Men's Tennis | 6/18/2026 1:04:00 PM
ORLANDO, Fla. – Barry University's Adam Lynch collects the 2025-26 Sunshine State Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor. The Buc senior tennis student-athlete earned a 4.0 GPA while majoring in computer science.
The SSC began awarding Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year during its 20th anniversary in the 1995-96 academic year. Over the past 30 years, student-athletes representing the league's 11 member institutions across its 15 sponsored sports have earned the conference's most prestigious academic honor. As the SSC celebrates 50 years of excellence, it also marks three decades of recognizing student-athletes for their success in the classroom.
The SSC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is voted on by athletics directors, senior woman administrators, athletic communication directors and faculty athletic representatives from each of the 11 SSC member institutions.
Hailing from Jacksonville, Fla., Lynch captured the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award at the 2026 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Championship for having the highest GPA among competing student-athletes. He earned additional national recognition when College Sports Communicators named him to the 2026 Academic All-America Team and selected him as the 2026 Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association also named Lynch to its Scholar All-America Team.
Lynch also found success on the court in addition to his academic prowess. He was one of only two players to earn First Team All-SSC honors in both singles and doubles, holding a 17-1 record in singles and a 17-2 mark in doubles. Lynch was part of the Bucs' SSC championship-winning team and played a crucial role in Barry's run to the national championship match, securing the clinching point in the national semifinals that sent Barry to its 15th NCAA final with its 25th consecutive victory.
Lynch joins fellow Bucs and former recipients Nico Gercke (men's soccer, 2014-15), Daniel Stapff (men's golf, 2009-10, 2010-11 & 2011-12), Patrick Rittenauer (men's tennis, 2006-07), and Thomas Hipp (men's tennis, 2004-05). He also becomes just the eighth men's tennis student-athlete to earn SSC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors since the award's inception 30 years ago.
Complete Listing: SSC Scholar-Athletes of the Year
About the SSC:
Founded in 1975, Sunshine State Conference member institutions have won a total of 144 NCAA national championships across 15 sports and boast an NCAA Division II leading 89% Academic Success Rate. In 2025-26, the SSC marks its 50th anniversary, reflecting on a proud history of athletic and academic excellence.
