Tag: #2 Men’s Basketball

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Five former Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball student-athletes will be competing in The Basketball Tournament/TBT, beginning on July 18th, at the Charleson Civic Center in West Virgina. Two members of the 2025 NCAA Division II National Championship team – Ryker Cisarik and Tyler Eberhart – will be competing alongside Shane Hunter, a member of the 2023 national championship team and joined by Isaiah Fuller as members of the Dubois Dream. Sekou Sylla, the 2022 D2 CCA National Player of the Year, will also be competing in the TBT with the LA Ignite.  

The Basketball Tournament “TBT” is a 64-team open tournament, set in eight regions, across seven states, with the winning team earning a one-million-dollar prize.  

The Dubois Dream will be coached by Michael Lamberti, the current head coach of the West Liberty Hilltoppers, played under NSU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Crutchfield from 2012-2016.  

During his time as a Shark, Cisarik appeared in 63 games, starting 55, helping lead NSU to back-to-back NCAA National Championship games and culminated his career with winning the 2025 national title. Cisarik accumulated 924 points, 408 rebounds, and 83 blocks, while shooting 56% from the field across two seasons. Cisarik enjoyed a breakout campaign during the 2024-25 season, averaging 18.8 points, finishing third in the Sunshine State Conference in scoring (676), while leading NSU in rebounds (26), and blocks (53). Cisarik was a finalist for the Trevor Hudgins Award, presented by Small College Basketball, and was recognized to the Sunshine State Conference second-team and all-defensive team. Cisarik was also recognized as a CSC Academic All-American. 

Eberhart helped the Sharks win the program’s second national title in the last two seasons in his lone year with the program. Eberhart started all 37 games, averaging 12.2 points per game, while finishing second on the team in blocks (18) and third in rebounds (207).  

Hunter, a member of the 2023 national title team, led NSU to a national finalist finish during the 2023-24 season. During his collegiate career, Hunter appeared in 125 games, accumulating 1,045 points, 473 rebounds, 121 blocks, while shooting 54% from the field. In the 2023-24 season, Hunter earned D2 CCA All-America third-team honors, leading NSU to a third consecutive Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament championship and a third straight NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance. Hunter had career-bests across the board during the campaign, scoring 570 points, averaging 15.8 points per game, leading NSU in rebounds (243), and blocks (71). In his first professional season, Hunter guided the Norrkoping Dolphins to the Basketligan – the highest league in Sweden – to the club’s seventh championship and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.  

Fuller, a member of the 2024 NCAA Division II national finalists, led NSU in minutes (900) during his only season with the program. Fuller maintained a 45/31/85% shooting line, leading NSU to the program’s third consecutive Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament title, as well as the third straight appearance at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Fuller was recognized with All-Sunshine State Conference second-team and all-defensive honors. Fuller, currently playing overseas for BC Rivine in Ukraine, averaged 9.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals during his rookie season.  

Sylla, the 2022 D2 CCA National and Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, last played for the NSU Men’s Basketball program during the 2021-22 season, leading the Sharks to the first undefeated SSC regular season in league history. Sylla guided NSU to program’s second NCAA Division II Elite Eight tournament with a record of 31-0. Sylla totaled 718 points and 332 rebounds, while recording 22 double-doubles during campaign. Following the season, Sekou transferred to Towson (D1) and currently plays for Shkupi (North Macedonia).  

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) begins on July 18th and is available on Fox Sports. Cisarik, Eberhart, Hunter and Fuller will lead the Dubois Dream against Best Virginia – alumni of West Virginia University – in the first round. Sylla and the Ignite open the tournament against Team Diesel on July 19th. For more information on The Basketball Tournament, click here. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – After winning the program’s second NCAA Division II national championship in the last three seasons, the Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team – under the direction of Head Coach Jim Crutchfield – has reloaded and welcomed seven new student-athletes into the program for the 2025-26 season. The Sharks signing class features three transfers – Jaxon Nap, Bobby Rosenberger III, and Blaise Vespe – as well as four freshmen signees – Mikey Santicola, Trevor Rehm, Bennet Kayser and Patrick Rowe.  

Jaxon Nap | Senior | Guard/Forward | Newcastle, WA. | Seattle Pacific University 
During the 2024-25 season, Nap started 33 games, averaging a double-double, for the Seattle Pacific Falcons. He finished the season leading the team in minutes played (1,075), minutes-per-game (32.6), rebounds (330), and rebounds-per-game (10.0). Nap also was top five on the team in field goals (146), shooting percentage (0.533), free throws (80), points (384), points (384), points-per-game (11.6), assists (90) and steals (19).  

Nap recorded eight double-doubles during the 2024-25 campaign for SPU, including scoring a season-high 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds on December 21st against Douglas College.  

Prior to Seattle Pacific, Nap played two seasons at the University of Montana, where he appeared in 62 games, totaling 125 points and 71 rebounds.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Jaxon  
“Jaxon is a versatile big man that brings a lot of experience. He had two solid years at Montana and a very successful season at Seattle Pacific. He fits our system well.” 

Bobby Rosenberger III | Junior | Guard | Quakertown, PA. | Saint Francis University (PA.) 
Rosenberger helped lead the Red Flash to the program’s first Northeast Conference Championship since 1991 and clinched a spot in the “First Four” of the NCAA Tournament during the 2024-25 season.  

During the 2024-25 season, Rosenberger appeared in 34 games, starting 23, while finishing fourth on the team in points (280) and points-per-game (8.2). Additionally, Rosenberger finished third on the Red Flash in rebounds (124) and rebounds-per-game (3.6). Rosenberger recorded a season-high 21 points against Lehigh on November 26.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Bobby 

“Bobby has had two solid years at D1 St. Franics PA.  He has proven to be effective both inside and outside as well as being strong on the boards.” 

Blaise Vespe | Junior | Forward | Cherry Hill, NJ | Florida Gulf Coast University 
Despite not appearing in a game during the 2024-25 season, Vespe brings two seasons of collegiate experience to the Sharks’ roster.  

Vespe appeared in 32 games during his time with FGCU, shooting 43% from the field in his career.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Blaise 
Blaise Vespe:  “Blaise is a highly skilled big man that is coming off a tough injury at Florida Gulf Coast last year.  He is a capable perimeter shooter and an outstanding rebounder.” 

Michael Santicola | Freshman | Forward | Moon Township, PA. | Moon HS 
Santicola joins the Sharks following a successful prep career at Moon High School. During his senior season, Santicola averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 assists, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.9 steals. For his career, Santicola accumulated 1,043 points.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Michael 
“Mikey was an outstanding basketball player at a solid high school program at Moon Township.  He has good size, good quickness, and it is easy to see how he is getting better every year.”  

Bennett Kayser | Freshman | Forward | Minford, Ohio | Minford HS 
Kayser joins the NSU Men’s Basketball program after four years at Minford High School, where he finished his career in third place all-time in points scored (1,455). Kayser averaged 25.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists during his senior campaign.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Bennett 
“Along with being a highly skilled player with size, Bennett brings a great level of intensity to the court.” 

Trevor Rehm | Freshman | Guard | Altoona, PA. | Bishop Guilfoyle HS 
Despite missing his senior year, Rehm averaged 13.5 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists during his junior season at Bishop Guilfoyle HS.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Trevor 
“Trevor adds great size and length to the program.  He suffered a knee injury and missed his senior season.  We are hoping to get him back to full strength by the start of the regular season.” 

Patrick Rowe | Freshman | Guard/Forward | Lindstrom, MN. | IMG Academy 
Rowe, the all-time leading scorer at IMG Academy (1,981), averaged 31 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists during his senior season.  

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield on Patrick 
“Patrick has good size and quickness for a guard and has been a proven capable scorer from all three levels.” 

NSU Men’s Basketball is the reigning NCAA Division II National Champions and will return to the court in November 2025. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MJ Iraldi has been announced as the 2024-25 Bevo Francis Award winner by Small College Basketball on Monday evening. Iraldi becomes the second Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball player to win the Bevo Francis Award, joining RJ Sunahara (2022-23). 

The Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements.  This award is presented annually to the top player in Small College Basketball – DII, DII, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA 

Iraldi led the Sharks to the program’s second NCAA Division II national championship title and adds another honor to a list of accomplishments from the 2024-25 season. Iraldi was recognized as the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, D2 CCA South Region and National Player of the Year and the NABC National Player of the Year. Additionally, Iraldi led NCAA Division II and set the program’s single season scoring record, totaling 873 points.  

On the season, Iraldi averaged 23.6 points-per-game, shooting 52.5% from the field and 40.1% from beyond the arc. Iraldi scored at least 30 points in eight games, including tying the mark for second most points scored in a single game (42 vs. Embry-Riddle on February 26). Iradi averaged 24.6 points during the NCAA Division II Elite Eight tournament, scoring 27 points in the national championship game against Cal. State Dominguez Hills.  

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, following leading the Sharks to the program’s second NCAA Division II national championship in three seasons, has been named the National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on Tuesday afternoon.  

Crutchfield earns the honor for the second time in his legendary career, after guiding NSU to a 36-1 record, which tied the program record for wins in a single season, defeating Cal. State Dominguez 74-73 in the NCAA Division II national championship game on Saturday, March 29th. NSU finished the season winning its last 23 games, the longest winning streak in the country.  

Crutchfield was also named the Sunshine State Conference and NABC South District Coach of the Year.  

Crutchfield’s Sharks led NCAA Division II in scoring, averaging 101.7 points per game, outscoring opponents by an average of 22.4 points-per-game. NSU forced 18.4 turnovers-per-game, while also leading the country in assist/turnover ratio (2.21), and assists-per-game (23.3).  

Crutchfield coached MJ Iraldi to Sunshine State Conference, D2 CCA and NABC Player of the Year honors, as the senior led NCAA Division II in scoring with 873 points. Dallas Graziani led NCAA Division II in assists (340), assists-per-game (9.2), while being second nationally in steals (93). 

Over the last four seasons, Crutchfield has turned the NSU Men’s Basketball program into a powerhouse and a premier college basketball program. Since the 2021-22 season, NSU is 135-5 (0.964 winning percentage), winning four consecutive Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles, four consecutive NCAA South Region championships, and two NCAA Division II National Championships. Overall, during his Sharks tenure, Crutchfield has accumulated a record of 204-25 (0.890 winning percentage), while coaching two NABC National Players of the Year, two D2 CCA National Players of the Year, and three Sunshine State Conference Players of the Year.  

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – Redemption. One year after falling at the buzzer in the NCAA Division II National Championship game, the second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team has reached the top of the NCAA Division II men’s basketball world, as the Sharks won the program’s second national championship, defeating Cal. State Dominguez Hills 74-73 on Saturday evening in the Ford Center. 

MJ Iraldi led NSU in the effort, scoring a team-high 27 points and earned tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. 

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield has guided NSU to the program’s second NCAA Division II National Championship, the 15th national title for the Nova Southeastern Athletics Department. The Sharks tied the program record for wins in a season (36), have the most wins in NCAA Men’s Basketball, and closed the season on a 23-game winning streak.

Records: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 36-1 | No. 14 CSUDH 30-6
Score: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 74 | No. 14 CSUDH 73
Location: Ford Center | Evansville, IN. 
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First Half – Ryker Cisarik netted the first four points of the game for the Sharks, as NSU was able to take a quick lead over the Toros. A 9-0 run, which featured points from Dallas Graziani and MJ Iraldi, gave the Sharks a 13-5 lead less than five minutes into the game. Midway through the half, CSUDH was able to eliminate the NSU advantage, tying the game at 20-20. The Toros continued to hold on to an advantage for the remainder of the half, sending the Sharks into the break trailing 42-38. 

Despite shooting just 16% from beyond the arc in the first half, the Sharks trailed the Toros by only four points. Tyler Eberhart led all NSU scorers in the opening 20 minutes, totaling 11 points while shooting 5-8 from the field. 

Second Half – Eberhart knocked down a three-pointer, following a steal from Graziani, giving NSU some early momentum in the second half. The Sharks and Toros continued to match each other bucket for bucket, before Cisarik finished an and-one opportunity to tie the game 50-50 with 15:29 left in the game. The Sharks seized a bit of momentum, following the Cisarik and-one, rallying for a 10-2 run and taking a 60-52 lead. CSUDH All-American Jeremy Dent-Smith scored six consecutive points for the Toros, tying the game once again at 62-62. Both All-Americans – MJ Iraldi for NSU – in the title game matched each other down the stretch, but the Toros led 71-68 with less than two minutes remaining. Dent-Smith fouled out, sending Cisarik to the free throw line and the forward knocked down both to bring NSU within one. CSUDH missed a go-ahead three-pointer, as Ryan Davis came down with the defensive rebound, before Graziani hit a pair of clutch free throws to give NSU a 72-71 lead with less than 40 seconds left in the game. The Toros reclaimed the lead moments later, but after drawing a foul, Iraldi knocked down a pair of clutch free throws to give NSU a 74-73 lead. 

With the opposing team possessing the ball in the final moments once again, the Sharks defense clamped down and forced a pair of missed opportunities; the final horn sounded and for the second time in three seasons, and second time in program history, head coach Jim Crutchfield‘s Nova Southeastern Sharks won the NCAA Division II national championship. 

MJ Iraldi: 27 points, 8-16 FG, 10-12 FT, nine rebounds
Tyler Eberhart: 14 points, 6-11 FG, six rebounds
Dallas Graziani: 13 points, nine assists
Ryker Cisarik: nine points

No. 2 Nova Southeastern has finished their season as NCAA Division II National Champions for the second time in program history. NSU Athletics thanks you for your support throughout the season. 

GET YOUR BANNER: To commemorate this historic moment, we are offering an exclusive opportunity to bring a championship banner to your home. Make a donation of $30 or more, support the team, and get your banner. To learn more, click HERE.

 

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – One win shy of the program’s second NCAA Division II national title in the last three seasons, the second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks will take on No. 14 Cal. State, Dominguez Hills in the final game of the DII season on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center. Head Coach Jim Crutchfield has turned the NSU Men’s Basketball program into one of the best programs across the country, as Nova Southeastern has accumulated a record of 134-5 over the last four seasons, appearing in each of the last three NCAA Division II title games and winning the 2022-23 national championship.  

On the other side of the court, the Toros of CSUDH have shown resiliency throughout their NCAA tournament run, advancing to the Elite Eight as West Region Champions for the first time in program history.  

No. 2 Nova Southeastern (35-1)
Sunshine State Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA South Region Champions 

Elite Eight: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 102, Assumption 93 
Final Four: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 94, No. 5 Washburn 68 

Riding the longest winning streak (22 games) across all levels of NCAA men’s basketball, the Sharks put together one of, if not the, best performances of the season in the national semifinal on Thursday night against the fifth-ranked Ichabods. NSU trailed just twice in the game and led for over 37 minutes, en route to the largest Elite Eight tournament win in program history. The duo of MJ Iraldi and Ryker Cisarik combined for 53 points in the victory, while Dallas Graziani added his 15th double-double of the season (18 points, 11 assists).  

Cisarik has continued to cement himself as a premier player in the NCAA Tournament, as he is averaging 25 points-per-game, 6.5 rebounds in his last four games, while shooting 62% from the field.  

Iraldi, the NABC and D2 CCA National Player of the Year, is averaging a double-double – 20 points and 10.2 rebounds – in the NCAA Tournament.  

No. 14 Cal. State, Dominguez Hills (30-5)
California Collegiate Athletic Association Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA West Region Champions 
Elite Eight: No. 14 CSUDH 86, No. 6 West Liberty 84 
Final Four: No. 14 CSUDH 94, No. 4 Dallas Baptist 83 

The Toros have proven to be the “cinderella team” in the Elite Eight; however, they’ve been anything but a cinderella story during the 2024-25 season. In Head Coach Steve Becker’s 12th season leading the program, he has guided CSUDH to their best season and becoming the first California team to play for the NCAA Division II title since 2010.  

The Toros are led by NABC All-American Jeremy Dent-Smith, who is averaging 26 points in the Elite Eight tournament. Dent-Smith scored 33 points in the CSUDH national semifinal victory over No. 4 Dallas Baptist, as the Toros were victorious in overtime.  

CSUDH has trailed by double digits in both of their Elite Eight games, rallying from down 17 points in the national quarterfinals against No. 6 West Liberty and 19 points against No. 4 DBU.  

It’s the Sharks. It’s the Toros. It’s the NCAA Division II National Championship. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EST at the Ford Center. The game will be available on CBS, check your local listings. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – In as dominant of a performance as the second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks have had throughout the 2024-25 season, NSU defeated the No. 5 Washburn Ichabods 94-68 in the NCAA Division II national semifinal and advanced to the national championship for the third consecutive season. Ryker Cisarik led Nova Southeastern with 28 points, going 10-15 from the field, while MJ Iraldi – the NABC and D2 CCA National Player of the Year – added 25 points and nine rebounds. Dallas Graziani tallied his 15th double-double of the season, scoring 18 points and adding 11 assists.  

Nova Southeastern improves to 22-3 in the NCAA Division II National Tournament, all under Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, and has won 17-of-18 games since the 2021-22 tournament. The Sharks now have the most wins (35) in NCAA Division II this season and are one win shy of tying the program record (36/2022-23). 

Records: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 94 | No. 5 Washburn 68 
Score: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 35-1 | No. 5 Washburn 30-4 
Location: Ford Center | Evansville, IN.  
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First Half – The Ichabods took a 3-2 lead over the Sharks 1:35 into the game, but a three-pointer by Dallas Graziani gave NSU a 5-3 advantage. Ross Reeves knocked down back-to-back three-point attempts, pushing the Nova Southeastern lead to 15-7. Two consecutive buckets from Ryker Cisarik, followed by a three-pointer from MJ Iraldi gave NSU a 27-12 midway through the first half. Graziani added another three-point bucket for Nova Southeastern as the Sharks continued to pull away from the Ichabods. The Sharks went into the break leading 53-29 over Washburn.  

Second Half – NSU maintained a sizable lead throughout the second half, as Iraldi and Cisarik each added a three-pointer to push the advantage to 68-42 midway through the final half. Later in the half, Cisarik sparked an 8-2 run with another three-pointer and Ryan Davis added a three-pointer of his own, extending the lead to 79-51 with less than eight minutes remaining. NSU closed out the 94-68 win over Washburn, the largest margin of victory for the Sharks in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in program history.  

Ryker Cisarik: 28 points, seven rebounds, 4-6 3PT 
MJ Iraldi: 25 points, nine rebounds, 9-19 FG 
Dallas Graziani: 18 points, 11 assists (15th double-double) 

The Sharks will take on seventh-seeded Cal. State Dominguez Hills, looking for the program’s second NCAA Division II national championship in three seasons. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will be shown on your local CBS channel. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – With a spot in the NCAA Division II national championship on the line, the Nova Southeastern Sharks and Washburn Ichabods will match-up on the court for the first-time ever on Thursday night at the Ford Center. The contest will feature two of the four teams to be featured as the top team in NCAA Division II during the 2024-25 season.  

The Sharks are riding the longest winning streak in the country, across all levels of NCAA basketball, having won their last 21 games.  

No. 2 Nova Southeastern (34-1) | Sunshine State Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA South Region Champions 
Last Game: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 102, Assumption 93 

The Sharks’ offense reclaimed their groove in the national quarterfinals, as four players scored over 20 points in the victory, led by 24 points from Tyler Eberhart. It was the first time in this season’s NCAA Tournament that Nova Southeastern surpassed the 100-point threshold. NSU went into the half leading 56-36 over the Greyhounds.  

NABC and D2 CCA National Player of the Year MJ Iraldi scored 22 points in the win, while Dallas Graziani (22) points and Ryker Cisarik (20) both added at least 20 points.  

All five starters for the Sharks average double-digit points – MJ Iraldi (23.5), Ryker Cisarik (18.8), Ross Reeves (13.2), Dallas Graziani (12.7), and Tyler Eberhart (12.4).  

The Elite Eight victory improved Nova Southeastern to 21-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, all under Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, and NSU has won 15 of its last 16 tournament games.  

 
No. 5 Washburn (30-3) | Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Regular Season Champions, NCAA Central Region Champions 
Last Game: No. 5 Washburn 90, No. 10 Lenoir-Rhyne 78 

Washburn Head Coach Brett Ballard earned the 200th win of his coaching career in Tuesday night’s national quarterfinal, as the Ichabods defeated tenth-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne.  

Washburn features a well-rounded offensive attack, as four starters average double-digit points-per-game – Jacob Hanna (15.8), Brayden Shorter (15.6), Andrew Orr (14.0), and Jack Bachelor (13.7), while Michael Keegan adds over seven points-per-game.  

Shorter led the Ichabods in their Elite Eight win, scoring 18 points, while six Washburn players scored in double figures with Dillon Claussen adding 17 off the bench.  

It’s the Sharks. It’s the Ichabods. It’s the Final Four. Tonight’s game will be streamed on ESPN+ and will tip-off at 9:30 p.m. EST. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball. Be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – The National Association of Basketball Coaches and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) announced their respective 2024-25 National Player of the Year awards on Wednesday. MJ Iraldi, a senior guard for the Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball program, was recognized as both the NABC and D2 CCA Ron Lenz Player of the Year.  

Iraldi becomes the second Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball Player to win either award, joining Sekou Sylla (D2 CCA Player of the Year/2021-22) and RJ Sunahara (NABC Player of the Year/2022-23), while being the only NSU player to win both awards in the same season. Iraldi has previously been recognized as Sunshine State Conference and D2 CCA South Region Player of the Year. Additionally, Iraldi was honored as both an NABC All-American and a D2 CCA first-team All-American. The senior is also a candidate for both the Bevo Francis Award and the Trevor Hudgins award, presented annually by Small College Basketball.  

Iraldi paces the NSU offense that leads NCAA Division II in scoring offense (102.7), averaging 23.5 points-per-game. The senior set the Sharks single-season scoring record in the Sunshine State Conference tournament championship game. Iraldi has scored at least 30 points in eight games during the 2024-25 season, including tying the second most points scored (42) in a single game in program history on February 26, against Embry-Riddle.  

In his Sharks career,  Iraldi has totaled 1,244 points, 371 rebounds, 169 assists, 125 steals, while shooting 51% from the field.  

D2 CCA All-AmericaTeams

First-Team
Name	School	Conference
MJ Iraldi	Nova Southeastern	SSC
Antwan Kimmons	Concordia-St. Paul	NSIC
Adrian McIntyre	Westmont	PacWest
Marcus Tomashek	Michigan Tech	GLIAC
Caleb Van de Griend	Minot State	NSIC
Second-Team
Jarrett Adderton	Columbus State	PBC
Hobert Grayson	Ouachita Baptist	GAC
Jordan Hinds	Bluefield State	CIAA
Tommy Murr	Alabama-Huntsville	GSC
Nick Reid	Upper Iowa	GLVC
Third-Team
Tray Alexander	Pace	NE-10
Benjamin Bill	Daeman	ECC
Dallas Graziani	Nova Southeastern	SSC
JoJo Murphy	Chico State	CCAA
Kendall Taylor	Wingate	SAC
Honorable Mentions
Jadin Booth	Florida Southern	SSC
Majok Deng	Colorado School of Mines	RMAC
Jeremy Dent-Smith	Cal. State Dominguez Hills	CCAA
Wes Enis	Lincoln Memorial	SAC
Demitri Gardner	Augusta	PBC

Iraldi and the Sharks continue their pursuit of the second NCAA Division II national championship in program history on Thursday, March 27th. NSU plays fifth-ranked Washburn in the national semifinal at the Ford Center in Evansville, IN. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EST. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball. 

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – For the third consecutive season, the second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team has advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, as NSU defeated the eighth-seeded Assumption Greyhounds 102-93 in the national quarterfinals on Tuesday evening at the Ford Center. Led by 24 points from Tyler Eberhart, four Sharks scored over 20 points in the victory, including Dallas Graziani and MJ Iraldi both recording 22 points, as well as Ryker Cisarik adding 20. 

The Sharks improve to 21-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, all under Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, including winning 15-of-16 dating back to the 2022-23 tournament. 

Records: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 34-1 | Assumption 22-10
Score: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 102 | Assumption 93
Location: Ford Center | Evansville, IN. 
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First Half – After falling behind 4-0 in the early moments of the game, MJ Iraldi and Dallas Graziani combined to score the first ten points for the Sharks as NSU led 10-7 after three minutes of play. Graziani and Eli Allen led a 7-0 run for the Sharks, as Nova Southeastern took a 10-point lead. Tyler Eberhart and Ryker Cisarik both made their presence felt, as each tallied a dunk and pushed the Sharks’ advantage to 35-16 over Assumption. A three-point bucket from Ryan Davis gave Nova Southeastern a 41-21 lead, as the Sharks continued to pull away in the opening half. NSU closed the half leading the Greyhounds 56-36. 

Second Half – Eberhart opened the second half by scoring the first five points for NSU, giving Nova Southeastern its largest lead of the game (25 points), as the Sharks led 61-36. The Greyhounds made a push, cutting their deficit to just eight points, but a lay-up from Eberhart, followed by a second chance bucket from Iraldi, pushed the Sharks’ lead to 77-65 over Assumption. Graziani and Iraldi each knocked down a clutch three-pointer for Nova Southeastern, maintaining a double-digit advantage over the Greyhounds. NSU sealed the Elite Eight victory, the third consecutive national quarterfinal win for the program, defeating Assumption 102-93. 

Tyler Eberhart: 24 points, 10-17 FG, five rebounds
Dallas Graziani: 22 points, eight rebounds, nine assists
MJ Iraldi: 22 points, eight rebounds
Ryker Cisarik: 20 points, 6-11 FG, five rebounds, five assists
Eli Allen: 7 points, 2-2 FG, five rebounds

The Sharks will take on the winner of the No. 5 Washburn and No. 10 Lenoir-Rhyne on Thursday, March 27th, in the national semifinal. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EST and the game will be available on ESPN+. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball. 

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