Berkley Whaley Earns SSC Player, Newcomer of the Year Honors

WINTER PARK, Fla. - A total of 20 student-athletes have earned recognition on the 2013 All-Sunshine State Conference Volleyball Team. Tampa's Berkley Whaley was selected Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, while her coach, Chris Catanach, was named Coach of the Year.

Joining Whaley as a first team selection was teammates Meagan Burke and Holly Reschke as Marissa Lisenbee was a second-team choice. Florida Southern's Brindl Langley was named Freshman of the Year.

Named to the All-SSC First Team along with Whaley were: OH Lindsay Biggs (Eckerd), L Catherine Brusie (Florida Southern), MB Meagan Burke (Tampa), MB Camille Indest (Rollins), S Jaclyn Mailoto (Saint Leo) and OH Holly Reschke (Tampa).

Earning All-SSC Second Team honors were: OH Lauren Campbell (Saint Leo), OH Sydney Cook (Nova Southeastern), RS Marissa Lisenbee (Tampa), S Kendall Marotti (Florida Southern), OH Ali McAlvany (Eckerd), MB Jordan Sisson (Saint Leo) and L Collyn Welsch (Rollins).

Eckerd's MB Katarina Milojevic was named honorable mention.

An All-Newcomer Team was also selected. Named to that squad with Newcomer of the Year Whaley and Freshman of the Year Langley were: RS Alexa Griffth-Hardy (Saint Leo), OH Ruth Harrington (Rollins), RS Tjasa Kotnik (Eckerd) and L Yaidimar Santiago (Saint Leo).

Voting for the All-SSC Volleyball Team was conducted among the league's head volleyball coaches.

A sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla., Whaley earns both Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors in her first season at Tampa after transferring from the University of Florida. She led the SSC in kills per set (3.69), points per set (4.62), service aces (49) and service aces per set (.49). She was a five-time SSC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week presented VALIC, and was named AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 22.

Catanach wins his second-straight and 17th overall SSC Volleyball Coach of the Year award after leading Tampa to a conference title with a perfect 16-0 league record. The Spartans have now won at least a share of the last nine SSC titles. With a 29-1 overall record, Tampa currently ranks No. 1 in the nation and is the host of the NCAA South Regional that begins on Thursday, Dec. 5 in Tampa. The Spartans have ranked in the top 3 of the AVCA Coaches Poll all season.

2013 All-Sunshine State Conference Volleyball Team

FIRST TEAM
Lindsay Biggs, Eckerd (Sr., OH)
Catherine Brusie, Florida Southern (Jr., L)
Meagan Burke, Tampa (Jr., MB)
Camille Indest, Rollins (Sr., MB)
Jaclyn Mailoto, Saint Leo (Sr., S)
Holly Reschke, Tampa (Sr., OH)
Berkley Whaley, Tampa (So., OH)

Player of the Year: Berkley Whaley, Tampa
Freshman of the Year: Brindl Langley, Florida Southern
Newcomer of the Year: Berkley Whaley, Tampa
Coach of the Year: Chris Catanach, Tampa

SECOND TEAM
Lauren Campbell, Saint Leo (Jr., OH)
Sydney Cook, Nova Southeastern (So., OH)
Marissa Lisenbee, Tampa (So., RS)
Kendall Marotti, Florida Southern (So., S)
Ali McAlvany, Eckerd (Jr., OH)
Jordan Sisson, Saint Leo (Sr., MB)
Collyn Welsch, Rollins (Jr., L)

HONORABLE MENTION
Katarina Milojevic, Eckerd (Jr., MB)

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Alexa Griffith-Hardy, Saint Leo (Jr., RS)
Ruth Harrington, Rollins (Fr., OH)
Tjasa Kotnik, Eckerd (So., RS)
Brindl Langley, Florida Southern (Fr., OH)
Yaidimar Santiago, Saint Leo (Jr., L)
Berkley Whaley, Tampa (So., OH)