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The Saint Leo men’s and women’s swimming teams have been recognized for their success in the classroom — being named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America team, on the basis of their fall grade point averages.

The men finished the 2018 fall semester with a 3.28 GPA to finish tied for 18th in all of NCAA Division II, while the women posted a 3.42 GPA.

The Saint Leo programs were among 713 teams from 460 institutions from all collegiate athletic divisions to be selected to the Scholar All-America team. To earn the honor, teams were required to post a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the fall semester and maintain a roster of 12 or more student-athletes.

Division I Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia) had the highest GPA of all women’s teams, with an average GPA of 3.79. Among men’s programs, Division III Massachusetts Institute of Technology took the top spot with a 3.78.

Land O’ Lakes resident Chris Neatherly won the South Pasco Bassmasters’ Big Bass award after hauling in a 5.08-pound bass with topwater bait during a January tournament, at the Butler Chain of Lakes in Windemere. Neatherly and his fishing partner, Steve Gallette, finished second in the tournament with a total haul of 10.01 pounds. The next tournament is Feb. 16, at the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

Sunlake High senior linebacker and team captain Grant Henderson last month competed in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-Star Game at The Villages High School. Henderson was one of 76 players statewide invited to participate, playing for the North squad.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Henderson during this past season registered 110 tackles, six sacks, 12 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries for Sunlake. Wiregrass Ranch High senior receiver/safety Dorien Green was the only other area player named an FACA All-Star.

The Saint Leo University athletics department has named Jason Skoch as head coach of the women’s indoor volleyball program.

Skoch comes to Saint Leo via Division II West Texas A&M, where he guided that program to a 276-88 mark in 10 seasons as head coach. Before that, Skoch was head coach of Division II Truman State (Missouri) University, where he posted a 137-22 mark.

Altogether, Skoch is a five-time conference coach of the year, has nine 30-plus win seasons, 13 conference titles, and 11 NCAA postseason appearances with five NCAA Elite Eight appearances. He also has guided 68 all-conference players and 34 All-Americans at Truman State and West Texas A&M.

Skoch takes over the Lions indoor program from coach Erik Peterson — who, in an interim role in 2018, steered the team to a 17-15 mark and a seventh-straight NCAA appearance, following the late offseason departure of longtime coach Sam Cibrone. Peterson will remain on staff as assistant coach for the Saint Leo beach volleyball program, according to a Saint Leo athletics news release.

Skoch is a former club volleyball player at Penn State, Memphis and Oklahoma State universities. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in statistics.

The Pine View Middle School boys soccer team was recently crowned Eastside Athletic Conference champions after going a perfect 8-0 during the 2018-2019 regular season. It marked the program’s first championship since 2006. The team is coached by Robert Craven.

Former Wiregrass Ranch football star Chris Faddoul, now a sophomore punter at Florida A&M University, recently picked up first-team AP FCS All-American honors for the 2018-2019 season. Faddoul led the nation (Division I FCS) — and set a school record — in punting average at 46.8 yards per kick. Of his 41 punts, 16 were 50 yards or longer (including a long of 67 yards) and 17 were pinned inside opposing teams’ 20-yard line.

At Wiregrass Ranch, Faddoul was a multi-sport standout, playing football, soccer, tennis, and also competing in track & field. His senior year on the gridiron, Faddoul guided the Bulls to a state playoff appearance, as the team’s starting quarterback, kicker and punter.

Wesley Chapel Martial Arts Academy had a strong showing at last month’s Florida Tae Kwon Do Open Championships in Sarasota, with several youth members collecting individual medals. From left: Habib Fayiz, owner of Wesley Chapel Martial Arts Academy; Mathew McMahon, silver medals in sparring and forms; Jeremy McMahon, silver medals in sparring and forms; Zachary Cannon, gold medal in sparring, silver in weapons; Lynzi Sozine, gold medal in sparring, silver in forms; Kennedy Bruce, gold medal in sparring, silver in forms; and, Braydon Young, gold medal in sparring, silver in forms.

Former Land O’ Lakes High School volleyball standout Sydney Hiner, now a freshman outside hitter at Division II Chowan University (Murfreesboro, North Carolina), recently earned Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s All-Rookie and All-Second team honors.

Hiner finished the season with 149 kills and 301 digs. She also finished 21st in Division II in aces per set (0.47), also the highest mark among all freshman.

During her senior year at Land O’ Lakes, Hiner earned All-Pasco County honors after registering 223 kills, 198 digs and 39 aces.