Author: truex

TWICE AS NICE! #1 Sharks Repeat as SSC Tournament Champions

FORT LAUDERDALE,  Fla. – The No. 1 Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball team won its second consecutive Sunshine State Conference Tournament on Sunday afternoon, defeating sixth-seed Embry-Riddle 92-69, from the Rick Case Arena. The Sharks were led by a 15-point, 13-assist effort from Dallas Graziani and 22 points from Will Yoakum in the SSC Championship.Following the Sunshine State Conference tournament victory, Dallas Graziani, Jonathan Pierre, RJ Sunahara (SSC Player of the Year) and Will Yoakum (SSC Newcomer of the Year) were honored with All-Tournament team recognition, with Yoakum being named the Tournament Most Valuable Player.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Records: Nova Southeastern 30-0, 20-0 SSC | Embry-Riddle 19-11, 10-10 SSC
Score: Nova Southeastern 92, Embry-Riddle 69
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social: Instagram & Twitter – NSU_MBasketball | Facebook – NSU Men’s Basketball
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half – The opening minutes of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championship were physical, with both teams setting the tone on the defensive side of the ball. Embry-Riddle ran off eight consecutive points, taking a 12-6 lead over the Sharks before Ryan Davis halted the momentum with a three-point bucket of his own. Nearing the midway point of the half, RJ Sunahara knocked down a three-pointer of his own, tying the contest at 14-14. Jonathan Pierre gave the Sharks a 17-14, following a block on the defensive end and a three-point basket. With less than four minutes remaining in the half, Yoakum – SSC Tournament MVP – scored seven consecutive points for NSU and gave the Sharks a 30-26 advantage. As the clock wound down in the first half, Head Coach Jim Crutchfield – the Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year – called a timeout and drew up a last second shot for Graziani. The redshirt freshman stepped up and knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the Sharks into the half leading 39-32.
 
Second Half – Nova Southeastern began the second half on a 13-6 run, Pierre capped off the run by drilling a three-pointer and put NSU ahead 52-38. The Sharks continued to hold the Eagles at bay throughout the contest, Yoakum knocked down a three-pointer, extending the NSU lead to 60-41. Pierre finished a contested lay-up, drawing a foul, and converting an and-one as the Sharks led 74-54 with under six minutes remaining. An emphatic slam dunk from Sunahara put an exclamation point on the Sharks second consecutive Sunshine State Conference Tournament title, putting the NSU advantage at 85-62 with two minutes left in the contest. The Sharks closed out the 92-69 win over the Eagles and sealed the victory.

STATS OF THE NIGHT

  • Nova Southeastern is the first school to win back-to-back SSC Tournaments since Florida Southern (19-20).
  • Four Sharks reached double-figures: Yoakum (22), Pierre (17), Sunahara (16) and Graziani (15).
  • The double-double is Graziani’s third of the season.
  • Nova Southeastern has now won 30 games for the second consecutive season. 

 
UPCOMING
The top-ranked Sharks earned the Sunshine State Conference’s automatic qualifier spot for the NCAA tournament by virtue of winning the tournament title. The Sharks await the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, March 5, at 11 p.m. to determine their next opponent.
 

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#1 Sharks Set to Matchup with Eagles in SSC Finals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks (29-0, 20-0 SSC) have advanced to the Sunshine State Conference tournament finals for the fourth consecutive season, having won the title in 2021-22, and host the sixth-seeded Embry-Riddle Eagles (19-10, 10-10) on Sunday afternoon.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
No. 1 Nova Southeastern earned a pair of tight victories against the Eagles during the regular season, beating Embry-Riddle 88-76 on the road and then 98-90 in the regular season finale on February 25. The Sharks and Eagles are no strangers to postseason competition, having faced off in last season’s NCAA South Region Championship game, where the

Sharks won 71-68 to advance to the Elite Eight for the second-time in program history.
During their Sunshine State Conference tournament run, the top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks dominated the eighth-seeded Buccaneers (106-71) and held off upset-minded #4 Florida Tech (95-89) in the semifinals.

On the other-side, #6 Embry-Riddle has advanced to the Sunshine State Conference tournament title game for the first time in program history. The Eagles upset third-seeded Florida Southern 96-88 and defeated #7 Rollins, 80-63, in the semifinal round.

WHAT TO WATCH

  • Will Yoakum, the Sunshine State Conference Newcomer of the Year, averaged 26 points-per-game against the Eagles, both times leading the No. 1 Sharks in scoring.
  • Jonathan Pierre continues to be an x-factor for Nova Southeastern, the sophomore guard was unavailable for NSU during the first contest against the Eagles, but recorded 20-points in the regular season finale, helping the Sharks complete a perfect regular season.
  • The sixth-seeded Eagles are led by Malcolm Whitlow and All-SSC second-team member, Chris Murray. Whitlow, a junior guard, averages 18.1 points-per-game, while Murray averages 16.5 ppg.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

UPCOMING
The Sunshine State Conference Tournament final matchup between the No. 1 Sharks and sixth-seeded Embry-Riddle is set to tip-off from the Rick Case Arena.
 

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NSU Completes SSC Sweep over PBA

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks Baseball team completed a three-game sweep over Palm Beach Atlantic in a Sunshine State Conference series on Saturday evening, winning game two of the series 12-5 before finishing the sweep with a 1-0 walk-off win courtesy of Adam Smith.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Scores – (Game One) Nova Southeastern 12, Palm Beach Atlantic 5 | (Game Two) Nova Southeastern 1, Palm Beach Atlantic 0
Records – Nova Southeastern 7-9, 3-3 SSC | Palm Beach Atlantic 6-10, 0-6 SSC
Location – NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social – Instagram & Twitter – NSU_Baseball | Facebook – Nova Southeastern University Baseball

HOW IT HAPPENED – Game One
Top of the First – Cooper Omans got the start for the Sharks in the second game of the series, and struck out the first two PBA hitters he faced.

Bottom of the Second – Stephen Schissler drove in the first run of the contest on an RBI single, plating Adam Smith to give NSU a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Gregory Delgado scored on a wild pitch and gave the Sharks a 2-0 advantage.

Top of the Third – Palm Beach Atlantic responded with a pair of runs, tying the game at 2-2.

Bottom of the Fifth – Nova Southeastern reclaimed the lead as Daniel Irisarri came into score on a wild pitch, putting the Sharks ahead 3-2.

Top of the Seventh – Palm Beach Atlantic took a 4-3 lead, scoring a pair of runs in the inning. Danny Vazquez limited the damage, leaving the bases loaded.

Bottom of the Seventh – Smith came through for the Sharks in the bottom half of the frame, driving in Irisarri and tying the score at 4-4.

Top of the Eighth – The Sailfish added another run, taking a 5-4 lead over NSU in the late innings.

Bottom of the Eighth – Nova Southeastern’s offense erupted in the bottom of the inning, as the Sharks recorded seven hits and eight runs in the frame, taking a 12-5 lead. Adam Frank (single), Duncan Pastore (two singles), Irisarri (single), Ihosvany Castañeda (single), Kolbe Aven (single), and Schissler (double) all recorded hits in the inning to rally the Sharks.

Top of the Ninth – Michael Dillon recorded the final three outs, striking out two, and sealed the SSC series win for the Sharks.

HOW IT HAPPENED – Game Two
The final game of the Sunshine State Conference series between the Sailfish and the Sharks was a pitchers’ duel throughout the contest. Frank Elissalt tossed six scoreless innings, striking out nine, and earned his first quality start of the season. On the otherside, PBA’s Beebe also threw six shutout innings.

Matt Kavanaugh, in two innings of work, recorded important outs to keep the Sailfish off the scoreboard. The southpaw rolled a double-play in the top of the seventh inning and then stranded the go-ahead run on third base by recording a strikeout. Anthony Karoly completed the shutout for the Sharks, striking out a pair in the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Derek Bermudez led off the inning with a single, which was followed by another base-hit from Pastore. Irisarri laid down a perfect bunt, loading the bases, for Adam Smith. Smith lined a single into right-field, plating Ryan Cainzos (pinch-running for Bermudez), as the Sharks completed the series sweep in dramatic fashion.

UPCOMING
Nova Southeastern hosts St. Cloud State in a three-game series beginning on Thursday, March 9, from the NSU Baseball Complex.
 

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Sharks Split Doubleheader With Sailfish

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team split a doubleheader with SSC opponent Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks dropped game one 7-5, despite scoring three runs in the sixth inning to bring the match within two. In game two, a homerun from Alexis Smith propelled NSU to a 6-0 victory.   

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE) 
Score: Nova Southeastern 5 (L: J. Allen, 4-2), Palm Beach Atlantic 7 (W: L. Marty, 2-2) 
Records: Nova Southeastern (14-6, 6-2 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic (6-11, 1-7 SSC) 
Location: Simpson Field | West Palm Beach, Fla. 
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSU_Softball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube  

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

BOT 1st | PBA struck first, putting four runs on the board to take the early lead. 

BOT 2nd | The Sailfish tacked on two more runs, extending their lead to 6-0. 

TOP 4th | Madison Fine singled up the middle, bringing Tia Williams across home plate for the first Shark run. Shortly after, with the bases loaded, Alexi Watkins singled to right field, batting another runner home for NSU.  

BOT 5th | A single to the right side, brought a run home for Palm Beach Atlantic. 

TOP 6th | The Sharks weren’t going away. With the bases loaded, Alexis Smith singled to right field, to bat a run home for NSU. Elise Eason followed suit shortly after, batting in two runs and bringing the NSU deficit to just two. 

TOP 7th | NSU continued to fight but couldn’t complete the comeback, dropping game one 7-5. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO) 

Score: Nova Southeastern 6 (W: A. Drogemuller, 5-2), Palm Beach Atlantic 0 (L: K. Vasquez, 2-4) 
Records: Nova Southeastern (15-6, 7-2 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic (6-12, 1-8 SSC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED:  

TOP 4th | With one runner on base, Alexis Smith stepped up to the plate and hit her 11th triple of the season to bring home the first run of the game for the Sharks. 

TOP 5th | A sacrifice fly by Elise Eason gave NSU 2-0 lead, in the ensuing at-bat, Watkins singled, bringing another run across home plate for NSU. The Sharks weren’t done yet, with two runners on, Alexis Smith hit her third homerun of the season, giving NSU a 6-0 lead and ultimately securing the SSC victory. 

INSIDE THE STATS:  

  • Alexis Smith hit her third home run of the season. 

  • NSU had five runs in the fifth inning. 

UPCOMING  

NSU will take the field next week, Friday, March 10th, and face UT Tyler at 5:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. at the AD Griffin Sports Complex. 

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Soja Leads Sharks At Tampa Spartan Classic

TAMPA, Fla – The Nova Southeastern Track team competed at the Tampa Spartans Classic Friday evening. NSU was led by Kamila Soja, who secured the victory in the 5000 meters. The Sharks competed against their Sunshine State opponents and several Division 1 programs (Embry-Riddle, Florida Southern, Florida Gulf Coast, Palm Beach Atlantic, Saint Leo, South Florida, and Tampa). 

HOW IT HAPPENED (Women’s) 

Soja claimed victory in the 5000 meters, running a time of 17:07.80, eight seconds faster than second place. 

Maya Espinosa (13th/18:18.70), and Eden Toal (14th/18:18.99), rounded out the top-15 finishers for NSU in the 5000 meters.  

Megan Winterbottom earned a top-15 finish in the 1500, finishing 14th with a time of 5:05.74. 

Emma Fitch finished 8th in the 400 meters, running 1:12.80.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Men’s) 

Trey May (11th/4:17.67) and Sebastian Tenorio (13th/4:19.76) were NSU’s top two finishers in the 1500. 

Jan Schmied (8th/1:56.47) earned a top-8 finish in the 800 meters. 

David Mahnke finished 14th in the 5000 meters with a time of 15:13.20. 

UPCOMING 

The Sharks will next compete at the Spring Break Night Meet on Tuesday, March 14, in Miami Gardens, Fla.    

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Cross Country, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter at NSU_XCTF 

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Rey Pitches Sharks Past Sailfish for Series Opening Win

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks Baseball team hosted Sunshine State Conference foe Palm Beach Atlantic on Friday evening, in the first game of the three-game set between the two programs. The Sharks started the series with a 10-2 victory, and were led by seven, no-hit, innings from Carlos Rey, who struck out 12 in his best outing of the season.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Score – Nova Southeastern 10, Palm Beach Atlantic 2
Records – Nova Southeastern 5-9, 1-3 SSC | Palm Beach Atlantic 6-8, 0-4 SSC
Location – NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social – Instagram & Twitter – NSU_Baseball | Facebook – Nova Southeastern University Baseball

HOW IT HAPPENED
Top of the Third – Carlos Rey made quick work of the Sailfish lineup his first time through, striking out seven PBA hitters.

Bottom of the Third – The first five hitters for the Sharks in the inning all reached base – Stephen Schissler (hit by pitch), Kristian Noriega (RBI single), Adam Frank (infield single), Duncan Pastore (walk), and Daniel Irisarri (2-run single), all contributed during the rally. Adam Smith drove in Pastore on a sacrifice fly and Derek Bermudez capped off the inning with an RBI groundout, putting NSU ahead 5-0.

Bottom of the Fourth – Kolbe Aven led off the frame with a double down the right-field line and later scored on an RBI single from Frank, extending the Sharks lead to 6-0.

Top of the Fifth – Ihosvany Castañeda put himself on the line, running head-on into the right field fence to preserve Rey’s no-hit bid.

Bottom of the Fifth – Irisarri doubled off the left-center field wall, narrowly missing a home run, and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Castañeda, putting NSU in front 7-0.

Top of the Seventh – Following back-to-back walks, the Sailfish threatened to get on the scoreboard for the first time in the contest. Rey blew a fast ball by the PBA right fielder, with runners on second and third, recording his 12th and final strikeout and finished off seven, no-hit innings of work.

Bottom of the Eighth – NSU plated three more runs in the inning, two on an RBI triple from Noriega, followed later by a sacrifice fly from Pastore, and led 10-0 over the Sailfish.

Top of the Ninth – PBA got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the frame, but the Sharks sealed the series opening victory, 10-2.

UPCOMING
Nova Southeastern and Palm Beach Atlantic continue their series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 4. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 

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Sharks Take Down PBA In SSC Action

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team won its 14th game of the season Friday evening, defeating Palm Beach Atlantic 3-1. The Sharks were led by a two-RBI performance from Madison Fine and a complete game from Katelyn Ellard in the Sunshine State Conference matchup.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Score: Nova Southeastern 3 (W: K. Ellard, 4-1), Palm Beach Atlantic 1 (L: C. Arturo, 1-4)
Records: Nova Southeastern (14-5, 6-1 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic (5-11, 0-7 SSC)
Location: Simpson Field | West Palm Beach, Fla.
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSU_Softball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

HOW IT HAPPENED

BOT 4th | The Sailfish opened the scoring with a single through the right side.

TOP 5th | The Sharks loaded the bases with Alexi Watkins, Ryleigh Langwell and Tia Williams but were unable to drive home any runs.

TOP 6th | Kerstyn Shaw got on base after a single to right field, and Hayley Lynch would come in to pinch run. With two outs, Samantha Burke would reach base on an error and effectively drive in Lynch to tie the game at 1-1.

TOP 7th | Nova Southeastern had runners on second and third base after Alyssa Drogemuel and Langwell were advanced from a sacrifice bunt. Madison Fine stepped up to the plate with two outs and singled to center field to drive in both runners and give NSU a two-run advantage.

BOT 7th | Katelyn Ellard would finish the complete game, and NSU would secure a 3-1 win over PBA.

UPCOMING

NSU will conclude its series with Palm Beach Atlantic with a double-header on Saturday, March 4. The first pitch is set for noon, and the second game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

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#2 Sharks Earn Regional Win, Defeat #13 AUM

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The second-ranked Sharks Women’s Tennis team earned a regional win on Thursday evening, defeating #13 Auburn-Montgomery 4-1 from the Ralph “Skeeter” Carson Tennis Complex on the campus of West Florida. 

INSIDE THE MATCH
Score – No. 2 Nova Southeastern 4 | No. 13 Auburn-Montgomery 1
Records – No. 2 Nova Southeastern 7-1 | No. 13 Auburn-Montgomery 4-1
Location – Ralph “Skeeter” Carson Tennis Complex | Pensacola, Fla.
Get Social – Instagram & Twitter – NSU_WTennis | NSU Women’s Tennis

HOW IT HAPPENED – Doubles

HOW IT HAPPENED – Singles

  • Razafindranaly continued to play well in the regional matchup, defeating AUM’s Garcia [6-0, 6-4]
  • Natalie Espinal earned a clean sweep in her singles competition, winning both sets [6-0, 6-0] over Yakup Pour
  • Snita added an individual win for the Sharks, beating Urbiola [6-3, 6-3]
  • Diane Follin Arbelet sealed the regional victory for the Sharks, defeating Izco [6-0, 6-4]

UPCOMING
No. 2 Nova Southeastern returns to the court to take on Hillsdale on Monday, March 13, from the NSU Tennis Complex. First serve is set for 2 p.m.

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Yoakum Leads #1 Sharks to Win over FIT, Into SSC Finals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 1 Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball team advanced in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament on Thursday evening, defeating fourth-seed Florida Tech 95-89 in the SSC Semifinal. The Sharks were led by 29 points from SSC Newcomer of the Year, Will Yoakum on 64/50/87 splits. RJ Sunahara, the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, contributed 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks in the SSC Tournament victory. The victory sends top-ranked, and unbeaten, Nova Southeastern to the program’s fourth Sunshine State Conference tournament title game in five seasons. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 29-0, 21-0 SSC | Florida Tech 19-11, 11-10 SSC
Score: No.1 Nova Southeastern 95, Florida Tech 89
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social: Instagram & Twitter – NSU_MBasketball | Facebook – NSU Men’s Basketball
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half – Lukas Speidel got the scoring started for the Sharks with a quick layup. Will Yoakum scored seven consecutive points that helped NSU gain a 13-9 lead with over sixteen minutes remaining. Nova Southeastern led 19-11 following a 6-2 run that featured four points from Jonathan Pierre. The Panthers stormed back, making the score 25-23, but three consecutive buckets from Pierre, RJ Sunahara and Ryan Davis extended the Sharks lead to 31-23 with just over six minutes left in the half. Pierre caught fire, scoring six straight points that led NSU on an 11-2 run. Yoakum threw down a double-clutch dunk over a defender and a layup, sending the Sharks into halftime with a 46-36 lead over the Panthers.
 
Second Half – Dallas Graziani caught the opening inbound pass and sprinted past the Florida Tech defense to open the scoring in the second half. After a 6-0 run from Florida Tech, Yoakum hit a contested corner three-ball, putting the Sharks ahead 51-42. Graziani took control with 14 minutes remaining, scoring five of the Sharks’ next seven points. A free throw from Yoakum, a jumper from Pierre and a tip-in from Sunahara, put the Sharks up 63-51 with 12 minutes left in the game. Yoakum knocked down a pair of three-pointers that helped extend NSU’s lead to 14 with just under eight minutes in the half remaining. Sunahara scored five straight points for the Sharks, including a poster dunk over two Panthers, putting Nova Southeastern ahead 77-63. The Panthers rallied over the final six minutes of regulation, outscoring the Sharks 17-3 to send the game into overtime with the score tied 80-80. 
 
Overtime – Sunahara and Graziani scored on back-to-back possessions to give the Sharks an 84-80 lead with under four minutes left in overtime. Graziani extended NSU’s lead on the following possession with a pair of free throws. Sunahara hit a corner three-ball off a great pass from Graziani to put Nova Southeastern up 89-83 with two and a half minutes remaining. Yoakum was clutch at the free-throw line and extended the Sharks’ advantage to 91-85. With a two-point lead and 16 seconds remaining, Graziani stepped up to the line and made a pair of free throws to help the Sharks secure a 95-89 win over the Panthers.
 
STATS OF THE NIGHT

  • The Sharks have won 40 straight games at home.
  • Five Sharks reached double-figures: Yoakum (29), Sunahara (20), Graziani (18), Pierre (14) and Davis (10).
  • Yoakum’s 29 points tied his season-high and has now scored 20+ points twelve times this season.
  • Graziani is averaging 16 points over the last three games on 55% from the field.

 
UPCOMING
No. 1 Nova Southeastern will take on sixth-seeded Embry-Riddle in the SSC Tournament Championship, in a rematch of last season’s 2021-22 NCAA South Region Championship,  at the Rick Case Arena on Sunday, March 5. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
 

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15 Sharks Earn All-SSC Recognition

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference announced the 2022-23 All-SSC Men’s and Women’s Swimming teams on Thursday afternoon. Overall, 15 Nova Southeastern Sharks were recognized with the honor, including six All-SSC First-Team selections.

No. 1 Nova Southeastern Women’s Swimming, the two-time defending Sunshine State Conference Champions, led the league with nine selections. Emily Trieschmann, who was honored as the top female athlete at the SSC Championships, headlines the First-Team All-SSC recipients and is joined by Savanna Best, May Lowy, and Emilia Ronningdal. The Sharks also had four student-athletes earn Second-Team selections, as Estelle Bauer, Celina Marquez, Sasha Maslova, and Victoria Ortiz were chosen. Additionally, Ilaria Murzilli was selected as an Honorable Mention.

Lowy and Best have repeated as All-SSC First-Team recipients, while Maslova earns the fifth All-SSC honor of her career (2018-19 Freshman of the Year, 2018-19 First-Team, 2019-20 First-Team, 2021-22 First-Team). Ortiz repeats as a second-team selection, while Marquez adds a second-team honor to the 2021-22 Swimmer of the Year and First-Team recognition she received last season.

No. 15 Sharks Men’s Swimming team has six representatives on the All-Conference teams, including Jarryd Baxter and Olle Williamsson making the All-SSC First-Team. Steven Aimable, Luca Alessandrini, and Thomas Flower were named to the Second-Team. Umberto Marsic was recognized as an honorable mention.

Baxter adds a second First-Team selection to his career, while Williamsson earns his first career nod following an honorable mention selection in 2021-22. Aimable and Alessandrini are recognized for the second time in their career, while Flower and Marsic earn their first honors.

16 Nova Southeastern Shark Men’s and Women’s swimmers will represent the programs at the NCAA National Championships from March 7 – 11 in Indianapolis.
 

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