FORT LAUDERDALE – The 2015 season for the Nova Southeastern University volleyball team (16-10, 7-5 SSC) has been pivotal turning point in the future of the Sharks’ volleyball program. It has been filled with both team and individual success that has this team excited for what is in store.
It all began at the start of the season when the Sharks began the season undefeated through their first four matches for the first time in school history. It continued as NSU built up their best-ever start for the program at 10-1 through their first 11 matches. Along the way, seniors Sydney Cook (Miami, Fla.) and Dana Holger (Lino Lakes, Minn.) both went over 1,000 kills for their career joining only a select few before them to eclipse that milestone.
Now, with five matches to go in the regular season, the Sharks will finish above .500 for the first time since 2009. They are currently 16-10 on the season and 7-5 in the Sunshine State Conference and are third in the league standings. However, the good tidings don’t stop there. In the most recent NCAA Division II South Region rankings released on Wednesday, the NSU volleyball program cracked the top-10 ranked teams coming in as the No. 10 ranked team in the regional poll.
“I am extremely proud of this team for reaching this level of recognition,” head coach Jenn King said. “We’ve got work to do to crack the top eight and get into the postseason, but I’m excited for our next five matches because of how we’re competing right now. I’m also thrilled for our senior class and how they have led the turnaround of this program. We’re lucky to have such a talented class spearheading our success.”
The last time NSU volleyball had received a regional ranking was in 2009 when the team finished 19-11 and advanced to the NCAA South Region tournament where they fell to Eckerd in the regional tournament. That season, the Sharks finished the season as the No. 5 team in the South Regional rankings.
The Sharks’ success has been centered on team integrity and #GR1T. Throughout the season, they have demonstrated it time and time again. Despite facing adversity along the way, the Sharks have found a way to get back on the winning track with everyone focused on the team’s success and will look to continue that trend when they return to action this weekend. They will face SSC provisional member Embry Riddle on Friday at 7 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. match against Rollins on Saturday.