TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 3, 2025) – The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) has announced the winners of its annual athletics awards, recognizing excellence in the classroom and competition during the 2024-25 academic year.
Male and Female Athletes of the Year were selected from a group of nominees comprised of all FCSAA Player of the Year recipients, as well as individuals submitted from other sports sanctioned by the FCSAA (men's golf, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's track & field), provided the nominee was named NJCAA All-America during the 2024-25 season.
Likewise, Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year were selected from a group of 15 nominees. Nominees must have accumulated 48 credit hours with a minimum 3.30 GPA and completed at least three full-time terms, including at least one at a FCSAA instituion. Citizenship, community service and athletic prowess may be taken into consideration.
Male and Female Academic Teams of the Year for small (10 or fewer participants) and large (11+ participants) rosters were also selected.
All awards were voted on by the Council for Athletic Affairs' Executive Board.
Male Athlete of the Year
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Michael Savarese
Pasco-Hernando State | Baseball
So. | Brooksville, Fla.
- 2025 NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year
- 2025 NJCAA Division II First-team All-America
- Led Pasco-Hernando State to the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series Championship
- 2025 FCSAA Division II Pitcher of the Year
- 2025 Division II All-FCSAA
- Led Pasco-Hernando State to the 2025 FCSAA Division II Championship
- Named to the FCSAA All-Tournament Team and was the FCSAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher
- 2025 stats: 18 appearances, 14-0, 1.71 ERA, 144 K
"Michael Savarese is everything you could want in a student-athlete. He's a relentless competitor who led our program to a national championship with a perfect 14-0 record on the mound. His recognition as National Pitcher of the Year and First-team All-America speaks volumes about his talent and work ethic. Off the field, he's the ultimate teammate — humble, hardworking, and highly professional in everything he does. Michael has left an historic mark on Pasco-Hernando State College, and we couldn't be prouder of him as he continues his journey at the University of Pittsburgh." - Lyndon Coleman, Head Baseball Coach and Director of Athletics, Pasco-Hernando State College
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Female Athlete of the Year
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Julija Grubisic Cabo
Florida SouthWestern | Volleyball
So. | Maribor, Slovenia
- 2024 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year
- 2024 NJCAA Division I First-team All-America
- Led Florida SouthWestern to the 2024 NJCAA Division I National Championship
- Named the NJCAA Tournament's Most Valuable Player
- 2024 FCSAA Division I Player of the Year
- 2024 Division I All-FCSAA
- Led Florida SouthWestern to the 2024 FCSAA Division I Championship
- Named to the FCSAA All-Tournament Team and was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player
- 2024 stats: 26 matches, 3.4 kills/set, 2.6 digs/set, .351 hitting percentage
"Julija had an incredible season for us both from a production and leadership standpoint. Her work ethic, grit, and determination were a driving force for our team to look towards and on the court you knew exactly what you were going to get from her every single night. She rightfully joined an extremely exclusive club this season, winning literally every single award she possibly could have while also leading her team to a National Championship. I am beyond proud of all she has accomplished and am blessed to have the opportunity to continue to now coach her at the Division I level." - Thais Baziquetto-Allen, former head volleyball coach, Florida SouthWestern State College.
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Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
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Evan Casterline
Daytona State | Cross Country
So. | Orlando, Fla.
- 2025 Larry Monts Award winner, presented to the FCSAA's top men's cross country scholar-athlete
- 2025 NJCAA First-team All-Academic
- Earned his associate's degree in May as a Quanta Honors College graduate with High Honors, achieving a 4.0 GPA
- 2024 FCSAA Division II Men's Individual Champion and FCSAA Division II Runner of the Year
- Finished 3rd at the NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships
- 2024 NJCAA First-team All-America
- 2024 NJCAA Division II Atlantic Region Runner of the Year by the USTCCCA
- Volunteered at numerous local road races
"Evan's time at Daytona State left an impression on our program that will be hard to match. He not only excelled in the classroom and on the cross country course but embraced a kind of work ethic and tenacity that set him apart. Evan led by example and was always encouraging his teammates to be better. While taking a rigorous academic courseload and handling over 60 miles of running per week, Evan worked a part-time job to help pay for his schooling and also volunteered at numerous races in the community supporting local runners. The dedication and commitment that he showed to be a good ambassador for Daytona State and our men's cross-country program is something that we are extremely grateful for." - Alison Mohr, Associate Athletics Director, Daytona State College
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Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
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Leia Lund
Daytona State | Volleyball
So. | Stockholm, Sweden
- 2025 Robert Stokes Award winner, presented to the FCSAA's top volleyball scholar-athlete
- Earned her associate's degree in Spring 2025, graduating with High Honors and achieving a 4.0 GPA
- 2024 NJCAA Division I Second-team All-America
- 2024 Division I All-FCSAA
- 2025 recipient of DSC's Outstanding Student-Athlete Academic Award for volleyball
- 2025 recipient of DSC's L. Gale Lemerand Leadership Award and DSC's Student-Athlete of the Year Award
- Dedicated hours to organizations such as Easter Seals, the City of Port Orange, Jeep Beach and the DSC Foundation, showing a genuine commitment to serving others.
"Leia has put everything she has into these last two years at Daytona State—on the court, in the classroom, and in our program. Her hard work has truly paid off, and she is so deserving of the FCSAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award! We are beyond proud of Leia and grateful she allowed us to be a part of her journey. She is truly one-of-a-kind and has, without question, left her legacy at DSC and in the FCSAA!" - Alison Mohr, Associate Athletics Director, Daytona State College
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Male Academic Team of the Year (11+ participants)
Daytona State College Baseball
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Team GPA: 3.80
Head Coach: Tim Touma
Team members: Tyler Borton, Brett Corbitt, Anthony Florio, Jake Gibson, William Rollings, Erik Underwood, Luke Baldwin, Holden Bradshaw, Ian DeVos, Kenneth Guy, Luke Hogue, Zachary Lebenson, Derek Lopez, Matthew Lyons, Julien Maire, Andrew McWilliams, Zachary Merriman, Casey Morgan, Dylan Mullan, Kedrain Pelzer, Jake Schincariol, Andrew Stancin, Jake Tompkins, Lucas Tutanjian, Blake Van Horn, Joshua Vinciguerra, Ace Williams, Chase Wilson
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Male Academic Team of the Year (10 or fewer participants)
Eastern Florida State College Tennis
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Team GPA: 3.35
Head Coach: Bobby Cashman
Team members: Johan Mottlau, Filip Sormaz, Salva Serradilla, Alberto Perez Mellado, Tomas Kurz Cardozo, Konstantin Kukaras, Pablo Garcia Rodriguez, Zakaria Achour, Alexandr Achour
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Female Academic Team of the Year (11+ participants)
Florida SouthWestern State College Volleyball
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Team GPA: 3.78
Head Coach: Thais Baziquetto-Allen
Team members: Sofia Augusto, Nina Boledovicova, Camilla Brandalise, Nele Broszat, Sara Letizia Gasparini, Julija Grubisic Cabo, Patrycja Labucka, Clara Maidantchik, Anna Marzella, Irina Makinen, Abigail Toeniskoetter, Sarah Webb, Ericka Zevallos, Giovanna Rocha, Maria-Gabriela Milicevic
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Female Academic Team of the Year (10 or fewer participants)
Daytona State College Golf
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Team GPA: 3.87
Head Coach: Laura Brown
Team members: Madison Balaskiewicz, Cambree Hodge, Rachel Gomez, Samantha Paradise, Kalia Polete, Emma Wells, Tylar Whiting
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