Sunshine State Conference

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Sunshine State Conference


Data
Classification NCAA Division II
Established 1975
Full Members 9
Sports Fielded 14
National Championships 68
States 1 - Florida
Commissioner Michael J. Marcil
Locations

The Sunshine State Conference was originally formed in 1975 as an NCAA Division II men's basketball conference. It has since expanded to sponsor championships in 14 sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball. SSC institutions have won a total of 68 NCAA national team championships, including five in the 2006-07 academic year (University of Tampa volleyball, Lynn University men's tennis, Florida Southern College women's golf, Barry University men's golf, University of Tampa baseball).

The conference was founded by St. Leo University (then a college) Basketball Coach & Athletic Director Norm Kaye. Kaye served as Commissioner the first year until Dick Pace was named Commissioner in 1976. Kaye continued as Executive Director of the Conference for an additional 12 years. Pace was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.

Mike Marcil was named commissioner in 2004, replacing retired SSC Hall of Famer Don Landry. Gregg Kaye (no relation to Norm Kaye) was named assistant commissioner in 2001 and promoted to associate commissioner in 2005. Kelly Harrison was originally named assistant to the commissioner in 2002 and returned to that position in 2006 after a one-year absence.

The six charter Conference members were: Biscayne College (now called St. Thomas University), the University of Central Florida (UCF), Eckerd College, Florida Southern, Rollins College, and St. Leo College.

The Conference has had dozens of athletes go on to have successful professional careers. Some examples include: Current PGA Tour players Lee Janzen and Rocco Mediate went to Florida Southern. Janzen won golf's U.S. Open in 1993 & 1998; on the baseball side are Tim Wakefield (Florida Tech) and Bob Tewksbury (St. Leo). Wakefield tied a career high of 17 wins pitching for the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox and Tewksbury was third in balloting for the National League Cy Young Award while going 16-5 for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1992.

Contents

[edit] Membership

[edit] Current members

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Joined Nickname
Barry University Miami Shores, Florida 1940 Catholic 10,074 1988 Buccaneers
Eckerd College St. Petersburg, Florida 1958 Presbyterian 2,854 1975 Tritons
Florida Southern College Lakeland, Florida 1883 Methodist 2,896 1975 Moccasins
Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, Florida 1958 Private 5,118 1981 Panthers
Lynn University Boca Raton, Florida 1962 Private 3,715 1997 Fighting Knights
Nova Southeastern University Davie, Florida 1964 Private 22,516 2002 Sharks
Rollins College Winter Park, Florida 1885 Congregationalists 2,454 1975 Tars
Saint Leo University Saint Leo, Florida 1889 Catholic 12,260 1975 Lions
The University of Tampa Tampa, Florida 1931 Private 5,628 1981 Spartans

[edit] Former Members

Institution Affiliation Years New Conference Classification
University of Central Florida Charter Member 1975-1984 C-USA NCAA Division I-FBS
Saint Thomas University Charter Member 1975-1987 Florida Sun NAIA
University of North Florida Full Member 1991-1997 Atlantic Sun NCAA Division I
Dot Map indicating locations of member schools.
Dot Map indicating locations of member schools.

[edit] Conference Facilities

Institution Arena Capacity
Barry University Health and Sports Center 1,938
Eckerd College McArthur Center
Florida Southern College Jenkins Fieldhouse 2,500
Florida Tech Clemente Center 1,500
Lynn University de Hoernle Center 1,000
Nova Southeastern University University Center "Shark Tank" 5,500
Rollins College Warden Arena 2,500
Saint Leo University Marion Bowman Center 2,000
University of Tampa Martinez Sports Center 3,432

[edit] National Championships

The Sunshine State Conference is often considered the conference of champions. The SSC currently has 9 members, and each institution is eligible for Championship play. Of the current 9 members, 7 of them have won national championships. The schools include; Barry University, Florida Southern College, Florida Tech, Lynn University, Nova Southeastern University, Rollins College, and University of Tampa.

[edit] Controversy

  • On July 17, 2007, NCAA vacated Lynn's 2005 Women's Division II Softball Championship due to extra benefits given to two players. The NCAA found that former coach Thomas Macera gave two Lynn softball players cash payments totaling more than $3,000. Lynn was also placed on probation for two years.[1]. Lynn University originally won 8 National Championships at the Division II level, but now the NCAA only recognizes 7 of them because of the unsanctioned actions.
Institution # of Championships Most Recent
Barry 7 2007-Men's Golf
Florida Southern 26 2007-Women's Golf
Florida Tech 2 1991-Men's Soccer
Lynn 7* 2007-Men's Tennis
Nova Southeastern 2 2007-Women's Rowing
Rollins 13 2006-Women's Golf
Tampa 12 2007-Women's Soccer

[edit] Mayors Cup Champions

Year Men's Division Women's Division
2007 Barry Florida Southern
2006 Lynn Barry
2005 Lynn Florida Southern
2004 Rollins Rollins
2003 Rollins Rollins
2002 Florida Southern Barry
2001 Florida Southern Florida Southern
2000 Florida Southern Barry
1999 Florida Southern Florida Southern
1998 Florida Southern Florida Southern
1997 Florida Southern Barry
1996 Florida Southern North Florida
1995 North Florida Florida Southern
1994 North Florida North Florida
1993 Tampa Tampa
1992 Florida Tech Tampa
1991 Tampa Barry
1990 Tampa Florida Southern
1989 Florida Southern Florida Southern
1988 Florida Southern Florida Southern
1987 Tampa Florida Southern

[edit] References

  1. ^ "NCAA vacates Lynn's 2005 softball title", Palm Beach Post Staff, Palm Beach Post, July 17, 2007

[edit] External links

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Sunshine State Conference