From The Athletic Director
After 42 years at Eckerd, I continue to be inspired by the spirit, resilience, and excellence of our Tritons—on the courts, fields, and water, in the classroom, and throughout our community. The 2024–25 year brought achievements across every corner of our department, and before we turn our attention to the future, I want to take a moment to reflect and celebrate.
Academically, our student-athletes once again raised the bar:
- We recorded a department-best 3.52 GPA, surpassing last year’s record.
- Our Academic Success Rate (ASR) hit 91, tying for 28th nationally.
- For the 14th consecutive year, we received the NCAA Presidents' Award—one of only seven schools to earn this honor every year since its inception.
- We recognized 41 Academic All-District selections and 155 SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll honorees.
On the national stage, we proudly sent three programs to NCAA/ICSA competition:
- Women’s golfers Sandra Eriksson and Melissa Ball, and men’s golfer Reggie Fear represented us at NCAA Regionals.
- Our open sailing team qualified for the ICSA Nationals, continuing a strong tradition on the water.
In competition, our Tritons made waves across the Sunshine State Conference:
- Women’s basketball, women’s soccer, and men’s soccer all reached the SSC Tournament—with men's soccer earning its first berth since 2016.
- We celebrated three All-Americans, 18 all-conference selections, and 17 conference players of the week.
- Hannah Taylor (softball) was named SSC Player of the Year and South Region Player of the Year.
- Jordan Vieira and Avery Guck (sailing) were recognized as SAISA Rookies of the Year.
The Triton community showed up in a big way:
- We hosted record-breaking fundraising events, including the Triton Family Challenge, the 21st Annual Matthew T. McDermott Golf Tournament, and the 16th Annual Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction.
- We welcomed alumni back to campus for reunion events, Hall of Fame Weekend, alumni games, and meaningful engagement through guest lectures and career panels.
These accomplishments are possible because of you—our fans, alumni, friends, sponsors, and families. Your support helps shape not only outstanding athletes, but remarkable leaders, scholars, and teammates.
And as we celebrate, we also look forward. We’re thrilled to announce the addition of cross country in the 2025–26 academic year. This exciting step reflects our continued growth and commitment to broadening opportunities for student-athletes at Eckerd.
Your continued support empowers everything we do—from the classroom to competition. On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff, thank you. We’re excited for what’s ahead and hope to see you on the sidelines, in the stands, or cheering us on from afar. Please enjoy the rest of our 2024–25 Eckerd College Athletics Annual Report.
Tom Ryan - Director of Athletics
2024-25 Numbers
14th Straight NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence
4 NCAA/ICSA Tournament Appearances
3 All-Americans
18 All-Conference Selections
1 SSC Player of The Year
1 D2CCA South Region Player of The Year
2 SAISA Rookies of The Year
3 All-Region Selections
41 Academic All-District Selections
18 Conference Players of The Week
155 SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll Recipients
All-Time Numbers
14 NCAA Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence
26 SSC Conference Championships
66 All-Americans
91 National Tournament Appearances
24 SSC Coaches of the Year
39 Conference Players and Freshman of the Year
Grade Point Average
Eckerd produced another tremendous year with a department record 3.52 GPA over the 2024-25 academic year, following a 3.51 GPA in the fall term and 3.54 in the spring semester. Men's tennis led the department with a 3.77 GPA throughout the year. Women's golf topped female sports with a 3.73 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 91, ranking tied for twenty-eighth 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 14 years in a row and is one of just seven schools to earn the award every year since its inception.
SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll
Eckerd placed 155 student-athletes throughout the year on the 2024-2025 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
41 Tritons from women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball, women's basketball, men's basketball, women's tennis, men's tennis, baseball, softball, women's golf, and beach volleyball were honored for their academic distinction by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) on its annual Academic All-District Teams. The 2024‐25 Academic All‐District® Teams, selected by CSC, recognize 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
Seven student-athletes -Lucas Berglund, Jonathan Falbe-Hansen, Rick Koch, Martyna Kowalska, Akari Miura, Mariana Olivares-Cely, and Lily Schwartz - as well as four student employees - Tae Chambers, Jenna Weisman, Ansley Bossart, and Ava Shepard-Cano - were inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society.
The group is part of a record 45 students selected for this year's induction.
Senior Scholar-Athletes
Rick Koch (baseball) and Sonja Schuch (women's basketball) received the Senior Scholar-Athlete awards at the annual ECSPYs, presented to the male and female senior student-athletes with the highest cumulative GPA.
Sonja is a two-year member of the women’s basketball team and hails from Vienna, Austria. She has appeared in 30 games over her Triton career, helping lead Eckerd to the SSC Tournament Championship and a NCAA South Region Semifinal Appearance in 2024. She holds a 3.98 GPA in Psychology. She is a recipient of the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll and D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
Rick Koch, from Hamburg, Germany, is a four-year member of the baseball team. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a three-time recipient of the SSC Spring Honor Roll, a two-time recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, and a CSC Academic All-District honoree. He is a triple major in Marketing, International Business, and Communication with a 4.0 GPA. He appeared in 23 contests over his career with a 2-1 record and one save.
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 '24, fall '24, winter '25). Women's golf collected the award this season for the third straight year.
Reading Tour
In December, our student-athletes took part in the first-ever SAAC Reading Tour. Throughout the week, they visited three local Elementary Schools and the Police Athletic League of St. Pete, spending time reading books to kids. Student-athletes then spent time playing games and making arts and crafts projects with each school and PAL.
Christmas for Kids
On December 16th, 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 15th 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 and October, volleyball, baseball, and men's basketball players were in the community helping St. Pete families who were impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Wheelchair Basketball
On May 1st, SAAC hosted the Tampa Bay Strong Dogs of the Adaptive Sports of Hillsborough County for a successful event in the McArthur Center. Our Tritons participated and learned about adaptive sports.
Be The Match
In March, the student-athlete advisory committee held the 'Be The Match' event aimed at adding registrants to the national bone marrow donor program.
MLK Parade
On January 20, the Tritons were in the community celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Dream Big Parade in Downtown St. Pete.
Our student-athletes participated in numerous other community service events, including volunteering at a local Triathlon, animal shelters, and with sustainability on campus.
Mentoring Program
This year, Eckerd launched the Tritons Together Peer Mentoring program, aimed at improving student-athlete retention and leadership development. In its first year, SAAC members were paired with new student-athletes to assist them during their first year at Eckerd. The pairs had regular meetings and took part in a social event each semester.
National SAAC
In June, Eckerd men's tennis player Mario Kirkov was selected to the Division II National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Sunshine State Conference representative. Kirkov is scheduled to serve as the SSC representative on the national committee through January 15, 2028. He becomes the first Triton since 2013 to serve on the national SAAC.
"This opportunity to be on the National SAAC is the next step in my development as a student-athlete, but also as a person. It's an honor to have a chance to impact the lives of all student-athletes in Division II. I want to get a lot of valuable skills and knowledge out of this opportunity that are going to help me in my future career," stated Kirkov. "I also want to be an even stronger leader for everyone on campus that they can rely on and show them that our voice matters and that we can make a difference no matter where we come from."
Morgan’s Message
Emma Lou Smith (women's soccer) continued Eckerd's chapter of Morgan's Message in it's second year, which is a national organization across college campuses in order to increase mental health education, awareness, and resources. Morgan's Message hosted dedication games for men's and women's basketball, giving out resources while sharing information about Morgan's Message. They also hosted a pie and athlete fundraiser, which raised over $1,000 to be donated to the national Morgan's Message chapter.
Triton Cup
SAAC launched the Triton Cup this year to encourage attendance at contests. Each team earned points for contests attended, with beach volleyball winning the inaugural award.
Networking Night
In April, SAAC hosted a networking night in conjunction with career services, bringing in local employers to connect with.
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.
Lucas Berglund, from Uppsala, Sweden, and is a four-year member of the men's soccer team. He appeared in 57 games over his career, logging over 4,000 minutes with a goal and an assist. He is a four-time recipient of the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll, a three-time CSC academic all-district honoree, received the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, and was inducted into the college's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He is a Ford Apprentice Scholar, team captain, and member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Chance Bucher, from Half Moon Bay, California, is a two-year member of the women's basketball squad. She appeared in 56 games, posting 683 points, 326 rebounds, and 78 assists. She led the team this year in points and rebounds, with six double-doubles. She was tabbed a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American, D2CCA South Region Second Team, All-SSC First Team, and four-time SSC Player of the Week, while leading Eckerd to the SSC Tournament Championship Title in 2024. She is a recipient of the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll and D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, and is a member of SAAC.
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.
Reggie Fear, from Surrey, England, is the first Triton in program history named to the GCAA All-Freshman Team. He was also tabbed to the All-SSC Second Team, the first player since 2013 to receive all-conference honors. He was tabbed the SSC Golfer of the Week in September. He became the first individual from Eckerd since 2011 selected to the NCAA South/Southeast Regional, where he finished tied for 11th, just two strokes off qualifying for the national championship. Fear ranked 78th nationally and 21st in the region. He finished with a 72.2 adjusted scoring average according to Clippd, with two top-three finishes and five top-20 finishes. He won his collegiate debut at the Griffin Invitational on September 16-17 with an 8-under 208. He added a runner-up finish at the SSC Championship on April 13-15, marking the best placing by a Triton since 2013. He led Eckerd to a final round 286 in the SSC Championship, the lowest single round at the SSC Championship in program history for the Tritons.
Chance Bucher, a senior guard from Half Moon Bay, California, received honorable mention All-American from the WBCA. She led the Tritons, averaging 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She also added 1.9 assists and 0.8 steals per game. Nationally, she ranked 19th in the nation in 3-point percentage, shooting at a 39.9 percent clip. She was 12th in 3-pointers per game and 42nd in defensive rebounds per game. Bucher posted six double-doubles on the year, with a career-high 15 boards against West Florida on November 7 and 30 points in the SSC quarterfinals against Barry. Bucher received first-team All-SSC honors, SSC All-Tournament Team, and second-team D2CCA All-Region honors. She was a four-time SSC Player of the Week, receiving player of the week laurels three times and defensive honors once. She is the third Triton to receive WBCA All-American honors, joining Sofia Persson (2023) and Lauryn Vieira (2024). She became the fifth All-American in program history, and the 64th in Eckerd Athletics history.
Hannah Taylor, a catcher from Brooksville, Florida, earned second-team All-American honors from the D2CCA and NFCA. She became the first player in program history to receive two All-American honors in one season. Taylor also earned D2CCA South Region Player of the Year, D2CCA First Team All-Region, NFCA First Team All-Region, SSC Player of the Year, and All-SSC First Team honors. She was just the second Triton in program history to earn SSC Player of the Year honors. She is the first Triton to receive D2CCA Player of the Year honors. She led the SSC in the regular season in hits (75), homeruns (13), RBIs (59), batting average (.446), slugging percentage (.762), and OPS (1.281). Nationally, in the regular season, she ranked 18th in RBIs, 23rd in total bases, 30th in hits, 36th in slugging percentage, and 41st in homeruns. She was a two-time SSC Player of the Week and was named to the NFCA National Player of the Year Watch list. She set two Eckerd single-season program records for hits and RBIs and tied the record for homeruns.
Men's Soccer
The Tritons finished the season with a 4-11-1 record and a 3-7 mark in SSC play. Eckerd picked up its first win of the season in dramatic fashion, as they upset Division I Stetson 3-2 on a goal in the 83rd minute. The Tritons surged down the stretch with a thrilling upset win over No. 23 Florida Tech on October 25, the day the campus returned from the Hurricane evacuations. EC then added two critical wins in the last week of action, capped by a comeback win over Saint Leo to punch EC's ticket to the SSC Tournament for the first time since 2016. Defender Finn Steele was tabbed the SSC Defensive Player of the Week on November 11. Robert Thorarinsson was selected the SSC Offensive Player of the Week, the first Triton to garner Offensive Player of the Week honors in over 10 years (last won by Matt Dolan in 2012). Luciano Rodriguez and Samuel Busungaie led the team in goals with three each.
SSC Defensive Player of the Week - Finn Steele (11/11/24)
SSC Offensive Player of the Week - Robert Thorarinsson (9/30/24)
Male James R. Harley Award Winner - Lucas Berglund
MVP- Luciano Rodriguez
Triton Award - Finn Steele
Women's Soccer
The Tritons made the SSC Tournament with a 4-6-6 record and a 3-4-3 mark in SSC play. Eckerd made the SSC Tournament for back-to-back years for the first time since 2004. The Tritons opened the season with a scoreless draw over No. 12 Lee, going 1-0-2 in the first three games. Eckerd added wins over Rollins, Florida Southern, and Nova Southeastern. The Tritons' comeback win over NSU in the final game of the season punched their ticket to the SSC Tournament. Kendall Drummond and Freija Aflenzer led Eckerd in goals with five each, while Drummond led in points with 13.
All-SSC Third Team - Kendall Drummond
SSC Defensive Player of the Week - Cadence Talbert (9/9/2024), Zoe Brasher (9/16/24)
MVP - Kendall Drummond
Triton Award- Gabby Morman
Volleyball
The Tritons finished with a 14-14 record and a 7-13 mark in SSC play. They began the season with an 8-1 record, including five sweeps. Eckerd swept the SSC series from Saint Leo, Rollins, and Palm Beach Atlantic. Eckerd ranked 32nd in Division II in aces per set. Kinga Michalska ranked second in Division II, averaging 0.67 aces per set. She ranked ninth nationally in total aces with 67. She also set the Triton single-game record with 11 aces as part of a triple-double vs. PBA on October 26. Stella Antypa led the team, averaging 3.01 kills per set. She also added 3.22 digs per set.
All-SSC Third Team - Stella Antypa
Triton Award - Charlize Wittholz
MVP - Stella Antypa
Women's Basketball
Eckerd ended the year with a 19-9 mark and a 13-7 record in the SSC, earning the No. 4 seed in the SSC Tournament. EC opened the year with a 9-2 start. The Tritons added two wins over nationally-ranked opponents in No. 25 Valdosta State on November 8, and a dominant win over No. 10 Embry-Riddle in Eckerd's return to the McArthur Center on January 25. Nationally, Eckerd led the nation in defensive rebounds per game. The Tritons also ranked second nationally in defensive field goal percentage and third in 3-point defensive field goal percentage. Chance Bucher led the team, averaging 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She ranked 12th in the nation in 3-pointers per game and 18th in 3-point percentage.
Chance Bucher
WBCA All-American Honorable Mention
D2CCA All-South Region Second Team
All-SSC First Team
Three-time SSC Player of the Week (11/18/24, 1/13/25, 1/20/24,)
SSC Defensive Player of the Week (11/11/24)
Female James R. Harley Award Winner
Eckerd Co-Female Athlete of the Year
MVP
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SSC Defensive Player of the Week - Lisa Michaelson (12/16/24)
Triton Award - Jaylen Ostenson
Men's Basketball
Eckerd finished the season with an 11-17; 6-14 SSC record. The Tritons picked up a key upset win over No. 18 Florida Southern on February 5, where Isaiah Placide accounted for 33 points during the second half. Eckerd ranked 31st nationally in rebound margin at 5.2. The Tritons also ranked 23rd in offensive rebounds per game and 40th in rebounds per game. Placide led EC, averaging 20.1 points per game. He ranked 17th nationally in 3-pointers made per game and 40th in points per game. Timothy Thompson led the team with 7.1 rebounds per game.
All-SSC Third Team - Isaiah Placide
SSC Player of The Week (2/10/25)- Isaiah Placide
SSC Defensive Player of The Week (2/17/25)- Timothy Thompson
MVP - Isaiah Placide
Triton Award - Roque Rosario
Sailing
Eckerd posted eight top-five finishes on the year, including a runner-up finish at the Sailpack Oriental in a field of 30 on March 29-30. EC finished sixth of 18 at the SAISA Open Fleet Race Championship. The Tritons earned the No. 28 seed in the ICSA Fleet Race Championships, making Eckerd's first postseason appearance since 2023.
MVP - Tia Soultankakis
Triton Award -Lily Schwartz
SAISA Open Rookie of the Year (Skipper) - Jordan Vieira
SAISA Open Rookie of the Year (Crew) - Avery Guck
All-SAISA First Team - Jordan Vieira and Avery Guck
Men's Golf
Reggie Fear led Eckerd in the 2024-25 season with a 72.96 stroke average, 0.01 of tying the single-season program record. He became the first Triton since 2011 selected to the NCAA South/Southeast Regional. He posted five top-20 finishes on the year, including a win in his collegiate opener at the Griffin Invitational, carding an 8-under 205, and a runner-up finish at the SSC Championship with a 3-under 213. The team placed third at the Griffin Invitational, where Eckerd shot an 870 as a team, six strokes off the program record. Josh DiZinno was second on the squad in stroke average at 74.5, ranking eighth in single-season records. Drew Campbell also had an impressive rookie campaign with a 74.6 stroke average, a runner-up finish at the Shark Shootout, and a fifth-place finish at the Keiser Kup.
Reggie Fear
GCAA All-Freshman Team
All-SSC Second Team
MVP
Eckerd Male Athlete of the Year
Eckerd Male Rookie of the Year
SSC All-Tournament Team
SSC Male Golfer of the Week (9/23/24)
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Triton Award - Tyler Van Dusen
Women's Golf
Eckerd finished the year ranking No. 34 in the country in the Clippd National Poll. The team opened the season with a third-place finish at the Invite at Innisbrook on September 23-24. Sandra Eriksson and Melissa Ball were selected for the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first time in program history that Eckerd had two individuals selected. Eriksson made back-to-back NCAA appearances. She posted five top-20 finishes, highlighted by tying for seventh at the SSC Championship and 18th at the NCAA Regional. She finished the year with a 75.19 stroke average. Ball posted four top-20 finishes, including eighth at the Barry Invitational and 12th at the NCAA Regional. She finished with a 75.88 stroke average. Sophie Foulds posted two top-20 finishes and a 76.7 stroke average.
All-SSC Third Team - Sandra Eriksson
MVP - Sandra Eriksson
Triton Award- Sophie Foulds
Baseball
The Tritons finished the season with a record of 10-38 (5-24 SSC). Eckerd took the season-opening series from Albany State and added an upset win over No. 12 Florida Southern in SSC action. Eckerd run-ruled Tiffin (Ohio) in a 15-0 shutout on March 5. Against Tiffin, Zade Stark set the program record for RBIs in an inning with five, following a grand slam and an RBI single. Dawson Jones led the team's offense with a .340 batting average, while Luis Garrido (.309), Zade Stark (.307), and Dylan Escobar (.302) also hit over .300. Jones also led the team in doubles (15) while Stark led in RBIs (37).
MVPs - Zade Stark and Luis Garrido
Softball
Eckerd (30-20, 16-14 SSC) produced one of the best seasons in program history, setting the single-season mark for SSC wins at 16, while three victories off tying the overall wins mark. Eckerd earned six wins over nationally-ranked opponents in No. 16 East Stroudsburg, No. 24 Barry, No. 25 Rollins, No. 3 Tampa, and No. 14 Saint Leo. The Tritons took the series over Rollins, Lynn, Palm Beach Atlantic, and Florida Southern. Eckerd also set five other single-season records as Hannah Taylor set the mark for hits and RBIs, Lex Difato added the mark for singles and runs, while Brandilyn Reymer posted the mark for strikeouts.
Taylor produced one of the best seasons in program history and was tabbed an All-American by the D2CCA and NFCA while earning South Region Player of the Year and SSC Player of the Year honors. She also tied the single-season record for homers with 13. She led the SSC in the regular season in hits (75), homeruns (13), RBIs (59), batting average (.446), slugging percentage (.762), and OPS (1.281). Nationally, in the regular season, she ranked 18th in RBIs, 23rd in total bases, 30th in hits, 36th in slugging percentage, and 41st in homeruns.
Five Tritons hit over .300 - Lex Difato (.376), Mia Hernandez (.341), Addisan Langston (.322), Ella Coiner (.307), and Gracie Ciccarello (.304). Difato also added 42 stolen bases. Brandilyn Reymer posted 15 wins and two saves in the circle with a 2.34 ERA and 203 strikeouts. Julia Heter added 11 wins as well.
Hannah Taylor
NFCA Second Team All-American
D2CCA Second Team All-American
D2CCA South Region Player of the Year
D2CCA All-South Region First Team
NFCA First Team All-Region
SSC Player of the Year
All-SSC First Team
Two-time SSC Player of the Week - (4/14/25, 3/31/25)
Eckerd Co-Female Athlete of the Year
MVP
Lex Difato
All-SSC First Team
SSC Player of the Week - (5/5/25)
Eckerd Female Rookie of the Year
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SSC All-Defensive Team - Gracie Ciccarello
Triton Award- Kinsley Castro
Men's Tennis
Eckerd finished with an overall record of 9-8; 0-7 SSC, collecting victories over Warner (Fla.), Bates (Maine), Davenport (Ohio), West Chester (Pa.), Loyola (Md.), Walsh (Ohio), Franklin Pierce (NH), Edinboro (Pa.), UT- Dallas. Eckerd entered the ITA national poll at No. 35 on March 12. It was the first time the Tritons were in the national rankings since 2011, and EC's best ranking since 2006.
Adrian Gheorghe led Eckerd with a 14-2 mark, out of the No. 5 draw. He posted the most wins in a season since 2016. Batu Ataseven added 11 singles wins in the top flight. Ataseven was ranked No. 75 in the ITA singles poll. Eric Asakura and Lukas Palla posted an 11-6 mark in No. 3 doubles action.
MVP- Batu Ataseven
Triton Award- Mario Kirkov
Holt Weeks Sportsmanship Award -Adrian Gheorghe
All-SSC First Team (Singles) - Batu Ataseven
Women's Tennis
Eckerd finished the season with a 9-10; 1-8 SSC record with victories over Warner (Fla.), Bates (Maine), Mary (Neb.), Edinboro (Pa.), West Chester (Pa.), Jefferson (Pa.), UT Dallas, Tampa, and Franklin Pierce (NH). The Tritons earned their first win over an SSC opponent since 2010 with a comeback win on April 8. Olivia Lindestaf posted 14 singles wins. She entered the ITA national rankings on April 2 at No. 31 and ended the season at No. 52. She is the first player since 2007 to be ranked and Eckerd's best ranking for a singles player since 2006. Kylie Misdorp and Fiona Orza added 10 singles wins each in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. Olivia Lindestaf and Catherine Cole combined for seven wins in the No. 2 doubles position.
All-SSC First Team (Singles) - Olivia Lindestaf
MVP - Olivia Lindestaf
Triton Award- Kylie Misdorp
Beach Volleyball
Eckerd posted an 8-24 record, with wins over Ave Maria (Fla.), Barry, Polk State (Fla.), Liberty (Va.), New College of Florida, Wingate (NC), Wayne State (Neb.). Addie White and Madison Hardbarger paired for 13 wins in the No. 2 and No. 3 draw. Anna Jupin and Brooke Hand paired together in the top draw for a 10-8 mark. The duo were tabbed SSC Pair of the Week to end the regular season and named to the All-SSC First Team.
All-SSC First Team - Anna Jupin and Brooke Hand
SSC Pair of the Week - Anna Jupin and Brooke Hand (3/31/25)
Team MVP - Anna Jupin
Triton Award - Brooke Hand
2025 Hall of Fame Class
On Friday, March 7, Eckerd inducted the 2025 Athletics Hall of Fame Class of Lindsay Michael (Biggs) '14, Matt Duffy '13, and Lance Cornelius Kearse Sr. '12.
Lindsay Michael (Biggs) is scattered throughout the Triton volleyball record book as a three-time All-American, the only multiple time All-American in program history. She led the squad to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program's only Sweet 16 appearance in 2011. She was also selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-American Third Team in 2012. Michael (Biggs) was a five-time all-region honoree. She received Sunshine State Conference First Team honors in her last three seasons and was tabbed to the all-freshman team in 2010. Over her career, she appeared in 120 matches, tallying 1,496 kills, 1,326 digs, 207 blocks, 119 aces, and 60 double-doubles. She ranks second in program career records, while her digs rank sixth.
Matt Duffy led Eckerd as a defender from 2009-12. He was the first player in men's soccer history to be named an All-American, receiving D2CCA Third Team accolades in 2012. He is also the only men's soccer player to be named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American team, garnering first-team laurels in 2012. In 2012, he was named the Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He was a three-time All-SSC selection. He received three all-region honors, including D2CCA/Daktronics First Team All-Region in 2011. Over his career, he played in 66 games, scoring 10 goals with nine assists. In 2013, he received the prestigious James R. Harley Award Winner and was tabbed the Eckerd Senior Scholar-Athlete.
Lance Cornelius Kearse Sr. was a three-year standout for the men's basketball team after transferring to Eckerd. He scored 971 points over his three years in a Triton uniform. He added 348 rebounds, 125 assists, 64 blocks, and 42 steals. The 2011-12 season was his best year as he was selected to the fourth team D2 Bulletin All-American team and named the SSC Player of the Year after leading Eckerd to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Over his career, he ranks in four career categories, including eighth in free throws made, 16th in free throw percentage, 12th in blocks, and 20th in points per game. He also owns the single-game record for free throws made with 17 against Nova Southeastern in 2011-12. After Eckerd, he played three seasons of professional basketball overseas and received an invite to the Jaguars camp as a tight end in 2013.
In April, Eckerd announced the addition of men's and women's cross country for the 2025 fall season. This addition marks a new chapter for a program rich in history and tradition. The Tritons women's cross country team, which competed from 1984 to 2004, achieved remarkable success during its run—capturing three Sunshine State Conference (SSC) team championships in 1990, 1991, and 1992, as well as two individual titles. The program also made three NCAA Championship appearances, highlighted by the historic performance of Kim Fagen, Eckerd's first female All-American. Fagen won the NCAA South Region Title and placed 24th at the NCAA Championship in 1991.
Faculty Athletic Representative
After serving 19 years as Faculty Athletic Representative, Tony Brunello announced his retirement at the end of the 2024-25 school year. He was named a finalist for the Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award in 2014 and 2025. In 2015, he was named the Sunshine State Conference FAR of the Year.
Brunello was named a finalist for the NCAA's Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award, as announced at the NCAA National Convention in January. Brunello is one of 10 NCAA Division II finalists for the award.
In May, Dr. James Janack was named as the Tritons' Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR). Dr. Janack has been a Professor of Communication at Eckerd since 2005. He is also the Director of the Oral Communication Program and the Director of the Rahall Communication Resource Center. He was the Tritons' Professor of the Year in 2023, presented at the annual ECSPYs.
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 the 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
Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations/Senior Woman Administrator, Becky Clark, has been selected as the National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC) Emerging Leader Award. The Emerging Leader Award recognizes and celebrates compliance professionals with 6-10 years of experience who are emerging leaders within the compliance profession. She also completed the NCAA's Pathways Program.
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Brittany Iamele was selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) 30 Under 30 Class in December.
We welcomed two new head coaches in the 2024-25 year - Joe Ilett '09 and Aaron King.
We also welcomed new staff members - Liza Yoder (Assistant Athletic Trainer), Maddie Sims (women's basketball), Steve Frew '91 (softball), Connor Churchill (baseball), Kali Boatwright (volleyball), Jake Wiffen (men's soccer), and Kyle Clinton (men's soccer).
Social Media, Website Growth, and Media Exposure
Over the past year, we produced 370 story releases to EckerdTritons.com.
140 events streamed to SunshineStateConference.tv/Eckerd
One feature story on Spectrum Sports 360 by Mike Cairns.
Eckerd's Athletic Communications staff of Brittany Iamele and Gavin Filmer received nine accolades at the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Convention in June in the annual Creative and Digital Design Contests. Brittany Iamele placed fifth in the College Division for Photographer of the Year, while coming in runner-up in Division II. She placed fourth and fifth in the College Division and first and second in Division II for short form video section. Student Videographer and recent graduate Gavin Filmer finished second in Division II as Videographer of The Year.
Facebook Page Reach - 63,500 +
Instagram Reach - 308,800 +
Tritons' photography is by primary photography Tim Duren as well as Assistant Director of Athletic Communications 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.
16th Annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction"
On April 25, Eckerd hosted nearly 300 Triton family, alumni, and supporters in the McArthur Center for the 16th annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction." The night generated over $200,000 for the department.
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 five packages, including three-night stay in Elk & Embers in the Waynesville, NC Area, a two-hour happy hour at Ferg's, 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 Mexico trip.
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 Beef O Brady's, Ferg's Sports Bar and Grille, JRs, Playa Bowls, RDNC, 3 Daughter's Brewery, and Fresh Kitchen.
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 $129,832 from 577 donors, both record totals. Softball led the department with 163 donors. Check out the final leaderboard below.
21st Annual Matthew T. McDermott Golf Tournament
The 21st annual Matthew T. McDermott (MTM) Golf Tournament took place on November 11 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, Asheville, Fort Lauderdale, New Jersey, Miami, Texas, Connecticut, Orlando, New England. We also hosted numerous alumni weekends and games in St. Petersburg.
Teal and Steel Society
In the 2024-25 year, we had more than 130 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
22nd Annual Matthew T. McDermott Golf Tournament
The 22nd Annual Matthew T. McDermott (MTM) Golf Tournament is set for Monday, November 10 at 9:00 AM.
Trips
We have trips planned for New York City, Atlanta, Asheville, Fort Lauderdale, New Jersey, Miami, Texas, Connecticut, Orlando, New England this year. We look forward to seeing Triton alumni and supporters in 2025-26!
Month of Giving
The fourth annual month of giving is set for November. Be sure to check back at EckerdTritons.com for more information.
17th Annual Triton Dinner Auction
The 17th annual "An Evening With The Tritons Dinner Auction" is set for Friday, April 24. Make plans now to support the Tritons in April!