Suzan Kinran, junior communication major, heard about the women’s basketball team when the coach reached out to her. She decided to join the team at the beginning of the season, immediately after visiting NSU. “My coach is an amazing woman and has great history within the school,” said Kinran. “I wanted to play for her because she’s very successful.”
Madison Frederick, graduate student, drives towards the basket. COURTESY OF SHARK ATHLETICS.
Kinran and other players ended the women’s basketball 2022-23 season on March 10, losing to Eckerd College 73-79 and putting an end to its NCAA Tournament journey.
Throughout the season, the Sharks compiled a strong record, going 21-9 overall and 13-7 in conference play. The team had victories in 12 of 14 home games and 9 of 11 away games this season, including winning against the University of Montevallo and Auburn University Montgomery. The squad continued to have success in January and February when it defeated Barry University twice, 78-69 and 97-65, and Embry Riddle University once, 78-60.
One of the team’s most remarkable qualities this season has been its ability to score effectively, putting up substantial scores, such as a 107-68 win against Florida Tech in December. The team’s exceptional record can be attributed to its strong offensive tactics and robust defense. Its turnover margin stands at 4.1, and their assist-to-turnover ratio stands at 1.2, indicating the team’s skill in effectively distributing the ball and minimizing turnovers.
Kinran said playing for the team has been an amazing experience.
“I love being a part of the team. We have so much fun on and off the court. The coaches are the best people ever, very close to us and care about us, compared to any other coach I’ve had over the years. It makes it easy to play for them,” said Kinran.
Kyannah Grant, graduate student, calls a play while she begins to dribble. COURTESY OF SHARK ATHLETICS.
In the last game on March 10, Hailey Conley, graduate student, scored 11 points and Kyannah Grant, graduate student, led the team with a season-high 20 points. The Sharks had a 17–14 lead after the first quarter, but Eckerd seized charge in the second and third frames to increase its advantage to 54–42 entering the final frame. Despite a late rally, the Sharks were unable to overturn the gap, and its season finished with 21 victories.
Next season, LeAnn Freeland-Curry, head coach of the women’s basketball team, believes Kinran will be an important member of the team and continue to make an impact on the court in the years to come.
“Suzan is a highly competitive, tough-minded player with great skill and size. When we watched Suzan on film, we were immediately impressed by her overall skill set and three-point shot,” said Freeland-Curry. “She can be a game-changer on both ends of the floor. We are excited to see how well she fits into our system and expect her to evolve over the next four years.”
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