Ronald L. Vaughn Selected as Part of 2025 Hall of Fame Class

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference has announced its 2025 Hall of Fame class, which will include longtime for President at the University of Tampa, Dr. Ronald L. Vaughn. The league will usher in the 10 newest members on Saturday, October 4th, during the SSC Hall of Fame brunch and celebration. The event will take place in Miami Shores on the campus of Barry University.

The inductees of the SSC's 25th Hall of Fame class are Beverly "Bev" Buckley (Rollins, women's tennis Head Coach), Bill Evers (Eckerd, baseball), Bill Jurgens (Florida Tech, Athletic Director), Gregory Malfitano (Lynn, Senior Major Gift Officer), Pete Meyer (Florida Southern, baseball Head Coach / Athletic Director), Stephanie Quinones (Nova Southeastern, women's soccer), Francis X. Reidy (Saint Leo, Vice President / Athletic Director), Daniel Stapf (Barry, men's golf), Carolyn Stone (Palm Beach Atlantic, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics), and Ronald L. Vaughn (Tampa, University President).

The SSC Hall of Fame was established in 1991 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the league. Its purpose is to perpetuate the memory of those who brought distinction, honor, and excellence to the league. Conference officials selected a charter class in 1992, with 21 individuals honored. The 2025 class brings the number of SSC Hall of Fame inductees to 223.

Tickets are available for the SSC Hall of Fame Brunch and Celebration on October 4th in Miami Shores. Event space is limited, and you must purchase no later than Friday, September 19th. If you are interested in celebrating the SSC's 25th Hall of Fame Class, email Maryanne Simkulak, Sunshine State Conference Senior Associate Commissioner, for more information.

For the complete Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame, click here.

2025 Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame Class

Ronald L. Vaughn | University of Tampa | University President | 1995-2024

• University President for 138 SSC championships across 13 sports
• Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award (2024)
• University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame (2024)
• Honorary Doctorate of Public Service presented by the Board of Trustees of The University of Tampa (2024)
• James H. Kynes Award for Outstanding Community Service presented by the Economic Club of Tampa (2024)
• Tampa Museum of Art Pavilion Honoree (2024)
• Christine Burdick Person of the Year presented by Tampa's Downtown Partnership (2024)
• Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (2023)
• Golden Helmet Award (2022)
• Liberty Bell Award (2022)
• Patrons of Culture and the Arts Impact Award (2021)
• Community Heroes Award presented by the Tampa Bay Lightning (2021)
• Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award presented by the Tampa Metro Civitan (2019)

Beverly "Bev" Buckley | Rollins College | Women's Tennis Coach | 1986-2024

• 7th all-time in DII coaching wins (535)
• 20 straight NCAA appearances (1994-2014)
• Coached 22 ITA All-Americans
• Two top-four national championship finishes
• Coached six SSC Players of the Year and two SSC Freshmen of the Year
• Coached 67 All-SSC singles and doubles selections
• 2004 Team GPA Award at National Championship Festival
• ITA All-Academic Team every year from 2013 to 2024
• 62 ITA Scholar Athletes
• ITA Meritorious Service Award winner (2020)
• Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame (1991)
• As a player, Rollins Athletic Hall of Fame (1993)
• Missouri Valley USTA Section Hall of Fame (1994)
• Roosevelt High (IA) Alumni Hall of Fame (2010)

Bill Evers | Eckerd College | Baseball | 1973-1976

• All-American (1975)
• ABCA Second Team All-American (1976)
• Led Eckerd in career RBIs (158) at the time of graduation. Currently third in school history
• Drafted by three MLB teams in 1975 and 1976
• Played for the Chicago Cubs for three years
• 19 years as minor league manager, compiling 1,381 wins, which was tied for second-most among active minor league managers
• Won 5 minor league championships
• Tampa Bay Rays Bench Coach (2006-07), Scout (2008-09), and Field Coordinator (2010-18)
• Minnesota Twins coach (2018-21)
• Eckerd Athletics Hall of Fame (2000)
• International League Hall of Fame (2012)
• William H. Kadel Alumni Medal for Outstanding Career Achievement from Eckerd (2006)

Bill Jurgens | Florida Tech | Rowing Coach & Athletic Director | 1976-2020

• Athletic Director (1976-2020)
• 5x national champion
• 35x SSC champion
• 7x SSC individual champions
• Florida Tech Sports Hall of Fame
• Jacksonville University Athletic Hall of Fame
• Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame
• Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame's Visionary Award (2013)
• U.S. Rowing's Jack Kelly Award (2016)
• Central Florida Council, Scouting America Golden Eagle recipient (2025)
• U.S. Rowing Association Board of Directors (1976-87)
• U.S. Olympic Rowing Committee (1977-80)
• Dad Vail Rowing Association Board of Directors (1990-present)
• Member of the first NCAA Women's Rowing Championship Committee (1996-99)
• Chair of the NCAA DII Women's Rowing Committee (2004-06)
• First rowing coach in program history (1969)
• 20x SIRA champion
• 27x FIRA champion
• 17x Dad Vail champion
• Currently serves as the Athletic Director Emeritus

Gregory Malfitano | Lynn University | Senior Major Gift Officer | 1973-present

• Started Athletics at Lynn University
• In his 50 years, the Fighting Knights have 27 team national titles, 14 individual national titles, and one relay national title
• Served as athletics administrator and oversaw the recruitment of every athletic director and head coach from 1987 to 2015
• Oversaw the transition from NAIA to Division II
• Responsible for the fundraising, planning, and completion of both athletic and campus facilities, including the gym, campus performing arts center, University campus center, Bobby Campbell Stadium, and Greg Malfitano Field
• Lynn University Distinguished Alumni Award (2024)
• Rotarian
• 100 Club member
• Lynn Legacy Recognition (2023)
• Lynn University named its Distinguished Alumni Award after Malfitano in recognition of his contributions.

Pete Meyer | Florida Southern College | Baseball Coach, Head Coach Administrator, & Athletic Director | 1998-2019

• Led FSC to the 2025 Baseball national title as Head Coach
• Developed over 40 major MLB draftees
• Florida Southern Athletics Hall of Fame (2018)
• Oversaw two SSC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, seven NCAA Elite 90 award winners, and more than 40 Academic All-Americans as Athletic Director
• FSC won four NCAA Division II national championships, 12 individual national championships, 33 SSC titles, and finished as national runner-up six times in four different sports during his AD tenure
• While Head Coach, FSC advanced to six NCAA tournaments
• Career record of 308-139-1
• In Meyer's 11 years as the AD, FSC added seven new sports

Stephanie Quinones | Nova Southeastern University | Women's Soccer | 2005-09

• 2x NCAA All-American (2006 & 2007)
• NSU's first NCAA women's soccer All-American and two-time All-American
• Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar Award (2007)
• 2x NCAA South Region First Team (2006 & 2007)
• NCAA South Region Second Team (2008)
• 2x Daktronics South Regional Second Team (2006 & 2007)
• All-SSC First Team (2007)
• 3x All-SSC Second Team (2006, 2008, & 2009)
• Graduated summa cum laude from Florida State University's College of Law and holds a Juris Doctor degree

Francis X. Reidy | Saint Leo University | Men's Soccer Coach / Vice President, Director of Athletics | 1988-2023

• 2x SSC Coach of the Year (1993 & 1994)
• Saint Leo men's soccer winningest coach (139 wins)
• Learfield Directors' Cup Top 10 for NCAA Division II (2nd in 2015-16, 4th in 2017-18, and 8th in 2014-25)
• 4x Men's SSC Mayors' Cup (2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2022-23)
• 1x Women's SSC Mayors' Cup (2016-17)
• 3x Under Armour AD of the Year (2011-12, 2014-15, 2017-18)
• Division II Athletic Directors' Association President
• Served on the NCAA Championships Committee with one year as chair
• Served on the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee with one year as chair
• Led the Lions to 30 SSC championships
• Saint Leo won four national championships during his tenure, one for a team and three for individuals
• 125 NCAA Division II championship appearances
• Recipient of the D2ADA Lifetime Achievement Award (2025)

Daniel Stapf | Barry University | Men's Golf | 2008-12

• 2x GCAA First Team All-American (2011 & 2012)
• 2x GCAA Scholar All-American (2011 & 2012)
• SSC Player of the Year (2011)
• 2x All-SSC First Team (2011 & 2012)
• All-SSC Second Team (2010)
• SSC All-Tournament (2011)
• 3x SSC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year (2010, 2011, & 2012). Only three-time winner in conference history
• SSC Individual Medalist (2011)
• 3x SSC Player of the Week
• CoSIDA Academic All-America (2012)
• 3x GCAA All-South Region (2010, 2011, & 2012)
• 2x NCAA Elite 90 winner (2010 & 2012)
• Four years as a professional golfer
• Won six titles, including the Military World Championship in 2016 in the Netherlands
• Top-ranked professional golfer in Brazil (2014)
• Worked with Children Without Borders 

Carolyn Stone | Palm Beach Atlantic University | Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics | 2012-2019

• Oversaw PBA's acceptance into the SSC in 2017
• Opened the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus (2014) and John & Sheila Rinker Sports Center (2017)
• Grew the department from 10 varsity sports to 18
• Four athletes earned SSC Player of the Year honors
• During her tenure, PBA won four SSC regular-season championships
• 13 straight semesters with a department GPA over 3.00
• NACDA Under Armour DII Athletic Director of the Year & PBA Employee of the Year
• Doubled the number of student-athletes at PBA, bringing the number from 150 to over 300
• During her tenure, PBA won three regional championships
• Serves on the board of Mary's Giving Fund and has volunteered for the Diocese of Palm Beach's Office of Family Life for 23 years
• Left PBA to serve as the Director for Business Development and Operations in the Town of Palm Beach
• Appointed as the Deputy Town Manager-Business Enterprise and Culture (2022)