MELBOURNE, FLA. – The Sunshine State Conference announced the Players of the Week for the week of February 20- February 26, on Monday afternoon. Nova Southeastern Sharks student-athletes Alexis Smith (Softball), RJ Sunahara (Men’s Basketball), and Will O’Neill (Men’s Golf) earned honors following their performances over the weekend.
Nova Southeastern Sunshine State Conference Players of the Week awards are presented by Courtyard Marriot.
Smith collects Player of the Week for the second time in 2023 with her play in a three-game series against Rollins. The Sharks’ lead-off hitter went 3-for-6 at the plate, drew five walks, scored four times, and drove in four runs as the Sharks took two-of-three from the Tars. Smith hit a home run in the series finale and stole five bases, including three in game two. Smith finished the week with a .500 batting average, a .667 on-base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage. Defensively, the outfielder registered 10 putouts in 11 chances. The weekly award is the third of her career.
Sunahara is named Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in 2022-23 following his play in a pair of conference wins. The junior registered three blocks, two steals, and two defensive rebounds in an 88-78 win at Eckerd. During the season finale, a 98-90 win over Embry-Riddle, Sunahara tallied three blocks, a steal, and a defensive board. Offensively, the Bay Village, Ohio native scored 24 points and added seven assists last week. With the play of Sunahara, NSU completed its second straight undefeated regular season. The weekly award is the ninth of his career, placing him second all-time among NSU student-athletes and second all-time among SSC men’s basketball athletes.
O’Neill earns Golfer of the Week after a second-place finish in the Saint Leo Invitational at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club in Dade City, Florida. The graduate student from Morristown, New Jersey, finished alone in second place against the 100-man field by registering a score of 9-under (207) with rounds of 69-71-67. With the play of O’Neill, NSU finished second in the 18-team field at 18-under.
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