FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History" continues with the 38th moment on the list: The first-year men's and women's swimming and diving teams send eight to the NCAA Division II national championships after the men's team became the second in NSU history to win a conference title in their first year of competition. March 9, 2011
Nova Southeastern made their swimming and diving competition debut just four years ago, when on Oct. 1, 2010, the team took part in the All-Florida Invitational in Gainesville, Florida.
The foundation towards that first meet began to be laid over a year prior. The program was founded on April 2, 2009 (
NSU Top Moment #31), named Hollie Bonewit-Cron the first-ever head coach (Aug. 2, 2009), and she brought in the first recruiting class, announced exactly one year after that day, Aug. 2, 2010.
Less than two months later, those Sharks competed at the University of Florida, and against a full Division I field, showed glimpses of success that would further throughout the season.
The team's first home meet at the NSU Aquatic Center was next, on Oct. 16, 2010, a win for both squads against Florida Southern, which also earned Jorge Ospina and Ewa Jamborska Sunshine State Conference Swimmer of the Week awards.
The men would continue rolling, defeating Tampa on the road in their next meet, while in November, the men and women would both top Rollins. A tri-meet in December saw the men sweep Carleton and Kalamazoo, and the new year would hold one more men's win, at home against Saint Leo in January.
Then, in mid-February at the SSC Championships in Orlando, the first-ever postseason meet held by the conference, the first-year men would do the unthinkable and win the entire meet, topping Tampa by 213 points. It would only be the second time in NSU history that a first-year team won a conference title, after women's soccer won the Florida Sun Championship in 1995-96.
By the conclusion of the conference championship and prior to nationals, it was announced that eight Shark swimmers would be advancing to the 2011 NCAA National Championships.
Ospina went for four individual events. He, Nathan Caldwell, Ash Dougan and Jonas Grundstrom made up one relay team, while Ospina, Dougan, Josh Davis and Armin Hornikel made up another. On the women's side, both Jambroska and freshman Ashley Bransford each qualified for four individual events.
Despite only sending six men and two women, the respective squads finished 13th out of 30 and 20th out of 38. Seven members picked up either All-American of Honorable Mention All-American status.
"I will never forget this first year," said head coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron following the conclusion of the championship meet. "We had many ups and downs throughout, but finished on such a high note. We will continue to cultivate our program to be one of the best in Division II. My hat is off to all eight athletes that competed in our first NCAA Championships. They represented NSU with class and immense pride.
"For our first year, to finish 13th and 20th for the men and women in the nation is huge. I couldn't be happier with how we performed and can only look forward to our future."
Check back with NSUSharks.com next Tuesday for the next #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History."Moment No. 1: NSU Athletics is Born
Moment No. 2: Knights Chosen as School Mascot
Moment No. 3: Hansley Hired as Director of Athletics
Moment No. 4: Nova Adds Four Sports
Moment No. 5: Nova Joins NAIA
Moment No. 6: Nova Adds Three More Teams
Moment No. 7: Nova Helps Form FIAC
Moment No. 8: Nova Wins First Conference Championship
Moment No. 9: Baseball and Volleyball Win First Conference Titles
Moment No. 10: NSU Adds Softball
Moment No. 11: NSU Adds Women's Soccer and Wins FSC Tournament Championship
Moment No. 12: NSU Names Ray Ferrero Jr. as School's Fifth President
Moment No. 13: NSU Adds Women's Basketball and Wins Conference Title in First Season
Moment No. 14: NSU Jumps to NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference
Moment No. 15: Kyle Ruwe Becomes NSU's First NCAA All-American
Moment No. 16: NSU adds Rowing, Tennis and Men's Cross Country
Moment No. 17: NSU Breaks Ground on University Center
Moment No. 18: Rembe Becomes NSU's First Female NCAA All-American
Moment No. 19: NSU Men's Golf Wins First SSC Championship
Moment No. 20: NSU Unveils Sharks as New Mascot
Moment No. 21: NSU Enshrines Inaugural Hall of Fame Class
Moment No. 22: Women's Golfer Garcia Austt Becomes NSU's First-Ever NCAA Player and Freshman of Year
Moment No. 23: NSU Tennis Goes Program-Best 22-3
Moment No. 24: NSU Volleyball Hosts the Inaugural Sharks Classic
Moment No. 25: NSU Begins Outdoor Track and Field Programs
Moment No. 26: NSU Volleyball Earns First-Ever NCAA Postseason Bid Moment No. 28: NSU Wins Women's Division of 2007-08 SSC Mayors' Cup
Moment No. 29: Abdalla Earns Cross Country Program's First SSC Runner of the Year Award
Moment No. 30: NSU Volleyball Wins South Region and Advances to Elite Eight
Moment No. 31: NSU Launches Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Programs
Moment No. 32: NSU Rowing V4 Claims the School's First Individual DII National Championship
Moment No. 33: NSU Brings Home First NCAA National Championship in Women's Golf
Moment No. 34: NSU Baseball Has Four Players Chosen in MLB Draft
Moment No. 35: Mominey Steps Into Full-Time Role as NSU Director of Athletics
Moment No. 36: The NSU Women's Golf Team Goes Back-to-Back
Moment No. 37: Men's Cross Country Qualifies for NCAA Division II National Championship for First Time
