Tag: Softball

MELBOURNE, FLA. – The Sunshine State Conference released their 2025 Preseason Softball Coaches’ Poll on Thursday afternoon. Nova Southeastern was tabbed to finish second in the league for the third consecutive year, earning 91 points and two first-place votes for the 2025 campaign. 

After coming off their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the Sharks have reloaded, adding six Division I transfers to go alongside returners, Brenna Lokeinsky (Golden Glove Winner), Tori Copeland, Brooke Mahaney, Gianna Russo, Maliyah Lawson (SSC Freshman of the Year), Alisha Lanyon, Tierani Teslow, Aubrey Hutzler, and Brianna Matthews. 

The Sharks will start the season on the road at the Gulf Shores Invitational, where they will face off against six different opponents, beginning with Valdosta State on January 31st.  

SSC play will begin on Valentine’s Day for NSU, as they head to Miami Shores to take on the Barry Buccaneers in a battle for the County-Line Cup. 

Below are the full results of the 2025 SSC preseason coaches’ poll. Coaches cannot vote for their teams (points: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses). 
 

2025 SSC SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Rank	School (FPV)	Total Points
1	Tampa (8)	97
2	Nova Southeastern (2)	91
3	Saint Leo (1)	85
4	Rollins	68
5	Barry	65
6	Embry-Riddle	56
7	Florida Tech	46
8	Palm Beach Atlantic	32
T9	Eckerd	26
T9	Florida Southern	26
11	Lynn	11

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The first pitch for the Nova Southeastern Softball team is right around the corner. With just under a month remaining, Head Coach Julie LeMaire and her squad have officially announced their 2025 schedule.  

“We are excited to open up another season at the Gulf Shores Invitational, which will give us the opportunity to face many very talented teams in our region and the nation,” stated Head Coach LeMaire. “This will be a great weekend for us to prepare for a tough conference and home schedule. This group of young women has been working very hard in the off-season, and we can’t wait to get started!”

NSU will compete in 54 games this spring, with 29 being played at the newly built NSU Softball Stadium. 

The Sharks are coming off their third straight postseason appearance. They look to carry that momentum into the 2025 campaign despite losing several key faces, such as Alexis Smith, Alyssa Drogemuller, and Madison Fine. NSU has reloaded with a handful of Division I transfers, adding Erin McGlothlin (South Alabama), Gracelyn Wallace (FGCU), Cassidy Duskin (North Alabama), and Lydia Drake (USC Upstate) to the 2025 team. 

Nova Southeastern will kick off the 2025 campaign in Alabama at the Gulf Shores Invitational to take on Valdosta State University (1/31), Lubbock Christian University (1/31), West Florida (2/1), Rogers State University (2/1), Oklahoma Christian University (2/2), and the University of West Alabama (2/2). All games will be played at the Sportsplex in Gulf Shores, Alabama.   

After a slew of road games, the Sharks will head down to South Florida to open play at home, starting with a doubleheader against East Stroudsburg on February 7th. NSU will close the weekend with doubleheaders against Wingate (2/8) and the Colorado School of Mines (2/9).  

The Sharks will then open conference play the following weekend on the road in a three-game series against Barry from 2/14 to 2/15. After the three-game stint against the Bucs, NSU will return home to take on Eckerd (Feb. 21-22) in another SSC showdown before heading back on the road to face Florida Tech (2/28-3/1) in a three-game series.   

The road trip continues with the Sharks staying in Melbourne for the Space Coast Games, where they will take on Cedarville (3/3) and Walsh (3/3). After five consecutive games on the road, NSU will return to Fort Lauderdale for six straight games at home, facing Flagler in a doubleheader on March 4th, which would then be followed with matchups against Caldwell DH (3/7), Saginaw Valley DH (3/8), Kutztown DH (3/9) and a three-game SSC series facing Rollins College (Mar. 14-15). 

Nova Southeastern will return to the Space Coast Games to close out its non-conference schedule, taking on Franklin Pierce (3/19) and Molloy (3/19). 

The Sharks will round out the season with six consecutive SSC series, beginning with a road matchup against Palm Beach Atlantic (Mar. 21-22), followed by matchups against Tampa (Apr. 4-5), Saint Leo (Apr. 11-12), Embry-Riddle (Apr. 17-18), and Florida Southern (Apr. 25-26).

NSU will conclude the regular season with a three-game series at home against Lynn (May1-3).  

To view the full NSU Softball schedule, CLICK HERE.   

To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the season, follow them on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_Softball.

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A New Era in Sharks Softball

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University is proud to announce the completion of its cutting-edge multi-million-dollar softball stadium. 

“This new facility is a testament to the success and growth of our programs, and it reflects the journey we’ve taken as a university,” said Interim Director of Athletics John Sung. “From our transition as the Knights to the Sharks, our softball team has consistently risen to the challenge, making waves on the national stage. With multiple conference championships and a recent appearance in the NCAA College World Series, the bar has been set high-but this complex gives us the ability to aim higher.” 

This state-of-the-art facility features a playing field, complete with the latest turf technology to provide an optimal playing surface for softball. The new facility also highlights an upgraded sound system, a new locker room with the latest technology, and boasts state-of-the-art LED lights, which illuminate the field with unparalleled clarity and enhance both player performance and fan experience. 
 

“Almost 10 years ago when Mike Mominey hired me to take over the NSU Softball program, there was a long-standing vision for a new softball field,” stated Head Coach Julie LeMaire. “The young women that stand before you and the ones that have so proudly worn the Knights & Sharks uniforms over the years have worked hard to put this program in a place that we can all be proud of.” 

The NSU Softball Field aligns with Nova Southeastern University’s broader mission of academic and athletic excellence. As a hub for training, collaboration, and growth, it represents a space where student-athletes can sharpen their skills, develop leadership qualities, and thrive both on and off the field. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team returns to the NCAA Tournament. NSU looks to carry their momentum into the postseason and make another run to the NCAA Division II World Series after being selected in Monday morning’s NCAA selection show. This will mark the third straight year that the Sharks have been represented at the NCAA South Region Tournament.  
  
The Sharks, who are led by head coach Julie LeMaire, earned the No. 4 seed in the South Region Tournament, which is made up of members from the SSC, SIAC, and Gulf South Conference.   
  
As the No. 4 seed, the Sharks will travel to Montgomery, Ala., where they’ll open against No. 5 seed and fellow SSC member Saint Leo this Thursday at 2 p.m. EST.  
  
In the South 1 Region bracket, NSU will also be grouped with No. 1 seeded and host Auburn Montgomery and No. 8 seed Spring Hill.  

The South 1 Region bracket is comprised of No. 2 seed and host Mississippi College, No. 7 seed West Alabama, No. 3 seed and fellow SSC member Tampa, and No. 6 seed Alabama Huntsville. The winners of each double-elimination bracket will meet in a best-of-three Super Regional beginning Thursday, May 15.  
  
The Division II Softball Championship will be held at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Orlando, Fla. from May 19-25.   

The Sharks have been on a tear all season long, saving their best performances for the latter end of the season, as they currently ride a 9-game winning streak heading into tournament play. NSU finished the season with a 37-12 overall record and a 22-8 record in conference play, which tabbed them second in the league.  

Below is the complete NCAA South 1 Region Tournament schedule:  

Thursday, May 9  
Game 1: No. 4 Nova Southeastern (37-12) vs. No. 5 Saint Leo (37-17), 2:00 p.m. EST.
Game 2: No. 1 Auburn Montgomery (40-11) vs. No. 8 Spring Hill College (29-19), 3:00 p.m. EST.
  
Friday, May 10  
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 2:00 p.m. EST.
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 4:30 p.m. EST. 
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 7:00 p.m. EST. 
  
Saturday, May 11  
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 2:00 p.m. EST. 
Game 7 (If Necessary): Rematch of Game 6, 4:30 p.m. EST.

To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the postseason, visit NSUSharks.com or follow them on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_Softball.  

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA – The Nova Southeastern Softball team closed out their last regular season series at the AD Griffin Sports Complex with their ninth consecutive victory, sweeping Barry in an SSC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. 

Prior to today’s doubleheader NSU athletics honored six seniors, Kerstyn Shaw, Alexis Smith, Ryleigh Langwell, Alyssa Drogemuller, Madison Fine, Julia Allen.  

 (GAME ONE) 

Score: Nova Southeastern 3 (W: J. Allen, 8-1) | Barry 1 (L: S. Rosenberg 8-6)                        
Records: Nova Southeastern (36-12, 21-8 SSC) | Barry (34-17, 19-10 SSC)            
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | AD Griffin Sports Complex        
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube      
    

BOT 1st – Brenna Lokeinsky kicked off the scoring action with an RBI single to right field, giving NSU the early 1-0 lead. 

BOT 2nd – With one runner on base, a triple by Alexis Smith brought home Alyssa Drogemuller and pushed the Sharks ahead 2-0. Shortly after, Gianna Russo hit an RBI single to right field, tacking on the third run of the game for NSU.  

TOP 3rd – The Bucs put their first run board, scoring off an error by the Sharks, cutting their deficit to two runs.  

NSU’s stellar defensive play kept the Bucs at bay and ultimately helped the Sharks secure the 3-1 game one victory. 

       

Julia Allen had a season-high eight strikeouts. 
 

 (GAME TWO) 

Score: Nova Southeastern 7 (W: A. Drogemuller, 22-7) | Barry 5 (L: M. Barnhart 16-9)                        
Records: Nova Southeastern (37-12, 22-8 SSC) | Barry (34-18, 19-11 SSC)             

TOP 1st – The Bucs got off to a hot start, thanks to a two-run home run. 

BOT 1st – NSU answered with a run of their own from a sacrifice fly by Madison Fine. 

BOT 2nd – Alyssa Drogemuller continued her impressive play with an RBI single to left field, tying the game at two apiece. 

BOT 3rd – Brenna Lokeinsky joined the action with her own RBI single, giving the Sharks a 4-2 lead. 

BOT 4th – The Sharks run barrage continued as RBIs from Alexis Smith, Madison Fine and a throwing error by the Bucs put the Sharks up 6-2. 

TOP 5th – Barry answered the Sharks offensive attack with their own run, cutting their deficit to three runs. 

TOP 6th – The Bucs continued to fight, tacking on another run to bring the score to 6-4. 

BOT 6th – Lokeinsky earned her second RBI of the game with a double to left center.  

TOP 7th – Barry tacked on one last run, but it wasn’t enough as the Sharks secured the 7-5 SSC victory over the Bucs and completed the series sweep.  

       

The Sharks had four different players have an RBI (Drogemuller, Smith, Fine, Lokeinsky).  

The Sharks will await the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Monday, May 6 at 10:00am. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. –  The Nova Southeastern Sharks took down the Barry Buccaneers in an SSC Series opener on Friday evening from the AD Griffin Sports Complex. Nova Southeastern was led by record breaking performances from Alexis Smith and Alyssa Drogemuller.

     

Score: Nova Southeastern 7 (W: A. Drogemuller, 21-7) | Barry 3 (L: M. Barnhart 16-7)                       
Records: Nova Southeastern (35-12, 20-8 SSC) | Barry (34-16, 19-9 SSC)           
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | AD Griffin Sports Complex       
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube     
   

TOP 3rd – The Bucs struck first, hitting a two-run home run to take the early 2-0 lead. 

BOT 3rd – With two runners on base, a sacrifice fly from Madison Fine brought both runners across home plate to tie the game at two apiece. 

BOT 4th – Maliyah Lawson came up big for the Sharks, batting in two runs to push NSU ahead 4-2. Shortly after, Drogemuller joined the action with an RBI single to center field. The run barrage continued as RBIs from Fine and Brenna Lokeinsky closed out a five-run inning for the Sharks, giving them a commanding 7-2 lead. 

TOP 7th – Barry tacked on another run, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback. The Nova Southeastern Sharks would go on to secure the 7-3 SSC victory over the Barry Bucs. 

        

Alexis Smith broke the NSU career stolen bases record with 129 career stolen bases. 

Alyssa Drogemuller broke the single-season NSU walks record with 36 walks this season. 

 
 
The Sharks will return to the field on Saturday, May 4 for a doubleheader matchup with Barry at the AD Griffin Sports Complex in the last series of the regular season. The Sharks will celebrate senior day tomorrow, with festivities beginning at 1:40 p.m. First-pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team earned their second consecutive SSC series sweep, taking down the Lynn Fighting Knights in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon from the AD Griffin Sports Complex. Late game heroics from Alisha Lanyon propelled the Sharks to a thrilling game one victory, which was followed by a dominant 5-1 win in game two.

    

Score: Nova Southeastern 6 (W: A. Drogemuller, 19-7) | Lynn 5 (L: H. Fardanesh 1-6)                      
Records: Nova Southeastern (33-12, 18-8 SSC) | Lynn (12-37, 3-26 SSC)            
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | AD Griffin Sports Complex      
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube    
  

TOP 2nd – Gianna Russo kicked off the scoring action with a home run to center field.  

BOT 2nd – Lynn answered with a flurry of runs, taking a commanding 5-1 lead.  

TOP 4th – The Sharks comeback began as Maliyah Lawson hit an RBI single to right field to cut their deficit to three runs. 

TOP 6th – Lawson wasn’t done yet, earning another RBI with a double to left field, bringing the score to 5-3. 

TOP 7th – Russo earned her second RBI of the game, batting in Alexis Smith to bring the Sharks within one run. Shortly after, with two runners on base, Lanyon stepped up to the plate and batted in both runners, ultimately securing the 6-5 game-one victory for NSU. 
 

    

Score: Nova Southeastern 5 (W: A. Drogemuller, 20-7) | Lynn 1 (L: M. Prickett 5-14)                      
Records: Nova Southeastern (34-12, 19-8 SSC) | Florida Southern (12-38, 3-27 SSC)    

BOT 3rd – Lynn got off to a hot start, hitting a home run to left field to take the early 1-0 lead. 

TOP 5th – With two runners on base, Alexis Smith joined the home run action, hitting her own three-run home run, putting the Sharks in front 3-1.  

BOT 6th – NSU would tack on another run off of an error by the Knights. Shortly after, a sacrifice fly from Alyssa Drogemuller put the fifth and final run on the board for the Sharks, securing the 5-1 victory over the Lynn Fighting Knights. 
 

The Sharks will return to the field on Friday, May 3 for a home matchup with Barry at the AD Griffin Sports Complex in the last series of the regular season. First-pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team took down Lynn University 6-0 in an SSC series-opening matchup from the AD Griffin Sports Complex on Friday evening. Madison Fine led the way for NSU, batting in two runs.  

   

Score: Nova Southeastern 6 (W: A. Drogemuller, 18-7) | Lynn 0 (L: J. Sumpter 2-8)                     
Records: Nova Southeastern (32-12, 17-8 SSC) | Lynn (12-36, 3-25 SSC)           
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | AD Griffin Sports Complex     
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube  
 

TOP 3rd – With two runners on base, Fine batted in two runs with a single to center field.  

TOP 4th  – The Sharks surge continued as a sacrifice fly from Alyssa Drogemuller pushed NSU ahead 3-0. Shortly after, a wild pitch by the Knights allowed Brianna Matthews to come across home plate, tacking on the 4th Shark run of the game. Aubrey Hutzler closed out the fourth inning action with a sacrifice fly of her own, giving NSU a commanding 5-0 lead. 

TOP 5th – Maliyah Lawson earned an RBI single to center field, putting the Sharks ahead 6-0. NSU would ultimately secure the 6-0 SSC series opener against the Lynn Fighting Knights. 

      

Madison Fine earned a team-high two RBIs. 

NSU will complete the SSC series against the Fighting Knights in a doubleheader showdown tomorrow at the AD Griffin Sports Complex. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team secured the series sweep over the Florida Southern Mocs on Saturday afternoon from the AD Griffin Sports Complex. Julia Allen’s impressive pitching led the Sharks to a 10-2 victory in game one, which was followed by a dominant 8-0 win in game two of the SSC doubleheader. 
  

    

Score: Nova Southeastern 10 (W: J. Allen, 7-1) | Florida Southern 2 (L: M. Rogers 2-8)                      
Records: Nova Southeastern (30-12, 15-8 SSC) | Florida Southern (15-29, 7-16 SSC)            
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | AD Griffin Sports Complex      
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube    
  

TOP 1st – The Mocs struck first with an RBI double to right field, taking the early 1-0 lead. 

BOT 2nd – NSU answered with back-to-back runs thanks to RBIs from Tori Copeland and Ryleigh Langwell, putting the Sharks ahead 2-1. 

BOT 3rd – The Sharks onslaught continued as RBIs from Aubrey Hutzler (1), Brenna Lokeinsky (1), Gianna Russo (1), Tori Copeland (1), Ryleigh Langwell (1), and Alexis Smith (1) extended NSU’s lead to 8-2.  

TOP 5th – Florida Southern tacked on their second run of the game with a single down the left field line.  

BOT 6th – NSU’s run barrage poured into the sixth as Brenna Lokeinsky singled to the shortstop, bringing Smith across home plate. Shortly after, Russo earned her second RBI of the game with a single to left field, ultimately propelling the Sharks to a 10-2 game-one victory over the Mocs.  

       

Four different Sharks had two or more RBIs (Lokeinsky, Russo, Copeland, Langwell).  

    

Score: Nova Southeastern 8 (W: A. Drogemuller, 17-7) | Florida Southern 0 (L: A. Blessin 5-7)                      
Records: Nova Southeastern (31-12, 16-8 SSC) | Florida Southern (15-30, 7-17 SSC)    

BOT 3rd – Aubrey Hutzler broke the stalemate, batting in two runs to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead. 

BOT 6th – The Sharks surged in the sixth inning, pouring in six runs after explosive RBIs from Alexis Smith, Hutzler, Madison Fine, Lokeinsky, and Russo.  

The Sharks will return to the AD Griffin Sports Complex on Friday, April 26th where they will take on Lynn in game one of a three-game SSC series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Softball team took down Florida Southern 5-0 Friday evening from the AD Griffin Sports Complex. The Sharks were led by RBIs, from Gianna Russo (2), Madison Fine (1), Tori Copeland (1), and Maliyah Lawson (1). 
 

   

Score: Nova Southeastern 5 (W: A. Drogemuller, 16-7) | Florida Southern 0 (L: T. Thomas 2-7)                     
Records: Nova Southeastern (29-12, 14-8 SSC) | Florida Southern (15-28, 7-15 SSC)           
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | AD Griffin Sports Complex     
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube   
 

BOT 2nd – Copeland kicked off the action with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Fine home for the first Shark run of the game. Shortly after, Lawson hit an RBI double to left center, tacking on another run for NSU.  

BOT 3rd – The Sharks run barrage continued as a double from Fine and a triple by Russo brought home two runs for the Sharks, extending their lead to 4-0. 

BOT 5th – Russo earned her second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field, ultimately securing the 5-0 SSC victory for the Sharks. 

      

Four different Sharks had an RBI (Russo, Fine, Copeland, Lawson). 

NSU will complete the SSC series against the Mocs in a doubleheader showdown tomorrow at the AD Griffin Sports Complex. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM. 

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