ORLANDO, Fla. - Fifty years to the day of the Sunshine State Conference's first athletic event, the league marks its golden anniversary by honoring the most accomplished men's basketball players in its history. The SSC proudly announces the Top Players from the past quarter-century seasons, featuring the 14 distinguished athletes who competed in the league from 2000 to 2025. These players will be formally paired with the league's Silver Anniversary Team (1975–1999) to celebrate the conference's most outstanding talent.
The Golden Anniversary honorees embody the modern era of SSC basketball, a time defined by national championships, record-breaking achievements, and increased national prominence. These 14 standouts feature National Players of the Year, All-Americans, 2,000-point scorers, and NCAA Division II champions. They join 14 legends from the league's first quarter-century to create a 28-member historic roster.
See Also: All-SSC Teams | SSC All-Americans | SSC Players/Coaches of the Year | SSC MBB Records | Silver Anniversary Announcement (11.28.00)
2000-25: A Modern Era Defined by Excellence
The newly announced Golden Anniversary selections span the full range of the conference's rise to national prominence:
- Kevin Capers (Florida Southern, 2011–15), voted the Top Player of the last 25 seasons, is one of the most decorated guards in SSC history. Capers powered Florida Southern to the 2015 Division II National Championship, earned multiple All-America awards, and currently ranks third all-time in SSC scoring.
- Jim Crutchfield was chosen as the Top Coach of the past 25 years, whose recent dominance includes national titles in 2023 and 2025, and has produced multiple Golden Anniversary honorees with careers that have reshaped the league record book.
- All of the SSC's National Players of the Year winners from the past 25 years are honored: RJ Sunahara (NSU), MJ Iraldi (NSU), Sekou Sylla (NSU), Brett Hanson (FSC), and Jon Brown (Tampa).
- Elvar Fridriksson (Barry), Nick Wolf (Rollins), Yunio Barrueta (Barry), Romeo Crouch (Embry-Riddle), Jonathan Lawton (FSC), Jadin Booth (FSC), Dallas Graziani (NSU), and Jonny Reibel (Rollins) each brought elite scoring, playmaking, or all-around production that elevated their programs and conference while putting their names in SSC career record categories.
To be considered for the Golden Anniversary 2000-25 squad, student-athletes had to meet one of several criteria. They must have been named SSC Player of the Year, selected to the SSC Hall of Fame, or received at least an Honorable Mention All-America distinction between the 2000-01 and 2024-25 seasons. The top players from the past 25 years were selected by the head athletic communication directors from the 11 SSC member institutions.
Jonny Reibel (2005-2008, HOF '18)
Reibel is the top point guard in the Rollins program history. During his four years in Winter Park, Reibel earned three All-SSC selections, three All-Region selections, and All-American nods in 2007 and 2008. He was also named the SSC Player of the Year in 2007. Reibel helped the Tars to two SSC regular season titles, one SSC tournament title, and two NCAA tournaments. In his final season, Reibel was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award (top point guard across all levels of NCAA play) and also invited to the College Basketball Invitational All-Star Game. He finished his career with a school-record 688 assists and scored 1,679 points, good for ninth in Tars history.
Nick Wolf (2007-2011, HOF '22)
Nick Wolf could be argued as the best player in the history of Rollins College basketball. During his four seasons, the Tars had an unprecedented run, accumulating 91 wins, two SSC regular season titles, two SSC tournament titles, and three NCAA appearances. during that stretch, Wolf was named SSC Player of the Year twice (2009, 2011) and an All-American three times. He finished his career with 2,037 points, 1,046 rebounds, and 327 assists. He is second all-time in points by a Rollins player, and tenth all-time in the SSC. His rebounding numbers place him second all-time in SSC play behind only John Ebeling (FSC, 1982).
| SSC Men's Basketball Golden Anniversary Team: 2000-2025 |
| Name |
Years |
School |
| Yunio Barrueta |
2013-16 |
Barry |
| Elvar Fridriksson |
2015-18 |
Barry |
| Romeo Crouch |
2019-22 |
Embry-Riddle |
| Jadin Booth |
2021-25 |
Florida Southern |
| Kevin Capers |
2011-15 |
Florida Southern |
| Brett Hanson |
2016-20 |
Florida Southern |
| Jonathan Lawton |
2017-19 |
Florida Southern |
| Dallas Graziani |
2021-23, 24-26 |
Nova Southeastern |
| MJ Iraldi |
2023-25 |
Nova Southeastern |
| RJ Sunahara |
2019-23 |
Nova Southeastern |
| Sekou Sylla |
2021-22 |
Nova Southeastern |
| Jonny Reibel |
2005-08 |
Rollins |
| Nick Wolf |
2007-11 |
Rollins |
| Jon Brown |
1998-02 |
Tampa |
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| Top Player of 2000-25: Kevin Capers, Florida Southern |
| Top Coach of 2000-25: Jim Crutchfield, Nova Southeastern |
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SSC Men's Basketball Golden Anniversary Team: 1976-1999
(Silver Anniversary Honorees Announced November 28, 2000) |
| Name |
Years |
School |
| Dwayne Perry |
1986-89 |
Eckerd |
| John Ebeling |
1978-82 |
Florida Southern |
| Derek Flowers |
1987-91 |
Florida Southern |
| Jerry Johnson |
1984-88 |
Florida Southern |
| Kris Keamey |
1985-89 |
Florida Southern |
| Rob Terry |
1993-97 |
Florida Tech |
| Dwight Walton |
1988-91 |
Florida Tech |
| Joel Fiser |
1978-82 |
Rollins |
| Bo Clark |
1975-79 |
Central Florida |
| Jerry Prather |
1975-78 |
Central Florida |
| DeCarlo Deveaux |
1990-94 |
Tampa |
| Nate Johnston |
1984-88 |
Tampa |
| Todd Linder |
1983-87 |
Tampa |
| Bryan Williams |
1987-91 |
Tampa |
| |
|
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| Top Player of 1976-99: John Ebeling, Florida Southern |
| Top Coach of 1976-99: Hal Wissel, Florida Southern |
A Celebration of the SSC's Identity
These Golden and Silver Anniversary Team honors are a reflection of the SSC's competitive identity. For five decades, the conference has produced numerous national championship programs, hundreds of All-Americans and national award winners, historic statistical leaders who appear atop NCAA and conference record books, and a tradition of excellence that has positioned the SSC as the most respected league in NCAA Division II.
As the SSC celebrates its 50th year and beyond, the Golden and Silver Anniversary honorees will be symbols of everything the conference has built and the standard future generations will strive to match.
Upcoming Golden Anniversary Teams: Baseball (2026-27), Men's Golf (2026-27), Men's Tennis (2026-27); Men's Soccer (2027-28), Women's Basketball (2031-32), Women's Tennis (2031-32), Volleyball (2031-32)
Upcoming Silver Anniversary Teams: Women's Soccer (2026-27), Women's Golf (2026-27)
