Shannon Aitken Becomes Newest Spartan in SSC Hall of Fame

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference honored its most recent class of inductees as part of the 2018 SSC Hall of Fame Class on Saturday morning. Eight new members were inducted into the SSC Hall of Fame during the SSC Hall of Fame Brunch and Celebration in Lakeland on the campus of Florida Southern College. Shannon Aitken represented the University of Tampa as its inductee.

The eight inductees are: Grace Slone Collins (Barry, softball), Carlos Somoano (Eckerd, soccer), Cris Allen (Florida Southern, baseball), Daniela Iacobelli (Florida Tech, golf), Christina Rolla (Lynn, softball), Gregg Smyth (Rollins, baseball), Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. (Saint Leo, President), and Aitken (Tampa, soccer).

A 2014 inductee to the UT Athletics Hall of Fame, Aitken was the goalkeeper for the 2007 National Championship Team. In 2007, was named the National Player of the Year and was also the 2007-08 Sunshine State Conference Female Athlete of the Year. A two-time All-American and two-time All-South Region performer, she was named to the All-Sunshine State Conference first team three times. She was also was named to 2006 Sunshine State Conference All-Tournament Team. Aitken ranks first in program history in wins (59), ties (7), saves (197), games played by a goalie (76), games started by a goalie (75), and most minutes played by a goalie (6974). She also ranks second in save percentage with a .804, and holds the single-season records in wins (20 in 2007), most minutes played (2354 in 2007), and games started by a goalie (25 in 2007). She won 18 games in 2006, which is second in program history for wins in a season.

Aitken becomes the 36th inductee for UT to the SSC Hall of Fame. For a complete list of Tampa Hall of Famers, click here. For the complete Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame, click here.

The Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 to honor those persons 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 SSC.

The charter class was inducted in 1992 with 21 individuals honored. This year's class brings the number of SSC Hall of Fame inductees to 204 individuals from 23 classes.

2018 SSC Hall of Fame Class

Shannon Aitken | University of Tampa | Soccer | 2004-08

• All-American First Team 2007
• National Player of the Year 2007
• All-American Second Team 2006
• All-South Region First Team 2005, 2006, 2007
• SSC Female Athlete of the Year 2007-08
• All-SSC First Team 2005, 2006, 2007
• University of Tampa most career wins (59)
• University of Tampa most games played for a goalie (76)
• University of Tampa most games started for a goalie (75)
• University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014
• Facilitates soccer camps and clinics
• Currently a teacher and girls' soccer coach at Steinbrenner High School

Cris Allen | Florida Southern College | Baseball | 1986-89

• Named to SSC Silver Anniversary Team
• All-SSC First Team 1966, 1987, 1988
• All-SSC Second Team 1989
• ABCA All-American third team 1987
• ABCA All-South First Team 1986, 1987
• ABCA All-South Second Team 1988, 1989
• Florida Southern College Athletics Hall of Fame 2006
• Florida Southern College Baseball Hall of Fame 1993
• Drafted in the eleventh round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles; Drafted in the 25th round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels
• FSC career record holder with 245 RBIs, 483 total bases, 258 runs scored, 67 doubles, 25 triples, and 200 walks
• Member of the 1988 National Champion Team
• Career .349 hitter in 219 games played
• Currently is a private bank wealth manager with Regions Financial Court

Grace Slone Collins | Barry University | Softball | 2009-12

• All-SSC First Team 2011, 2012
• All-SSC Second Team 2010
• SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• Led SSC in batting in 2011 (.433)
• SSC Woman of the Year 2012
• SSC Conference Expansion Committee member 2012-2013 (Only SA/Alum on the Committee; Direct Asst. to Conference Commissioner)
• Daktronics All-American 2011, 2012
• NFCA All-American 2011
• Barry University President's Award (Only student-athlete in history to win award)
• NCAA Woman of the Year Top 9 Finalist
• NFCA Scholar All-American 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• Acts as the Associate Director of Doctoral Programs at Jacksonville University Davis College of Business
• Earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida - Levin College of Law and is a licenced Florida Attorney

Daniela Iacobelli | Florida Tech | Golf | 2005-09

• SSC Women's Freshman Golfer of the Year 2005-06
• SSC Golf Championship Individual Champion 2006, 2007
• All-SSC Honorable Mention 2007
• All-SSC First Team 2008, 2009
• NCAA Division II Individual National Champion 2007
• Sixth place finish at the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championship
• Florida Tech Female Athlete of the Year 2007-08
• Recorded eight tournament victories in career (FIT Record) and 29 Top-10 finishes
• Ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation in 2008-09
• Two Professional Victories on Symetra Tour (2012 Daytona Beach Invitational and 2015 Tullymore Classic)
• Earned fully-exempt LPGA cards for 2013, 2017
• Florida Tech Sports Hall of Fame Inductee 2014
• Works closely with youth to further develop the game of golf
• Currently golfing on the LPGA Tour

Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. | Saint Leo University | President | 1997-2015

• Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal from Pope Francis (highest honor bestowed on a lay person from the Catholic Church) 2016
• NCAA President's Council for two terms 2003-07, 2011-2015
• Chair on Planning and Finance 2003-2004
• Vice Chair 2005-2007
• Membership Committee during second-term 2011-2015
• Chair of the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities
• Chair of President's Council of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
• Reinstated Men's Golf, Men and Women's Cross-Country.
• Started new programs Men and Women's Swimming, Men and Women's Lacrosse, and Women's Golf (growing from an 8 to 19 sport institution)
• Two-time President of the Sunshine State Conference
• Initiated the President's Club at Saint Leo (a program to recognize outstanding student-athletes)
• Oversaw the construction of the tennis facility, softball stadium, parking garage with lacrosse field on-top, and the addition of lights at each of the field venues
• Under his leadership, the athletic department doubled its' staff and captured its' first Mayor's Cup
• Raised their national profile, placing eighteenth in the Learfield Cup in 2014, eighth in 2015 and second in 2016
• Before Kirk, SLU had only appeared in three NCAA Regional Championships but since his arrival in 1997, they have appeared in over 60 NCAA Regional Championships and have won twenty-one SSC Titles
• Retired in July 2015

Christina Rolla | Lynn University | Softball | 2004-06

• SSC Silver Anniversary Team
• SSC Player of the Year 2005
• All-SSC First Team 2005
• All-SSC Second Team 2004, 2006
• SSC Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll
• NFCA All-American First Team: 2005
• 25 home runs in 2005, ranks fourth all-time in NCAA Division II history
• School career and season records for batting average, home runs, total bases, slugging, RBIs, runs scored, walks, on-base percentage
• Italian National Softball Team 2006-2009
• Champion, European Championship 2007; MVP of the European Championship 2007
• BSC Legnano (Italy) Softball Team; MVP of the Italian Softball League 2006
• Three-time Italian Cup Champion 2006, 2007, 2008
• Des Caserta (Italy) Softball Team, Champion, Italian Cup 2012; MVP of the European Premiere Cup 2012
• Currently Vice President of Cultural Hi-Ways (Tour Company)

Gregg Smyth | Rollins College | Baseball | 1992-95

• All-SSC Second Team 1994
• Honorable Mention All-SSC 1993
• ABCA Division II All-South Region (First Team) 1993, 1994
• NCAA Division II and SSC Record most innings pitched (509.0)
• NCAA Division II fourteenth and SSC third most victories (37)
• NCAA Division II fourth and SSC second-most games started (65)
• Drafted by the New York Mets in the seventy-second round of the 1994 MLB draft
• Drafted by the Houston Astros in the thirty-third round of the 1995 MLB draft
• Played one season with the Single-A Auburn Astros (1995) 14 games, 6-6, 4.56 ERA
• Rollins Sports Hall of Fame Inductee 2011
• Currently a financial planner

Carlos Somoano | Eckerd College | Soccer | 1989-92

• All-SSC First Team 1991
• All-SSC Second Team 1989
• Current active leader in winning percentage (.758) among all NCAA DI Men's Soccer Coaches as head coach of the University of North Carolina
• Led UNC to a national title in his first season in 2011; Only second rookie head coach in NCAA Men's Soccer history to do so
• Named Soccer America 2011 National Coach of the Year and ACC Coach of the Year
• Tarheels have qualified for NCAA tournament in all six years he has been at the helm of the program, reaching the quarterfinals four times
• Helped build UNC into a national power as an assistant coach from 2002-2010 including an NCAA Runner-Up finish in 2008
• Currently Men's Soccer head coach at the University of North Carolina