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Spartans Appear in the Final 2013-14 Season National Poll at No. 15
April 1, 2014

Spartans Appear in the Final 2013-14 Season National Poll at No. 15

LILBURN, Ga. - The University of Tampa women's basketball team appeared in the final 2013-14 season national poll at No. 15, announced Tuesday by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

Also making an appearance in the poll from the Sunshine State Conference were No. 3 Nova Southeastern and No. 19 Rollins.

After a successful season, the Spartans notched its highest end of season national ranking in school history. The team went 24-7 on the season after a heartbreaking loss to SSC rival Nova Southeastern, in the NCAA South Regional Championship game.

The Spartans were not only a force to be reckoned with nationally, UT dominated the conference, taking home the regular season title for the fifth time with a record of 14-2 amidst a 12 conference game winning streak.

2014 SSC Coach of the Year Tom Jessee's squad was led by 2014 SSC Newcomer of the Year Ellen Nurmi, who averaged 11.8 points per game. Tampa boasted a balanced offense with the likes of Juliana Cavallaro, Illyssa Vivo, and Taylor McVey contributing double-figure scoring. Senior Shamika Williams chipped in nine points per contest, with six double-double performances in points and rebounds on the season.

In addition to coach Jessee and Nurmi receiving individual honors, the team snagged the attention of the conference as Vivo, Williams, McVey, Cavallaro, and Aisha Rodney all received recognitions. Vivo was named to the All-Conference First Team, while Williams and Nurmi earned spots on the All-Conference Second Team. Named to the SSC All-Newcomer Team were Nurmi and McVey. For the All-Tournament honors, Rodney and Vivo appeared on the conference squad, while Williams and Cavallaro were named to the South Regional team.

To stay current with Tampa women's basketball, fans may follow University of Tampa athletics on Twitter (www.twitter.com/utspartans), Facebook (www.facebook.com/tampaspartans), YouTube (youtube.com/utathletics) and Instragram (tampaspartans). UT also offers blAst, a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.