Sunshine State Conference

On December 6th, 2014, Lynn University men's soccer and University of Tampa volleyball secured the Sunshine State Conference's 88th and 89th national titles. The two programs emerged through the NCAA tournament brackets to raise the trophies at the 2014 NCAA Division II Fall Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

The SSC sent seven programs to the 2014 NCAA Division II Fall Festival. In addition to the national championship in women's volleyball and men's soccer, Rollins College women's soccer finished as national runner-up, while Florida Southern College men, Tampa women, Saint Leo University men & women participated in the cross-country national championship.

It was the first time in conference history that three teams have reached a Fall national title game. The SSC celebrated two Fall national championships in 2001 when Tampa men's soccer and Barry University women's volleyball won titles.

"I was tremendously proud to witness this historic day for the Sunshine State Conference," commented Ed Pasque, Sunshine State Conference Commissioner, who was in Louisville that day with his young son, Ollie. "When I was walking around the venues that day, I remember people from other conferences and the NCAA coming up to me and smiling and shaking their heads a little and saying this is quite a day for the SSC."

For Lynn men's soccer, the championship was their third in men's soccer. It was the university's 12th NCAA Division II National Championship. Lynn won both the 2014 SSC Regular Season and Tournament championship, gaining a bye into the NCAA South Regional. The Fighting Knights lived up to their name, dispatching Saint Leo (3-0), Young Harris (4-1), Quincy (4-1), and Charleston (3-2) to hoist the trophy.

Tampa finished the 2014 season as the true number one with its second volleyball national championship. The title is the 14th overall for UT. The Spartans received the No. 1 seed into the NCAA South Regional after securing the 2014 SSC Regular Season championship for the 10th consecutive season. The Spartans defeated Claflin (S.C.) (3-0), Valdosta State (Ga.) (3-0), and Palm Beach Atlantic (3-1) to win the region. Tampa defeated Wheeling Jesuit (3-0) during the quarterfinals and Arkansas-Fort Smith (3-1) in the Semifinals. In the championship, Tampa overcame the only team to defeat them this season, Southwest Minnesota State, 3-0.

NOTE: Tampa volleyball and Barry men's soccer both won national championships on December 1st, 2018

[Published: 12/10/15 / Edited: 3/17/20]

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Rollins College women's basketball reached new heights in 2005-06. The Tars made Sunshine State Conference basketball history. They finished the regular season undefeated, 26-0, 16-0 league play.

On February 25th, 2006, Rollins traveled to Nova Southeastern University for the final regular-season game of the season. The first half was a battle of rebounds, as both teams struggled from the field. NSU held a 13-12 advantage with 8:20 to go in the half before the Tars went on a 14-5 run before the break, including scoring the last six points in the half.

Coming out of the break, NSU held Rollins scoreless for the first five minutes. Sophomore guard Jennifer Musgrove then hit two free throws, putting Rollins up 28-26. The Tars rallied. They fought to increase their lead by seven with 7:24 to play. The Sharks kept the pressure on the Tars and went on an 8-1 run over the next three minutes to tie the game, 44-44.

With the undefeated streak on the line, Musgrove took control. She scored five of the Tars' next eight points. The teams traded free throws and baskets to tie the game up 47-47 with 2:02 to play. After a foul, senior guard Sally Johnston hit one of her free throws giving Rollins a one-point lead. Missed jumpers by the Sharks kept the Tars up by one. Musgrove then connected on a lay-up and one free throw on the next possession, giving Rollins a four-point lead with 20 seconds to play. On the Shark's next possession, Musgrove blocked a three-point, sealing the victory. Senior forward Joslyn Giles led the Tars with 13 points while Johnston and Musgrove each added 10 points.

Rollins opened the season by breaking the school record for most consecutive wins at the start of a season (13). The Tars then broke the school record for most consecutive wins during a season (21). Rollins rolled through conference play, becoming only the 10th team in conference history to run the conference, with a 16-0 record. They are also the first team ever to enter the conference tournament undefeated.

"That team was very special, as the conference had really come into its own, and the idea of going through conference play undefeated was never in our minds. Not only was the league really tough, we lost one of the SSC's best players, Larissa McDonough, to a broken wrist with six games to go. It's a shame we'll never know how far that team could have gone, had we stayed healthy."

Rollins captured quarterfinal and semifinal SSC tournament victories with ease. The wins improved their record to 28-0. In the finals, the perfect season came to an end with a 56-47 loss to Tampa. The Tars finished 2005-06 with a 28-2 record after a 48-46 overtime loss to Florida Gulf Coast University in the NCAA tournament.

Rollins earned their 10th regular season SSC championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for a ninth time in 2006. The special season also brought several awards to the Tars. Head coach Glenn Wilkes, Jr. was named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year, the NCAA Division II South Region Coach of the Year, and the Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year. Joslyn Giles was named conference Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American.

[Published: 12/10/15 / Edited: 3/17/20]

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April 7th, 2001, was a perfect day in Melbourne, Florida. The temperature was 79 degrees, and the wind blew calmly from the southeast. John Connally Barnett took the mound at Olin Sports Complex for the visiting Florida Southern College against conference foe Florida Tech. It was the perfect situation for a perfect game.

The right-hander from Winter Haven retired all 27 batters he faced that day. It took him 114 pitches and 17 strikeouts to achieve perfection. Barnett worked his way out of seven 3-ball counts over his nine innings on the bump. Six of which ended in strikeouts. To date, it is the only perfect game in Sunshine State Conference history.

Al Corbeil, the catcher for the perfect game, remarked on Barnett's style, "We thought every time he got the ball, we were going to win. You were going to give him the ball, and he was going to go as deep as he can." Pete Meyer, who was the interim coach for the Mocs at the time, remarked, "They didn't have a chance. He was blowing it by batters. I don't remember anyone hitting a ball hard."

Meyer, now the Director of Athletics & Dean of Wellness at Florida Southern, coached the Moccasins from 2001 - 2008 & 2011-2012, leading them to the 2005 National Championship. The Mocs manufactured six runs on nine hits in the ball game, giving Barnett ample room to work. Florida Southern only needed one as Barnett was dominant from start to finish, ending the game with a strikeout. "The Angels had a scout in attendance that day. He came out of the stands to show me what our guy was throwing at the end of the game," said Meyer. "92."

Florida Tech's Jed Withers also tossed a complete game, striking out 12 batters. The two hurlers combined for 29 strikeouts. At the time, it was the second most combined strikeouts for a single game in Division II history. Barnett's 17 strikeouts were two shy of the school record.

"He had poise and composure beyond his years, plus he was country strong with a great breaking ball," commented Corbeil, the former FSC catcher who is currently the head baseball coach at Polk State College. Barnett's dominance did not end with the perfect game. He retired his next 15 batters faced in his next start. Perhaps a sign of things to come, Barnett threw seven and a third innings against the University of Miami earlier in the season. He allowed five hits in a dominant performance against that year's NCAA Division I national champion.

Barnett helped lead Florida Southern to a regional championship and NCAA Division II world series bid in 2002. He was then drafted by the Texas Rangers and completed two seasons in the minors, where he struck out 182 batters in 179 innings while walking just 46.

[Published: 12/10/15 / Edited: 3/17/20]

About the 40 Great Moments Campaign
The "40 Great Moments" campaign was created to bring attention to the athletic excellence, academic excellence, community engagement, and sportsmanship that has made up the Sunshine State Conference over the last 40 years. Moments were nominated by current and former student-athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni, and fans. The final 40 moments were decided upon by a vote of conference Sports Information Directors. The "40 Great Moments" campaign concluded during the Summer of 2016.

View all 40 of the SSC's Great Moments, here.