TAMPA, Fla.– After finishing tied at 17-3 in conference play and splitting the season series, the University of Tampa and Barry University are named the 2018 Sunshine State Conference volleyball co-champions. The Spartans have now won 26 SSC titles, with the last one coming in 2015. Of the 26, 25 of these titles have been won under the helm of head coach Chris Catanach. This is Barry’s 7^thSSC Championship, the first since 2004. 

Starting the year unranked, this season Tampa has battled their way into the national spotlight. The team took down three nationally ranked opponents and earned their highest ranking of No. 4 in week 9 of the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. This ranking was the Spartans first top five rank since the 2015 season, where the team finished with an overall record of 27-6, losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament to conference rival, No. 21 Florida Southern 3-2. 

Finishing the 2018 regular season with an overall record of 27-4, the Spartans will advance to the NCAA South Regional Tournament November 15-17th. Tampa has the potential to host this tournament, but will not know until after it is announced during the selection show, tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST. The selection show will air on NCAA.com.

 
Volleyball is the University of Tampa’s second conference title this academic year.  The women’s cross country team brought home the University’s first.