Category: Arts & Culture

Nova Southeastern University is on the rise with two NCAA Division II championships this season:

• The Sharks men’s basketball team capped off a second undefeated season by besting West Liberty University 111-101 to capture its first NCAA national championship title. The Sharks ended their season 36-0 and set a record for the most points in any national championship game (in any division).
• The Sharks women’s swimming team also won their first-ever national championship, closing out a season that also saw team members winning 11 individual national championships.

NSU is incredibly proud of its high performing student-athletes—on and off the court and pool. To see more, check out this video.

Fins Up and Go Sharks!
 

George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.
President/CEO
Nova Southeastern University

Posted 04/09/23

NSU men’s basketball team celebrate their regional championship after beating Alabama Huntsville.

In case you haven’t been watching, Nova Southeastern University sports programs have been taking a big bite out of the competition.

The undefeated Sharks Men’s Basketball Team (33-0) – in a repeat performance from 2022 – advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division II Tournament after defeating Alabama Huntsville 87-62 Tuesday night at the Rick Case Arena. The team, led by SSC Coach of the Year Jim Crutchfield, will now head to Evansville, Indiana, for a chance to capture the NCAA Division II title. The quarterfinal, semifinal, and championship games will be played at the Ford Center on March 21, 23 and 25.

The Sharks Women’s Basketball Team (21-8) also enjoyed a strong season, advancing to NCAA Division II Championship Tournament. However, the No. 7 seed NSU women’s basketball team lost in a tight contest on March 10 against No. 2 seed Eckerd 79-73.

Meanwhile, for the first time in program history, the No. 1 ranked NSU Sharks Women’s Swimming Team took home the NCAA Division II National Championship. The Sharks, led by Head Coach Ben Hewitt, went wire-to-wire during their title run and led from the championship meet’s first event on Tuesday, March 7. No. 1 Nova Southeastern ended the NCAA National Championship meet with 536.5 points and Emily Trieschmann’s dominant performance led NSU to the title, as the sophomore brought back five national titles – 800-free relay, 1000-free, 200-medley relay, 500-free, and 1650-free – to campus. Overall, the No. 1 Nova Southeastern Sharks women’s swimming team earned 11 NCAA individual national championships en route to the program’s first team title.

NSU’s women’s swimming team celebrate their NCAA national championship with NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II.

Learn more about the Sharks’ athletic accomplishments.

Posted 03/15/23

After a strong season that led to a berth in first round of the 2023 NCAA Division II Championship Tournament, the No. 7 seed NSU women’s basketball team lost in a tight contest on Friday, March 10, to No. 2 seed Eckerd. The Sharks held a 17-14 lead after the first quarter, but were unable to hold off the Tritons, who battled back to win 79-73 at the Bob Martinez Center in Tampa.

Get more details on the women’s tournament.

Posted 03/10/23

Coach Ben Hewitt

The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) released their Scholar All-American team for the 2022 Fall Semester. Overall, 803 teams from 479 institutions were selected on the basis of their Fall 2022 team grade-point averages and represent 19,246 student-athletes from across the country. Both the Nova Southeastern men’s and women’s swimming programs were recognized by the CSCAA.
The Sharks women’s swimming team earned their highest grade-point average in the fall semester in program history (3.68), finishing in a three-way tie for fourth in the nation, alongside Florida Southern and Lenoir-Rhyne. Nova Southeastern’s men’s program recorded a 3.54 GPA as a team, ranking second across NCAA Division II.
Head Coach Ben Hewitt has continued to hold Nova Southeastern Men’s and Women’s Swimming to a high standard, both in the classroom and in the pool, with NSU Women’s Swimming ranking No. 1 nationally, while the men are ranked 14th. “Outstanding work by our teams and our academic services staff, led by [Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Support Services, Senior Woman Administrator and Title IX Coordinator] Rachel Fineberg and [Athletic Academic Services Manager], Deanna Rivero, Ed. D,” Hewitt said. “I’m proud of our student-athletes for excelling at their academic goals; these results speak for themselves. I’m proud of our Sharks!”

Posted 02/16/23

NSU Sharks are continuing to dominate this basketball season.

The Men’s basketball team is currently ranked #2 in the country with an undefeated record of 14-0. R.J. Sunahara has been the driving force of the team capturing three SSC Player of the Week honors as well as a 41-point outing, which places him third all-time for points in a single game in NSU history.

The women’s basketball team has been impressive as well, with their overall team effort leading to one of the best starts in NSU history with a record of 14-1. Madison Frederick and Hailey Conley have led the Shark offense with their strong play, and Mackenzie Steele has become the newest Shark to eclipse 1,000 career points.

Entering conference play, many upcoming promotions are happening during the doubleheader games.

• Dollar Day on Saturday, January 14, with $1 tickets and hotdogs.
• Teacher Appreciation Day on Saturday, January 21. All teachers and educators will have free entry.
• National Girls and Women in Sports Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 1.
• First Responders will be honored on Saturday, February 25 and receive free entry to both games.

All Faculty and Staff with a valid Shark card receive free entry into every NSU Athletic event. Kids 12 and under get in free. Come support your Sharks as they continue their impressive run.

Check out the upcoming basketball games!

Posted 01/05/23