Nova Southeastern men’s basketball and baseball are both unbeaten, ranked No. 1
The song says “one is the loneliest number” … but not for the Nova Southeastern University Sharks.
That’s because the Sharks men’s basketball team — which has been No. 1 in the nation in the NCAA Division II since Feb. 8 — got some company Wednesday. That’s when NSU’s baseball team, which started the season unranked, rose to No. 1 in the nation in the latest poll.
Both teams are unbeaten.
The basketball squad is 28-0 and six wins from what would be the first national title in program history. The Sharks host the eight-team South Regionals, and they will open their NCAA Tournament run on Saturday at 5 p.m. against Savannah State.
NSU’s baseball team has been lost in basketball’s shadow, but the baseball team is off to the best start in program history at 17-0.
“It’s a great time to be a Shark,” NSU baseball coach Laz Gutierrez said. “It’s amazing to be on campus right now. That’s one of the reasons I left pro ball. I wanted to feel that campus life again.”
Gutierrez, a former University of Miami pitcher, was the Detroit Tigers’ 13th-round pick in 1998. He never made the majors, but he coached in the Boston Red Sox organization.
NSU’s strong start could be seen as shocking because Gutierrez’s first two years were unimpressive and COVID-impacted — an 11-11 record in 2020 and a 13-12 mark last year.
But Gutierrez felt this program was building, and the Sharks have several Division I transfers in key roles such as starters Jeremy Cook (Miami) and Daniel Rivero (Miami) as well as left fielder Adan Fernandez (FIU) and infielder Adam Frank (Miami).
Fernandez is hitting .375 with a team-high five homers. Frank is hitting .431 with four homers. Cook is 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA, and Rivero is 4-0 with a 2.92 ERA.
Matt Kavanaugh is the. No. 1 starter (3-0, 3.38), and third baseman/DH Duncan Pastore is hitting .386 with a team-high 30 RBI.
NSU will face a big test this weekend when fifth-ranked Tampa (17-2) visits for three games. The teams will meet at 6 p.m. on Friday and a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
In addition to basketball and baseball, NSU earned a national title in a swimming relay on Wednesday as Celina Marquez of El Salvador, Savanna Best (South Africa), Sasha Maslova (Russia) and Cassandra Wright (New Zealand) won the 200-meter medley in Greensboro, North Carolina.
THIS AND THAT
▪ In men’s basketball, 13th-seeded Florida Memorial (17-10) will open the NAIA national tournament on Friday night at 8 at fourth-seeded Faulkner University (24-6) in Montgomery, Alabama. Faulkner beat FMU 75-64 in November.
This is FMU’s third playoff appearance and its first since 2007. The Lions got here by beating Ave Maria 118-115 in double overtime in the Sun Conference final.
FMU is led by seniors Brent Holcombe and Corey Benton. Holcombe had a season-high 31 points and a game-high 12 rebounds against Ave Maria. Benton, the tournament MVP, scored 18 of his 29 points in the two overtime periods. That included a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of the first overtime.
▪ St. Thomas has its first swimming national champion as Inigo Miranda-Marina won the NAIA championship in the 200 breaststroke. At the meet in Columbus, Georgia, Miranda-Marina also finished second in the 100 breaststroke as well as in two relays.
▪ Barry is ranked No. 1 in the nation (NCAA Division II) in men’s golf, women’s tennis and men’s tennis.