Non Division-I women’s basketball preview: Macy set to start new era at NSU

Nova Southeastern University Sharks have five former Barry University women’s basketball players on their current roster.

The Barry Buccaneers, meanwhile, have just three players from their 2024-2025 team on their current roster.

How is that possible?

Well, the fact that coach Heather Macy left Barry after last season to come to NSU explains plenty.

Macy replaces LeAnn Freeland-Curry, who was hired as the coach at Florida Atlantic University. Freeland-Curry averaged 21 wins per season in 13 years at NSU, leading the Sharks to four Elite Eight finishes in the NCAA Tournament.

Those are big shoes to fill for Macy, who did a solid job at Barry. In fact, her 2024-2025 Bucs team led the Sunshine State Conference in scoring, rebounds and steals.

Macy, 47, told the Miami Herald she turned down an unspecified Division I head-coaching job in California, preferring to remain at the NCAA Division II level with NSU.

“This is the best Division II job in the country -- or at least top 10,” Macy said of the Sharks. “I believe in the long-term vision of this university.”

Macy, who is from Hamptonville, North Carolina, considers herself a bit of a country girl at heart, which makes the movie to NSU’s campus in Davie an even better fit.

“I went to the rodeo in Davie in September, and I said, ‘OK, let’s see what you got,’” Macy said. “Well, it’s one of the five-best rodeos in the country.

“Davie just fits my preferred pace of life. It’s similar to North Carolina, where I still have a lot of family. I explored the job in California, but I wanted to be closer to home. My parents are older, and I need to be closer to them in case I need to get back quickly.”

Macy, who has 25 years of experience as a college head coach, including at Division I East Carolina, inherits an NSU team that went 27-7 last season.

The Sharks, who advanced to the 2025 NCAA South Region Finals, will have an entirely new roster this season – all 15 players.

But Macy will surely rely on those ex-Barry players: Kaliyah Morales; Zoe Adams; Hailey Chiles; Kyrstin Green; and Unique Horton. It was especially good for Macy to get Morales, who was the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year last season, averaging 11.2 points, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals.

Macy also brought her entire coaching staff with her from Barry.

“This is going to help with the continuity,” Macy said.

Key dates for the Sharks include Friday, when practices open; Nov. 14 for the opener at the Auburn Montgomery Warhawks; and Dec. 3 and Feb. 4 when NSU plays Barry.

Speaking of Barry, Allison Bustamante is set to begin her first season as a college coach. She is a former two-time Miami-Dade County Player of the Year at Lourdes Academy, and she also played college ball at Notre Dame and at FIU.

As a high school coach, she led Doral Academy to state Final Four appearances in 2023 and 2024.

The Bucs are hoping for big things from 5-6 senior guard Kendall Parker, a transfer who started 13 games last season at a Division I school, USC-Aiken.

There are also three newcomers from Spain, including 6-foot-4 center Janina Vergara.

As for the Barry-NSU rivalry, Macy called it a county-line battle.

“We poured our hearts into Barry for two years,” said Macy, including her staff in that assessment. “I’m proud of the work we did;.

“When we play them, I hope Barry has its best game ever … and we still kick their butts.”

JUNIOR COLLEGE

Miami Dade College went 21-10 last season, losing in the state quarterfinals. However, coach Susan Summons, who has more than 700 career wins, said her current roster is getting recruited by Georgia Southern, Jacksonville State, Stetson and more. MDC’s top players include 5-6 sophomore combo guard Jazmyne Bynum; 6-0 sophomore center/forward Saige McCloud; and 5-5 freshman point guard Milan Santos, an elite newcomer, according to Summons.

NAIA

• Florida Memorial, under first-year coach Kevin Herod, went 24-5 last season, winning the Sun Conference and advancing to the second round of the NAIA Tournament for the first time in program history. However, Kamesha Moore – the conference’s Player of the Year – graduated. 

• St. Thomas University finished last season 19-9, losing in the Sun Conference semifinals. The Bobcats, who have won 61 games over the past three years, return standouts Joey Delancy and Maddie Scharrenberg.