's Cross Country 2010-19 Coach of the Decade

James Taylor | Lynn University | Men's Basketball | 2001 – 2005

  • Second Team All-SSC (2003-04 & 2004-05)
  • Led the Fighting Knights to the program's only SSC regular-season championship, conference tournament title, and NCAA Division II Elite Eight berth in 2004-05
  • Division II Bulletin National All-Freshman Team (2001-02)
  • SSC Freshman of the Year (2001-02)
  • All-SSC Freshman Team (2001-02)
  • Graduated as the program's all-time leader in points scored (1,406 points), games started (98), field goals attempted (1,085)
  • Ranks top-five all-time at Lynn for games played (113), field goals made (463), 3pt made (146), 3pt attempted (420), free-throws made (334), free-throws attempted (474), rebounds (512), assists (299), and steals (155).
  • Lynn Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2011
  • Former Professional Basketball Player (NBL- Australia, Belarus, and the NBA-Development League)
  • Remains highly active in South Florida basketball through multiple organizations, including his company, Taylored Athletes, Inc.

Dr. Frank Webbe | Florida Tech | Faculty Athletics Representative | 1984 - 2020

  • NCAA and Faculty Athletics Representative Association's (FARA) 2018 David Knight Award recipient for outstanding service to collegiate athletics
  • Appointed Division II FARA President, Vice President, and Representative during his tenure.
  • Acted as Florida Tech's Faculty Athletics Representative for 37 years, the only person to hold the until the time of his retirement
  • Former Professor of Psychology and Behavior Analysis and Dean of the School of Psychology (1985 - 1993)
  • Served on the organizing committee for the Division II Faculty Representative Fellows Institute, the Advanced Leadership Institute, and NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Regional Selection Committee
  • Held the office of President in the Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology of the American Psychological Association
  • Was the treasure, charter member, and executive board member of the Sports Neuropsychology Society