From The Athletic Director
Wow, what a year! I've spent 41 years at Eckerd, and each year, our Tritons continue to surprise me with all that our student-athletes, coaches, and staff do on the courts, fields, and water, in the community, and in the classroom. This year was no different, with a record-breaking department GPA, NCAA Tournament appearances, and countless hours engaging in the community.
We have so much to be proud of and thankful for. Before we turn our attention to the exciting year ahead, I want to reflect on all we accomplished this year. In the 2023-24 school year, our Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 92 ranked tied for 21st nationally. We were one of eight schools to receive the Presidents' Awards for our ASR every year since its inception. Our student-athletes produced a 3.45 grade point average, a department record. We sent three programs to the national stage - with volleyball, women's basketball,and women's golfer Sandra Eriksson reaching NCAA's. Women's basketball claimed the department's 26th SSC Title, taking the tournament championship on the road at our rival Tampa. We produced two All-Americans, 18 all-conference players, one Sunshine State Conference Player of The Year (Lauryn Vieira-women's basketball), one Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of The Year (Vieira), two Sunshine State Conference Freshman of The Year (George Kimble - men's basketball, Alex Brazer - baseball), 25 conference players of the week, seven all-region players, 28 academic all-district selections, and 132 SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll recipients.
Through the support and generosity of our Triton family, friends, fans, corporate sponsors, and alumni, we held three record-breaking fundraising events: The Triton Family Challenge (our November Month of Giving), the 20th annual Matthew T. McDermott Golf Tournament, and the 15th annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction." The Triton Dinner Auction created an endowment in honor of Triton Legend and my mentor, James R. Harley. We also added numerous facility upgrades this year, including the Baker Beach Volleyball Complex, enhancements to the weight room, new scoreboards for baseball and softball, and new turf on Johnson Field (installed this month).
On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff, I'd like to thank you for continuing to enrich the lives of our student-athletes in the classroom, in competition, and in life. I am excited about the opportunities ahead in the 2024-25 year, and I look forward to seeing you cheering us on at a game soon! Please enjoy the rest of our 2023-24 Eckerd College Athletics Annual Report, and go Tritons!
Tom Ryan - Director of Athletics
2023-24 Numbers
13th Straight NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence
3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
1 SSC Championship
2 All-Americans
18 All-Conference Selections
1 SSC Player of The Year
1 SSC Defensive Player of The Year
2 SSC Freshman of The Year
7 All-Region Selections
28 Academic All-District Selections
1 National Player of the Week
25 Conference Players of The Week
132 SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll Recipients
All-Time Numbers
13 NCAA Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence
26 SSC Conference Championships
63 All-Americans
87 National Tournament Appearances
24 SSC Coaches of the Year
36 Players and Freshman of the Year
Grade Point Average
Eckerd produced another tremendous year with a 3.45 department GPA over the 2023-24 academic year, following a 3.41 GPA in the fall term and 3.50 in the spring semester. Women's golf led the department with a 3.81 GPA throughout the year. Men's soccer topped male sports with a 3.41 average.
Academic Success Rate
Eckerd was honored once again for its academic excellence, with the Presidents' Award from the NCAA for an Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 92, ranking tied for twenty-first nationally. EC is one of just 43 colleges and universities in Division II to receive the honor this year. Eckerd has received the Presidents' Award 13 years in a row and is one of just eight schools to earn the award every year since its inception.
SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll
Eckerd placed 132 student-athletes throughout the year on the 2023-2024 Sunshine State Conference Commissioner's Honor Rolls. To be eligible for the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll, a student-athlete must post a minimum grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00.
CSC Academic All-District
28 Tritons from women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball, women's basketball, women's tennis, men's tennis, baseball, softball, and beach volleyball were honored for their academic distinction by the College Sports Communicators (CSC; formerly CoSIDA) on its annual Academic All-District Teams. The 2023‐24 Academic All‐District® Teams, selected by CSC, recognizes the nation's top student‐athletes for their combined performances on the field of competition and in the classroom. Student-athletes must hold at least a 3.5 grade point average.
PHI BETA KAPPA
Brooks Jordan (sailing) was inducted into the College's Chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society.
Brooks Jordan, an open sailor from Dover, Massachusetts, boasts a 3.79 grade-point average in anthropology. He appeared in 25 career events, including the ICSA Nationals last year in Eckerd's first appearance since 2018. He has 11 top-five finishes and has led the Tritons in the SAISA Fall and Spring Championships each of the past three seasons. Jordan was tabbed to the ICSA Academic All-District Team last year.
Senior Scholar-Athletes
Peter Stavrakos (baseball) and Hannah Gordon (softball) received the Senior Scholar-Athlete awards at the annual ECSPYs, presented to the male and female senior student-athletes with the highest cumulative GPA.
Hannah Gordon is from Charlestown, Maryland, and is a four-year member of the softball team. She has appeared in 70 games with 57 starts in the outfield over her career. She is a four-time recipient of the SSC Spring Commissioner's Honor Roll, a three-time NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete, a two-time recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, and a CSC Academic All-District honoree.
Peter Stavrakos is from Palm Harbor, Florida, and is a four-year member of the baseball team. He appeared in 46 contests in the outfield over his career with a .247 batting average. He is a three-time recipient of the SSC Spring Commissioner's Honor Roll and a two-time recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
William J. Mathews Academic Excellence Award
The William J. Mathews Academic Excellence Award is presented to the team with the highest cumulative GPA over the last year (spring '23, fall '24, winter '24). Women's golf collected the award this season for the second straight year.
Christmas for Kids
On December 17th, Director of Athletics Tom Ryan and his family, along with retired Dean of Students Lena Wilfalk, and local businessmen Billy Hume, helped families in need in the St. Pete community with the 14th annual “Christmas for Kids” event. Each child received $250 worth of Christmas toys, including most children receiving a bicycle or tablet, while each family was also given $300 worth of household items and were treated to a holiday feast in Eckerd's Fox Hall.
Hurricane Cleanup
In September, softball and men's basketball players were in the Shore Acres community helping St. Pete families who were impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
Holiday Angel
In December, the men’s basketball team helped pack trucks with bikes, toys, and much more for the WeSeeU Holiday Angel Toy Drive, which was started by freshman George Kimble and his family.
Be The Match
In April, the student-athlete advisory committee held the 'Be The Match' event aimed at adding registrants to the national bone marrow donor program.
Our student-athletes participated in numerous other community service events, including volunteering at a local Triathlon, animal shelters, and with sustainability on campus.
SAAC Super Region Convention
Teagan VanderMey (beach volleyball) and Lucas Berglund (men's soccer) attended the SAAC Super Region convention in Atlanta in November. The pair heard from speakers on mental health, community involvement, diversity and inclusion, life after sports, and much more while getting to connect and collaborate with over 200 student-athletes and administrators from the South and Southeast Super Region.
SSC SAAC Leadership Weekend
Nyla Muskovin (volleyball) and Aidan Leak (men's soccer) attended the Sunshine State Conference Leadership Weekend in Melbourne in January, learning different leadership techniques and resources to take back to campus while hearing from the conference office and member institutions.
Kappa Field Day Beach Tournament
In April, SAAC hosted a Kappa Field Day in order to engage with the campus, providing food and drinks, games, and a beach volleyball tournament on the new Baker Beach Volleyball Complex.
Morgan’s Message
Emma Lou Smith (women's soccer) created Eckerd's chapter of Morgan's Message, a national organization across college campuses in order to increase mental health education, awareness, and resources. Morgan's Message hosted two dedication games at a baseball and softball game, giving out resources while sharing the information about Morgan's Message.
The Harley Award
The James R. Harley Award is annually presented to the top senior male and female student-athlete that has demonstrated leadership and excellence in the classroom, in the field of competition, and in their community.
Lauryn Vieira, from Haute-Savoie, France, is a three-year member of the women's basketball team. She produced one of the most accomplished careers of a women's basketball player in program history. She led Eckerd to the NCAA South Region Semifinals each of her three years, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2023. Eckerd won the SSC Tournament Championship this year. She scored 1,116 points, with 575 rebounds, 589 assists, and 247 steals, while setting five program records. She has garnered numerous awards, including WBCA First Team All-American (23-24), D2CCA First Team All-Region (23-24), SSC Player of the Year (23-24), three-time SSC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-SSC (23-24), two-time NCAA All-Tournament team, SSC Tournament MVP, D2CIDA National Player of the Week, 10-time SSC Player of the Week.
Joe Wike, from Liverpool, New York, has been a four-year staple in the baseball lineup. Wike played 142 games over his career with a .272 batting average, 141 hits, 72 runs, 53 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. He was tabbed to the All-SSC Defensive team in 2022. He was a three-time recipient of the SSC Spring Commissioner's Honor Roll, a two-time recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, and a two-time recipient of the CSC Academic All-District team. He is also a four-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Eckerd Athletics Mourns the Passing of The Legendary James R. Harley
Former Eckerd College Athletic Director, Men's Basketball Coach, mentor, and friend James R. Harley passed away on Sept. 27 in Soperton, Georgia. Harley stewarded generations of student-athletes with his commitment to the principles of sportsmanship, leadership, grit, and character.
"Coach Harley was the most caring individual I have ever met. He was a servant leader in every sense of the word. A true gentleman and a fierce competitor. He was a trailblazer, and his impact will be felt by generations of Tritons," stated Director of Athletics Tom Ryan '87, who was coach Harley's successor.
Jim Harley is synonymous with Eckerd College and Division II, having built the foundation of Eckerd Athletics, the Sunshine State Conference, and Division II. He served on the Tritons' sidelines for 32 years as the head men's basketball coach (1963–1996) and spent 39 years as athletic director (1963–2002).
"Eckerd College Athletics lost a great man. He gave all of us an opportunity to have a chance to coach and make people better. The thing I remember most about Coach Harley is, as he told me when I was a young coach, 'make sure that when people leave you, you make them feel like it was the best part of their day.' I'll always remember that. Rest in peace, Coach," expressed Associate Director of Athletics, Bill Mathews '79.
On the court, he amassed 421 wins at Eckerd, bringing Eckerd its first SSC regular-season championship in 1994-95 and its first SSC Tournament championship in 1994. He led the Tritons to three NCAA Championship appearances in 1972-73, 1993-94, and 1994-95, building the Tritons into a powerhouse program. He was a two-time SSC Coach of the Year (1982-83 and 1991-92) and two-time NABC District Coach of the Year. He also coached four All-Americans during his time on the hardwood.
Harley is also regarded for his accomplishments off the court, with a nearly perfect graduation rate, being a pioneer in the creation of the Sunshine State Conference, and helping break the color barrier in the South. Harley recruited Harry "Big Red" Singletary to Florida Presbyterian (now Eckerd) in 1965. Singletary became the first Black student-athlete to play at a four-year, predominantly-white college in the South. Singletary was among the College's first Black graduates in 1968. Singletary became the first All-American in Eckerd Athletics history in 1968.
As one of the founding five Sunshine State Conference athletic directors, Harley hosted the first-ever SSC contest on December 3, 1975, on Eckerd's campus. He was heavily involved in many aspects of the conference, and because of his work and character, he helped the SSC grow into what it is today. He was inducted into the SSC Hall of Fame in 1993.
During his coaching career, all but two four-year players graduated. As athletic director, he guided the Tritons to 21 NCAA Division II postseason appearances, including a baseball national runner-up finish in 1977.
His impact on Eckerd is celebrated in numerous ways. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002; Eckerd's basketball court was named after him in 2010; and the Harley Award, established in 2002, is bestowed upon a male and female senior student-athlete each year, which is the highest honor a Triton can receive for demonstrating leadership and excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in their community.
He was named a finalist for the NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Gold award in September.
On March 2, Eckerd celebrated Coach Harley's life and legacy with a celebration of live surrounding the men's and women's basketball games, with members of the Harley family and former student-athletes.
Athletes of the Year
The Athlete of the Year Award is annually presented to the top male and female student-athlete that has demonstrated excellence in the field of competition over the past season.
Vieira produced one of the most accomplished careers of a women's basketball player in program history. She led Eckerd to the NCAA South Region Semifinals each of her three years, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2023. Eckerd won the SSC Tournament Championship this year at No. 12 Tampa. She scored 1,116 points, with 575 rebounds, 589 assists, and 247 steals, while setting five program records over her three years. She has garnered numerous awards, including WBCA First Team All-American (23-24), D2CCA First Team All-Region (23-24), SSC Player of the Year (23-24), three-time SSC Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-SSC (23-24), two-time NCAA All-Tournament team, SSC Tournament MVP, D2CIDA National Player of the Week, 10-time SSC Player of the Week.
Grubbs produced one of the best single seasons on the mound in recent years for the Tritons. Grubbs is a two-year member of the squad from Canton, Georgia. He topped the team with a 9-2 mark, 3.93 ERA, and 60 strikeouts. His wins this season rank in the top 10 in single-season records while ranking third in the SSC this season. He has appeared in 48 contests over his two years, with an 11-6 record and three saves. He's tossed over 118 innings, registering 111 strikeouts.
Men's Soccer
The Tritons finished the season with a 5-6-4 record and a 3-5-2 mark in SSC play. Eckerd opened the season to one of their best starts in recent years with a 2-1-3 mark, including a 4-0 win over Embry-Riddle on September 16 to start SSC play. EC tied Florida Southern (September 20) in the following game, marking the first time since 2008 that the Tritons have scored at least four goals in consecutive contests. Eckerd also produced a scoreless draw at No. 5 Lynn on October 7. The Tritons capped the season with a thrilling buzzer-beater walk-off, 3-2, win over Palm Beach Atlantic on October 28 as Fredrik Heise scored as time expired. Goalie Aidan Leak was a three-time SSC Defensive Player of the Week during the year. He is the first Triton to receive the award three times in a season, posting five shutouts and 46 saves on the year. Heise led the team in goals with four and points with 11.
Three-time SSC Defensive Player of the Week - Aidan Leak (9/4/23, 9/18/23, 10/9/23)
MVP- Tommy Lamb
Triton Award - Harry Laing
Women's Soccer
The Tritons produced one of the best seasons in program history with a 10-7-2 record and a 5-3-2 mark in SSC play. Eckerd's 10 wins tied the program record, which they have reached for the fifth time in EC history and the first time since 2012. Eckerd received the No. 5 seed in the SSC Tournament, making the first appearance since 2017, where the Tritons shutout Rollins, 2-0, in the opening round to advance to the SSC semifinals for the second time in program history. Eckerd picked up an SSC win over Tampa on the road on September 28, the first win over UT since 2002. EC also added another critical road win at No. 16 Nova Southeastern, stunning the Sharks 5-0 on October 11. Kendall Drummond led Eckerd in goals with 10 and points with 22. She scored four goals against Lynn on October 7. Brooke Bisko led the team in assists with nine, which led the SSC to end the regular season.
SSC Player of the Week - Kendall Drummond (10/9/2023)
SSC Player of the Week - Aisling Spillane (10/16/2023)
SSC Defensive Player of the Week - Cadence Talbert (10/16/2023)
MVP - Brooke Bisko
Triton Award- Emma Lou Smith
All-SSC
Aisling Spillane - First Team
Kendall Drummond - Second Team
Brooke Bisko - Second Team
All-Region
Aisling Spillane - D2CCA First Team
Aisling Spillane - USC Second Team
Kendall Drummond - D2CCA Second Team
Volleyball
The Tritons produced another banner year, with the program's 11th NCAA tournament appearance following a 22-9 (12-8 SSC) record. They began the season on a seven-game win streak and added an 11-match win streak from October 6-31. Eckerd ended the year ranking ninth in the nation in blocks per set as a team and 15th nationally in total blocks. Head Coach Michelle Piantadosi-Lima reached the 200 career win mark on October 28 at Florida Tech, while libero Ashley Eck reached 1,000 career digs on September 1. Junior Stella Antypa became the program's 11th All-American, earning honorable mention accolades from the AVCA after leading the team's all-around efforts with 2.95 kills, 3.12 digs, and 0.39 aces per set.
Stella Antypa
AVCA Honorable Mention All-American
AVCA First Team All-Region
All-SSC Second Team
Jaida Clark
All-SSC Second Team
Two-time SSC Defensive Player of the Week (9/4/23, 10/16/23)
Kalli Schoening
All-SSC Third Team
SSC Defensive Player of the Week (11/6/23)
NCAA All-Tournament Team
Triton Award - Martina Melecherova
MVP - Stella Antypa
Women's Basketball
For the third time in program history, Eckerd won the SSC Tournament Championship. Eckerd topped rival No. 12 Tampa, 65-57, on the road for the title. The Tritons then made their eighth all-time appearance on the national stage, defeating No. 8 Union in the opening round to advance to the South Region Semifinals for the third consecutive year. Eckerd ended the year with a 20-12 mark and 11-9 record in the SSC.
Lauryn Vieira produced one of the best seasons by a Triton in program history, setting the single-season and career record for assists, the single-season and career record for steals, and the single-game point record. She scored 43 points at Lynn on January 3, the most by a Division II women's basketball player at that point of the season and tying the SSC single-game record. Her total sets the single-game record for Eckerd basketball (men and women). Between her points and assists, she contributed to 62 of Eckerd's 67 points in the win. She was tabbed a first-team All-American, first-team all-region, conference player and defensive player of the year, and six-time conference player of the week. She added a triple-double in the SSC Tournament Championship.
Head Coach Paul Honsinger reached the 300 career win milestone, defeating Rollins in the opening round of the SSC Tournament on March 5. Lauryn Vieira also reached 1,000 career points at Eckerd in the game, while Hannah Wentworth eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in the semifinals.
Lauryn Vieira
WBCA All-American First Team
D2CCA All-South Region First Team
SSC Player of the Year
SSC Defensive Player of the Year
All-SSC First Team
All-SSC Defensive Team
NCAA South Region All-Tournament Team
Four-time SSC Defensive Player of the Week (11/27/23, 1/2/24, 1/22/24, 1/29/24)
Two-time SSC Player of the Week (1/8/24, 2/5/24)
D2 CIDA National Player of the Week
SSC Tournament MVP
James R. Harley Award
Eckerd Female Athlete of the Year
MVP
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Hannah Wentworth - All-SSC Third Team
Martyna Kowalska - SSC All-Tournament Team
Jessie Ford - SSC All-Tournament Team
Bella Green - SSC Player of the Week (12/20/20), SSC Defensive Player of the Week (1/8/24)
Men's Basketball
Eckerd finished the season with a 13-16; 8-12 SSC record, making the program's first appearance in the SSC Tournament since 2019. The Tritons' 13 wins and eight SSC victories are the most in five years. Eckerd opened the season hosting the inaugural EC Classic on November 11-12. The EC Classic featured a crossover with the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) and two HBCUs, Benedict College and Allen University, with a pregame tailgate with food, music, a pep band, and a ceremonial jump ball. Eckerd picked up a key upset win on the road over Florida Southern on January 31, who advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. George Kimble, the SSC Freshman of the Year, led the team, averaging 19.4 points per game, while Isaiah Placed and Carr Thaim added 15.6 and 15.9 points per game, respectively. Timothy Thompson averaged 8.3 rebounds per game to lead the team, ranking 15th in Division II.
George Kimble
SSC Freshman of the Year
All-SSC Third Team
D2CCA First Team All-Region
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SSC Player of The Week (11/13/23)- Isaiah Placide
MVP - Carr Thiam
Triton Award - Timothy Thompson
Sailing
Eckerd posted seven top-five finishes on the year including a win at the Greg Popp Trophy on September 30- October 1 in Daytona Beach. The following week, in a field of 14, the Tritons placed runner-up at the Eckerd Trophy. EC capped the season, placing in the top half of the field at the SAISA Open Fleet Race Championship.
Open MVP - Brooks Jordan
Open Triton Award -Carter Morin
Women's MVP - Lily Schwartz
Women's Triton Award - Eloise Weiss
Men's Golf
Josh DiZinno led Eckerd in the 2023-24 season with a 74.19 stroke average. DiZinno posted a tied-for third-place finish at the Saint Leo Invitational on February 19-20, including a career-low and two off the program record, 66 in the second round. He followed with a win in the next event at the Saint Anselm Invitational, becoming the first Triton to win a tournament since Jeff Evanier won the Jay Jennison Memorial on September 27, 2011. He was tabbed the SSC Golfer of the Week following his play. Eckerd won the team title at Saint Anselm as well. The Tritons' victory is their first since at least the 2009-10 season. It is Eckerd's best finish since September 26-27, 2011, when the Tritons tied for second at the Jay Jennison Memorial
MVP- Josh DiZinno
Triton Award - Nicholas Zizzo
Women's Golf
Eckerd produced another record-breaking year, ranking No. 36 in the country in the Clipped National Poll. The team won its season opener at the Invite at Innisbrook on September 25-26, taking the title back-to-back years. Eckerd set a program record with an 887 for three rounds in the tournament. Junior Sandra Eriksson won the individual title with a career-low 67 in the second round and a three-round career-low 214. Eriksson became the second Triton in program history to be selected to the NCAA Tournament, where she finished tied for 12 with rounds of 75-71-74. She was selected to the SSC Second Team, posting seven top-20 finishes on the year. She also finished second at the Peggy Kirk Bell on March 11-12 and fifth at the SSC Championship on April 14-16, which is the best in program history.
Eckerd had three SSC Golfers of the Week on the year: Eriksson following her win at the Invite at Innisbrook (September 25-26), Melissa Ball after her win at the Eagle Classic (October 2-3), and Sofia Dyhre following a seventh place finish at the Spring Kickoff Intercollegiate (February 12-13).
SSC Golfer of the Week - Sofia Dyhre (2/19/24)
SSC Golfer of the Week - Melissa Ball (10/9/23)
Triton Award- Melissa Ball
Sandra Eriksson
NCAA South Regional Appearance
Second Team All-SSC
Team MVP
SSC Golfer of the Week - 10/2/2023
Baseball
The Tritons finished the season with a record of 18-31 (6-24 SSC). Eckerd swept the series from Georgia College at the beginning of the season before taking the SSC series from Florida Tech. EC also picked up a win over No. 22 Lynn while run-ruling Notre Dame (Ohio) and Purdue Northwest (Ind.). Eckerd ranked third nationally in double plays per game at 1.08. Reid Lisle led the team's offense with a .359 batting average, while Alex Brazer also hit over .300, with a .319 average. Lisle also led the team in doubles (10) and RBIs (30) while adding 12 stolen bases. Cam Collier led the team in homers with eight. Gavin Grubbs produced one of the best single seasons in EC history with a 9-2 mark, primarily in relief. His nine wins rank in the top 10 in Tritons' single-season history. An all-around performer, Tyler Cox hit .295 while producing a 3.35 ERA over 10 appearances on the mound.
James R. Harley Award Winner - Joe Wike
Male Athlete of the Year - Gave Grubbs
SSC Player of the Week - Cam Collier (3/18/24)
MVP - Gavin Grubbs
Triton Award- Joe Wike
D2CCA First Team All-Region - Tyler Cox
SSC Freshman of the Year - Alex Brazer
All-SSC Second Team - Tyler Cox
All-SSC Second Team - Reid Lisle
Softball
Eckerd (13-32, 7-23 SSC) took the SSC series on the road at Lynn and Palm Beach Atlantic while taking a 3-1 victory over No. 20 Rollins in April. The Tritons also posted a pair of run-rule no-hitters in a doubleheader sweep over Post (Conn.) on March 9. The Eckerd pitching staff stymied the Eagles' bats as Avery Beauchaine tossed a no-hitter with nine strikeouts in the opener, while Reese Founds and Brandilyn Reymer combined to twirl a no-hitter in game two for the first dual no-hitter in one day since at least 2006. Olivia Johnson led EC in the circle with a 2.66 ERA, which is the sixth-best in single-season records. Ella Coiner, who garnered first-team all-conference honors, ranked second on the squad with a .295 batting average, adding nine doubles and going 21-for-21 on the bases. Lauren Margolis led EC with a .317 batting average, with seven doubles and six homeruns.
All-SSC First Team - Ella Coiner
SSC Player of the Week - Ella Coiner (2/26/24)
Triton Award- Mackenzie Smith
MVP - Lauren Margolis
Men's Tennis
Eckerd finished with an overall record of 7-11; 0-7 SSC, collecting victories over Florida National, Warner (Fla.), Wartburg (Iowa), Stonehill (Ohio), West Chester (Pa.), St. Scholastica (Minn.), Franklin Pierce (NH). Batu Ataseven led Eckerd with 10 singles wins in the top flight. He paired with Christian Kearns for an 11-7 mark in No. 1 doubles. Marshall Hulett added seven singles wins for the Tritons. He paired with Mario Kirkov in the No. 2 doubles position for six wins.
MVP- Batu Ataseven
Triton Award- Mario Kirkov
Holt Weeks Sportsmanship Award - Christian Kearns
Women's Tennis
Eckerd finished the season with a 9-12; 0-9 SSC record with victories over Florida National, Bethune-Cookman (Fla.), Warner (Fla.), Wartburg (Iowa), Stonehill (Mass.), West Chester (Pa.), St. Scholastica (Minn.), Bentley (Mass.), and Franklin Pierce (NH). The Tritons' nine wins are the most in a season since 2006. Olivia Lindestaf posted 15 singles wins, the most in a season since 2006, ranking tied for fifth in single-season records. She had 14 wins out of the No. 2 slot, the most in that slot in program history. Maya Soligo added 11 singles wins, while Kylie Misdorp added 10. Kylie Misdorp and Maya Soligo combined for seven wins in the No. 2 doubles position.
SSC Athlete of the Week - Olivia Lindestaf (3/11/24)
MVP - Olivia Lindestaf
Triton Award- Kylie Misdorp
Beach Volleyball
Eckerd posted an 8-20 record, with wins over Webber (Fla.), Florida Southern, Southeastern (Fla.), Ave Maria (Fla.), Emmanuel (Ga.), and Erskine (SC). Madison Hardbarger and Anna Jupin paired for nine wins in the top draw, while Rachel Jackson and Teagan VanderMey combined for eight wins in the No. 5 position. Melana Moore and Faith Smith went a perfect 2-0 on the day at the AVCA Small College Championships in Tavares, Florida, taking both matches in three sets to win the A Pool to close the season.
Team MVP - Anna Jupin
Triton Award - Mariana Olivares-Cely
2024 Hall of Fame Class
On Thursday, May 9, Eckerd inducted the 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame Class of Rodney Chatman, Joe Cuda, and Kelly Jackson.
Joe Cuda was a starting pitcher for the Tritons from 2008-12. He was the 2012 Male James R. Harley Award winner. Cuda produced his best season in 2011 and was tabbed the Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Year, the first Triton to do so. That season, he posted a 1.66 ERA. He was also selected to the Daktronics All-South Region First Team and CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team that season. He also received numerous accolades in the 2012 campaign, including All-SSC Second Team, ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-South, ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region Gold Glove Team, Daktronics All-South Region Second Team, and a semifinalist for Tino Martinez Division II Player of the Year Award. At the time of graduation, Cuda set the career record for strikeouts with 386 and starts with 51. He currently ranks second in both categories. He also ranks third in career innings pitched (355.2), 10th in wins (20), and 10th in games pitched (59). In 2012, Cuda was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 27th round of the MLB Draft. He spent three years in the minor leagues, posting a 24-13 record with 234 strikeouts.
Kelly Jackson was a two-sport athlete, playing volleyball and softball for the Tritons from 1999 to 2003. Her senior year, she was the female recipient of the James R. Harley Award. She produced a .305 career batting average with 153 hits and 70 RBIs in softball, and 3,930 assists and 137 aces in volleyball. Jackson was a third baseman for the Tritons' softball team, where she was a three-time all-conference selection. She garnered second-team honors in 2001 and 2002 before collecting first-team accolades her senior year. In Eckerd's career records for softball, she ranks in eight categories. As a setter on the volleyball team, Jackson was selected to the All-SSC Freshman Team in 1999. She holds the program record for career assists at 3,930 while ranking seventh in hitting percentage (.282) and ninth in aces (137).
Rodney Chatman was a guard for the men's basketball team from 1991-1995. He helped guide Eckerd to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1993-94 and 1994-95. He also helped the Tritons to the program's first Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championship in 1994 and Eckerd's first regular-season SSC Championship in 1994-95, where Eckerd produced a 22-10 record. The mark also set a then-record for wins in a season. During his time in a Triton uniform, Chatman was a three-time all-conference honoree. He was selected to the honorable mention team in 1992-93 before being named to the second team in his junior year and garnering first-team accolades in his final campaign. He was a two-time selection to the SSC All-Tournament team, taking home MVP honors in 1994 when Eckerd won the tournament championship. Chatman ended his career appearing in 114 games while logging 1,616 points and 521 rebounds. In Tritons' career history, he ranks in seven records. Additionally, he holds four top-10 rankings in Eckerd single-season records.
In January, we completed the $600,000 Baker Beach Volleyball Complex renovations, including four varsity courts, berm seating, shower stations, and live streaming capabilities.
In January, we added upgrades to the weightroom including custom laser-cut logos, dual-sided racks for squats, deadlifts, bench press, and other functional training, as well as custom benches, glute-hamstring machines, kettlebells, dumbbells, and bumper plates.
Tritons have weekly training schedules, programs, and sessions with Strength And Conditioning Coach Nick Irvine of Pinellas Barbell.
Throughout the year, we've welcomed many groups on campus to use our facilities for tournaments, camps, and more: including Major League Baseball; the St. Pete Showcase, a Division I mid-major women's basketball tournament; and St. Pete Classic, two Division III basketball tournaments.
We added upgrades at the Turley Athletic Complex with new scoreboards and dugout padding for baseball and softball.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
On February 7, Eckerd Athletics hosted the local youth for National Girls and Women in Sports Day. As part of the event, the GRIT youth team attended the women's basketball game, joining the team in the handshake line, scrimmaging at halftime, and spent time interacting with the women's soccer, volleyball, and cheerleading teams during the game.
Mental Health 5K
We partnered with Counseling Services on Saturday, Oct. 21, for a Mental Health 5K in support of World Mental Health Day. More than 200 walkers and runners came out to support the campus’s first Tritons Together: Stride for Mental Health 5K run/walk, which also included a one-mile fun walk options. After the race, organizations across campus sponsored booths for students to visit with mental health resources and activities.
Faculty Athletic Representative
Throughout the year, Faculty Athletic Representative Tony Brunello, serves as an advocate for the Tritons while being a mentor for our student-athletes. He also attends numerous home contests throughout the year, and chairs the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC), which has helped create new policies for the athletics department in conjunction with academic affairs.
Cardiac Screening
In November, Eckerd's Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, Sarah Duren, and her staff partnered with a nonprofit, Who We Play For, for cardiac testing of our student-athletes. Who We Play For is a company that does ECG screening for student-athletes at the high school and college levels and utilizes federal grants to provide cardiac screenings on campuses. Through then organization, the sports medicine staff, and Eckerd College Search and Rescue Team (EC SAR), we administered the screenings to our 220 + student-athletes over a 10-day span.
Staffing Updates
In her fifth year with the Tritons, Becky Clark was elevated to Associate Athletic Director, Internal Operations and Compliance/Senior Woman Administrator in March. Clark spearheaded the Triton Together Peer Mentoring Program this year and selected to the NCAA's Pathway Program for the upcoming season.
We welcomed five new head coaches in the 2023-24 year. Joe Ilett '09, Michelle Frew '91, Jade Hayes, Ward Cromwell, and David Woodrum.
Joe Ilett '09 was hired in April as the Interim Men's Soccer Head Coach.
After two years as the assistant coach with the Tritons indoor and beach squads, Jade Hayes was named the head beach volleyball coach in June 2024.
Ward Cromwell joined Eckerd in August 2023 as the head sailing coach.
In July 2023, David Woodrum as selected as the head men's and women's golf coach.
Michelle Frew '91 returned to her alma mater in June 2024 as the Tritons' head softball coach.
We also welcomed two new staff members - Eric Streich, Assistant Athletic Trainer and Nick Irvine, Strength and Conditioning Coach.
After 34 years working in Triton Athletics, the esteemed Bill "Skip" Mathews '79 will step aside from his role as Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Gameday Operations and turn his full attention to his academic pursuits.
Social Media, Website Growth, and Media Exposure
Over the past year, we produced 385 story releases to EckerdTritons.com.
143 events streamed to SunshineStateConference.tv/Eckerd
Two feature stories on Spectrum Sports 360 by Mike Cairns.
Eckerd's Athletic Communications staff of Amanda Green and Brittany Iamele received 16 accolades at the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Convention in June in the annual Creative and Digital Design Contests, including two 'Best in the Nation' winners. Eckerd's 16 total awards rank sixth most in the nation and third among Division II schools. Iamele earned Photo of the Year accolades, while Green and Iamele paired for Best in the Nation for Eckerd's 2022-23 Annual Report in the Online Magazine and Event Programs category.
Facebook Page Reach - 131,500 +
Instagram Reach - 193,800 +
Instagram New Followers - 750+
Tritons' photography is by primary photography Tim Duren as well as Athletic Communications Coordinator Brittany Iamele and students Kara Thomas and Lily Talent.
Check out this seasons Triton Talk episodes as our student-athletes share their stories on their backgrounds, hobbies, life as a student-athletes, career aspirations, and much more.
15th Annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction"
On April 19, Eckerd hosted nearly 300 Triton family, alumni, and supporters in the McArthur Center for the 15th annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction." The night generated over $200,000, a record for the department, which will go towards creating an endowment in honor of James R. Harley.
The event featured over 80 silent auction packages, including weekend getaways in Florida, Virginia, and Mexico, art pieces, golf trips, Tritons gear, LIV Golf memorabilia, Tampa Bay Rays tickets and memorabilia, and much more.
The live auction featured seven packages, including a Mazzaro's dinner party, a Rays 16-person suite, an eight day-seven night Grand Mayan Mexico trip, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers package with two first-row seats to the Eagles vs. Bucs game in the fall, a limited edition bottle of Horse Soldier Bourbon and private tasting, and a seven-night Bali trip for two.
In addition to the bidding, the event also included raffles, a wine toss, and the Tritons Treasure Board, where supporters can directly impact a team or department. Food and drinks were catered from several local restaurants, including Portofino's, Beef O Brady's, Ferg's Sports Bar and Grille, Domino's, Wrights Cupcakes, Playa Bowls, RDNC, 3 Daughter's Brewery, Fresh Kitchen, and Horse Soldier Bourbon.
Triton Family Challenge
Our annual month of giving, The Triton Family Challenge, generated tremendous success in facilitating new donors and support for our teams and the Athletic department in November. Overall, the month raised $90,694 from 402 donors, both record totals. Baseball led the department with 64 donors. Check out the final leaderboard below.
20th Annual Matthew T. McDermott Golf Tournament
The 20th annual Matthew T. McDermott (MTM) Golf Tournament took place on November 13 at the Bayou Club in Largo, Florida, with a record number of participants and sponsors. Overall, the tournament included over 100 participants and generated an impactful amount to benefit the Matthew T. McDermott Scholarship Fund.
The tournament celebrates the life and passion for golf of Matt McDermott, a 1989 Eckerd College alumnus who tragically passed away on September 11, 2001, in the World Trade Center. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Matthew T. McDermott Scholarship Fund, which provides financial support for outstanding Eckerd College student golfers.
Alumni Trips and Events
We visited with alumni in New York City, Atlanta, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, New Jersey, New York, Miami, Texas, Connecticut, Orlando, New England, Arizona, and Rhode Island. We also hosted numerous alumni weekends and games in St. Petersburg.
Teal and Steel Society
In the 2023-24 year, we had more than 120 Teal & Steel Society members, which make up an elite group of alumni, sponsors, fans, and parents dedicated to making leadership gifts that enhance and enrich the student-athlete experience here at Eckerd. For more information on how to support Eckerd Athletics, please reach out to Tom Ryan, ryantj@eckerd.edu, or Billy Evers, everswj@eckerd.edu.
Partnerships
21st Annual Matthew T. McDermott Golf Tournament
The 21st Annual Matthew T. McDermott (MTM) Golf Tournament is set for Monday, November 11 at 9:00 AM, at the Bayou Club in Largo, Florida.
Trips
We have trips planned for Washington DC, Chicago, Orlando, South Florida, New York, and Boston this fall. We look forward to seeing Triton alumni and supporters in 2024-25!
Month of Giving
The fourth annual month of giving is set for November. Be sure to check back at EckerdTritons.com for more information.
16th Annual Triton Dinner Auction
The 16th annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction" is set for Friday, April 25. Make plans now to support the Tritons in April!