Avila Earns SSC Defensive Player of the Year, Howell and Person Named to First Team

ORLANDO, Fla. – Thirty-three student-athletes are recognized as All-Conference following the 12^th season of Sunshine State Conference women's lacrosse. Florida Southern won its ninth regular season title after going a perfect 7-0, and backed that up with its fifth SSC Tournament title after defeating the back-to-back NCAA DII National Champions Tampa 11-8 in Lakeland on April 26. The Moccasins collected nine awards to lead the way while picking up Draw Specialist of the Year and Coach of the Year. Saint Leo earned Attacker of the Year and Freshman of the Year while Lynn was tabbed with Midfield Player of the Year, Tampa the Defensive Player of the Year, and Embry-Riddle the Goalkeeper of the Year, sponsored by Athletic Solutions.

All-SSC History: SSC Players and Coaches of the Year | All-SSC Teams

Five of the six special award winners were named to the All-SSC First Team in Holly Hill (Attack), Rebecca Clark (Midfield), Bella Avila (Defensive), Ella-Rae Cox (Goalkeeper), and Kolby Cohen (Draw Specialist), while Isabella Gebinine (Freshman of the Year) earned Second Team All-SSC honors.

Holly Hill, a senior from Fairfax, Va., was named the 2026 Attack Player of the Year after guiding Saint Leo University to a second-place finish in the regular season with a 6-1 record in league play. Hill played and started all 18 games thus far for the Lions, where she posted 111 points on 42 goals and 69 assists while holding a .732 clip on frame.

Rebecca Clark, a senior from Abington, Pa., was named the 2026 Midfield Player of the Year after earning her third-straight First Team accolades and leading the Fighting Knights to a 3-4 league record. Clark, who was previously named the Freshman of the Year in 2023, guided Lynn this season with 66 points in 16 games played with 50 goals and 16 assists. Clark finished with a team-high 45 draw controls and 47 groundballs while causing 37 turnovers.

Bella Avila, a senior from Worthington, Ohio, earned the University of Tampa its third straight Defensive Player of the Year award after earning the nod for 2026 and leading the Spartans to an SSC Tournament runner-up finish after a 4-3 record in conference play. Avila played in all 16 games for the Spartans and reached the SSC Tournament title game. Through 16 games, Avila had a team-best 98 draw controls with 46 caused turnovers and 34 groundballs with four points on two goals and two assists.

Ella-Rae Cox, a junior from Huntingtown, Md., was named the Goalkeeper of the Year after leading Embry-Riddle to a 4-3 record and SSC tournament appearance. Cox played in a league-leading 1002:29 minutes in goal, starting and playing in all 17 of the Eagles' games with a 10.59 goals-against-average and 134 saves (.428) on 392 shots to go 12-5.

Kolby Cohen, a junior from Memphis, Tenn., earned the 2026 Draw Specialist of the Year after guiding Florida Southern all year in the circle. Cohen tied for the league lead in draw controls with 116 while posting a conference-wide best 47 in SSC play as the Moccasins went 7-0 in the regular season and 17-1 through the SSC tournament. Cohen notched 34 points with 19 goals and 15 assists while scooping up 14 groundballs on 11 caused turnovers.

Isabella Gebinine, a freshman from Denver, Colo., was named the 2026 Freshman of the Year, Saint Leo University's fourth nod since the league's inception. Gebinine was one of two freshmen to earn All-league honors. Gebinine finished the season tied for the league lead in draw controls with 116, while she notched two points on two goals with a perfect 2-for-2 shooting season.

Kara Reber earned her third Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year honor after leading Florida Southern to its ninth regular-season league title in the league's 12 years, as well as capturing the SSC Tournament title for the fifth time overall to give the Moccasins a total of 14 SSC titles in 12 years. Reber was selected as Coach of the Year by her peers after winning the tournament title for the first time since 2022, and the first sweep of league titles outright by any team since 2023.

All-conference selections and individual award winners are determined by a vote of Sunshine State Conference head coaches with oversight and approval from member institution Athletic Directors.

Attack Player of the Year: Holly Hill, Saint Leo

Midfield Player of the Year: Rebecca Clark, Lynn

Defensive Player of the Year: Bella Avila, Tampa

Goalkeeper of the Year: Ella-Rae Cox, Embry-Riddle

Draw Specialist of the Year: Kolby Cohen, Florida Southern

Freshman of the Year: Isabella Gebinine, Saint Leo

Coach of the Year: Kara Reber, Florida Southern

1 3+ First Team All-SSC honors: Four: Lindsay Van Beck (Rollins), Sara Grenier (Florida Tech), Olivia Going (Florida Tech), Kallie German (Rollins), Caroline Gastonguay (Rollins); Three: Sam Schiano (Florida Tech), Emily Santoli (FSC), Meghan O'Brien (FSC), Allie Modica (Florida Tech), Madison Tare (Florida Southern), Cece Colombo (Tampa), Maria Palomba (Saint Leo), Rebecca Clark (Lynn)

2 Previous Tampa Defensive Players of the Year: Lexi Waters (2025), Alyssa Romano (2024)

3 Jessica Harclerode (2023), Maria Palomba (2022), Ashlee Wilsynski (2021)

4 Riley Rivera, Florida Southern – Second Team

5 Previous Coach of the Year honors: Kara Reber 2021, 2022