Tiffany Suarez, a first-team All-Dade combo guard, has orally committed to the University of Virginia, starting with the 2013-2014 women’s basketball season.

Suarez, listed at 6 feet, will return to Miami’s Lourdes Academy this season for her senior year. She averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists last season and can officially sign with Virginia in November.

“I’m really excited to commit to Virginia,” said Suarez, who made her decision late Sunday night. “The school has everything I wanted from academics to playing in a great conference like the ACC.”

Signing with an ACC school would mean playing annually against her hometown team, the Miami Hurricanes.

A flashy player with slick passing and ball-handling skills, Suarez said Virginia coach Joanne Boyle showed a ton of interest in her, making several visits to Miami to see her play.

In addition, Virginia assistant Kim McNeill started recruiting Suarez during her freshman year. McNeill was at Georgia at the time and arrived at Virginia last year.

A similar thing happened with Cavs assistant Ashley Earley, who recruited Suarez for two years at Marquette and continued the pursuit when she got to Virginia two months ago.

Marquette, the alma mater of Heat star Dwyane Wade, had made a strong push for Suarez. The Golden Eagles even used Suarez’s friendship with Wade to try to convince her to come.

Walter Villa

SSC award

Nova Southeastern junior women’s golfer Abbey Gittings was named the 2011-12 Sunshine State Conference Female Athlete of the Year.

A native of Tamworth, England, Gittings led the Sharks to their fourth consecutive NCAA Division II golf championship.

Rowing

Sunday was a big day for Miami Beach Rowing at the USRowing Rowing Junior National Championships on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

“We put two boats in the “A” finals, two boats in the “B” finals and one boat in the “C” finals, said Miami Beach coach Francisco Viacava. “I think we really put some good racing out there.”

Lucas Di Lena and Fernando Tavara took fourth in the ultra-competitive men’s lightweight double “A” finals, which saw the top four teams finish within five seconds of each other.

Pacific (6:58.442) was first, with Miami Beach (7:03.563) fourth.

Also in the “A” finals, Miami Beach (Clara Meister, Gabie Martinez, Veronika Stasaityte, Stefanie Keeler) was fifth (7:17.219) in the women’s quad open. GMS won in 7:01.780.

In the men’s lightweight four “B” finals, which was won by Father Judge (6:56.073), Miami Beach (Victor Tarrau, Federico, Giustini, Chris Nistal, Andrew Horn, Emily Schwartz) was fifth in 7:04.351.

Miami Beach registered a third-place finish (8:03.732) in the women’s lightweight four “B” finals, which was won by Mount Saint Joseph (7:59.835).

Team members were Danielle Keeler, Sophie Lubarsky, Emilia Epstein, Isabella Morcos and Erin Alexander.

In “C” finals for the men’s youth double, the Miami Beach tandem of Danny Stein and Mateo Wiegering was fourth in 7:28.755. Lake Stevens was first in 7:10.509.

Mike Blackerby