Chris Catanach and JJ Ramirez Secure Major SSC Awards; Six Spartans Earn All-SSC Honors
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Twenty-seven volleyball student-athletes earn All-Sunshine State Conference honors following the 2023 season. The SSC Regular Season Champion, the University of Tampa, boasts eight awards, including Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. Voting for the team was conducted among the league's volleyball coaches.
Nadia Lindner from Nova Southeastern University received Player of the Year honors from conference coaches. The outside hitter from Whitby, Ontario, becomes the first Shark to win Player of the Year. Against SSC competition, Lindner finished the season first in kills (319), second in points (359), third in kills per set (4.04), and third in points per set (4.54). Lindner tallied a .283 hitting percentage in league play while recording 2.01 digs per set and 0.52 blocks per set. The Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year award is presented by College Ave Student Loans.
SSC Volleyball History: ALL-SSC Teams | Players & Coaches of the Year | Conference Champions | National Champions
Tampa's JJ Ramirez is the inaugural SSC Defensive Player of the Year. During conference play, the libero from Flemming Island, Florida, led all players in digs (355) and digs per set (5.00). Ramirez helped limit conference opponents to a league-leading .122 hitting percentage against the Spartans and was the match-leader in digs during 75% of Tampa's conference contests.
Emily Edwards of Lynn University is the first Setter of the Year in conference history. The College Station, Texas product was the SSC leader in assists (846) and assists per set (11.28) during the conference schedule. Edwards piloted the Fighting Knights to a .235 hitting percentage, third highest against SSC opponents. She was the match-leader in assists during 18 of 20 conference games.
Varvara Osychenko of Barry University is named Freshman of the Year. The outside hitter from Chelyabinsk, Russia, is the second Buccaneer to win the honor1. Across her 20 SSC matches played, Osychenko was second in kills per set (4.06), second in points per set (4.62), fourth in kills (288), fourth in points (328), tied for eighth in service aces per set (.30), 10th in digs (234), 10th in digs per set (3.30), and 12th in service aces (21).
Tampa's Chris Catanach is named the 2023 SSC Coach of the Year by his peers. He led the Spartans to the program's third consecutive league title and 29th overall conference championship following a 19-1 league record. This year's Spartans squad ranks third in the AVCA poll and first in the NCAA Division II South Region rankings. Catanach now owns 21 SSC Coach of the Year honors and is tied for the most all-time across all league-sponsored sports2.
Diana Akopova (Barry) highlights the repeat All-SSC award winners following her second consecutive First Team honor. Last season, Akopova was tabbed the SSC Player of the Year and AVCA National Player of the Year. Mackenzie Dufresne (Tampa) also repeats as a First Team Award Winner. Lindner, Jaden McBride (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University), Mackenzie Petermann (Florida Southern College), and Kalli Cors (Tampa) all earn a third consecutive All-SSC honor. A total of 11 athletes repeat as All-SSC First, Second, or Third Team during their careers, including three former Freshman of the Year winners.
Player of the Year: Nadia Lindner, Nova Southeastern
Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Ramirez, Tampa
Setter of the Year: Emily Edwards, Lynn
Freshman of the Year: Vavara Osychenko, Barry
Coach of the Year: Chris Catanach, Tampa
|
2023 Volleyball ALL-SSC First Team |
||||
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
|
OH |
Nadia Lindner~† |
Nova Southeastern |
Gr. |
Whitby, Ontario |
|
OH |
Jaden McBride^†F |
Embry-Riddle |
Jr. |
St. Johns, Florida |
|
RH |
Tampa |
So. |
Tegucigalpa, Honduras |
|
|
OH |
Mackenzie Petermann^‡ |
Florida Southern |
Sr. |
Richmond Hill, Georgia |
|
L |
Tampa |
Jr. |
Fleming Island, Florida |
|
|
S |
Emily Edwards~ |
Lynn |
Gr. |
College Station, Texas |
|
MH |
Tampa |
Sr. |
Tarpon Springs, Florida |
|
|
OH |
Diana Akopova*P |
Barry |
Jr. |
Mozdok, Russia |
|
MB |
Aline Olegario |
Lynn |
Jr. |
Balneario Camboriu, Brazil |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023 Volleyball ALL-SSC Second Team |
||||
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
|
OH |
Stella Antypa |
Eckerd |
Jr. |
Thessaloniki, Greece |
|
OH |
Tampa |
Jr. |
St. Petersburg, Florida |
|
|
RS |
Taylor Stockman^F |
Nova Southeastern |
So. |
Overland Park, Kansas |
|
MB |
Jaida Clark |
Eckerd |
Jr. |
Murfreesboro, Tennessee |
|
OH |
Varvara Osychenko |
Barry |
Fr. |
Chelyabinsk, Russia |
|
S |
Madison Cook# |
Nova Southeastern |
Sr. |
Oviedo, Florida |
|
MH |
Tampa |
So. |
St. Petersburg, Florida |
|
|
RS |
Isabella Rujano |
Embry-Riddle |
So. |
Orlando, Florida |
|
RS/MB |
Jadyn Troutman |
Rollins |
Jr. |
Wellsville, Kansas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023 Volleyball ALL-SSC Third Team |
||||
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
|
MB |
Madison Fowler |
Florida Southern |
Jr. |
Detroit, Michigan |
|
OH |
Lana Gerard |
Rollins |
Jr. |
St. Louis, Missouri |
|
OH |
Samantha Wolf&FN |
Lynn |
Gr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
|
MB |
Kalli Schoening |
Eckerd |
Jr. |
Eugene, Oregon |
|
OH |
Elena Djokovic |
Florida Southern |
Gr. |
Belgrade, Serbia |
|
S/RS |
Kiersten Kraus |
Florida Southern |
Jr. |
Neenah, Wisconsin |
|
MB |
Chiara Patelli |
Florida Tech |
Gr. |
Desenzano del Garda, Italy |
|
OH |
Tampa |
So. |
Louisville, Kentucky |
|
|
L |
Isabelle Gentile |
Lynn |
Jr. |
Naples, Florida |
* = 2022 First Team All-SSC ~ = 2021 Second Team All-SSC ^ = 2022 Third Team All-SSC
† = 2021 First Team All-SSC ‡ = 2021 Second Team All-SSC # = 2021 Second Team All-SSC
& = 2019 Second Team All-SSC P = Previously Named Player of the Year
F = Previously named Freshman of the Year N = Previously named Newcomer of the Year
1 Previous BU Freshmen of the Year: Kristina Filimonova (2016)
2 Barry's George Samuel earned 21 SSC Coach of the Year honors in tennis from 1993-2021 (17 Men's / 4 Women's)