Fall sports: A season in review

COURTESY OF NSU ATHLETICS
Women’s cross-country wins its first Sunshine State Conference in program history during the 2024 season.

During the fall 2024 semester, five sports completed their full seasons— men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross-country, and women’s volleyball. The Sharks earned one SSC championship, achieved four appearances in NCAA tournaments with one sport advancing to the NCAA National Championship, and 14 athletes were named All- SSC athletes.

Women’s cross-country

The women’s cross-country team finished the 2024 season with its first SSC title in program history and the program’s third NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship berth, its first since 2015. Throughout the season, the team finished in the top five in all five of its regular season meets. At the 2024 SSC Women’s Cross Country Championships, four Sharks finished in the top 10 to win the SSC title. Jillian Thorning won the SSC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, while Leena Saidi and Eden Toal earned All-SSC First Team honors and Ally Jakubiak and Isabella Grant earned All-SSC Second Team honors. Head Coach Jonathan Carter was also named SSC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. The team then finished third at the NCAA South Region Championship, with Thorning, Saidi and Grant earning All-Region team honors and the team earning a spot at the National Championship, where they finished in 29th place.

Women’s soccer

The women’s soccer team ended the 2024 season with an 8-6-4 record, as well as placing second in the SSC Championship and achieving its third consecutive NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament berth. The team had a 5-5-3 record to end the regular season, making it the #3 seed in the SSC Tournament. It won its quarterfinal and semifinal matches to advance to the final, where it lost to the No. 1 seed in penalty kicks. This performance landed it in the NCAA Tournament, where they made it to the second round. Alexa Bereczki won the SSC Women’s Soccer Freshman of the Year, the fourth in program history. Sofia Suarez was unanimously named to the All-SSC First Team, while Bereczki and Tabea Schütt were named to the All-SSC Second Team, and Izzy Martinez earning All-SSC Third Team honors.

Women’s volleyball

The women’s volleyball team finished the 2024 season with a 20-11 record and an NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament berth for the fourth consecutive season. The Sharks started 9-1, which was their best start under Head Coach Kacie Ehinger, and were ranked No. 24 in the country in early October. They finished in sixth place in SSC play and advanced to the NCAA tournament, where they fell in the first round in five sets. Brittany Landrum became the program’s all-time leader in blocks, while Elizabeth Price achieved 1,000 career points and Taylor Stockman achieved 1,000 career kills and earned All-SSC Second Team honors. Kate Mihacevich earned All-SSC Third Team honors, and Olivia Aniol earned All- SSC First Team, All-South Region Team, and AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.

Men’s soccer

The men’s soccer team finished the 2024 season with a 7-5-3 record and SSC Tournament appearance. The team started the season with winning six out of its first nine games and were ranked No. 20 in the country in early November. This effort led the Sharks to the No. 4 seed in the SSC Tournament, where they lost the quarterfinal match in penalty kicks. Kevin Rubaszewski and Ade Olumuyiwa earned All- SSC First Team honors.

Men’s cross-country

The men’s cross-country team ended the 2024 season with a sixth-place finish at the SSC Championship and a 16th-place finish at the NCAA South Region Championship. During the regular season, the team finished in the top 10 in three out of its five meets. In its last regular season meet, Jaime Blazquez ran the fifth fastest 8k time in program history. Blazquez also led the team at the SSC Championships and the NCAA South Region Championship as the first Shark to cross the finish line at both, with the team finishing sixth and 16th.