FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History" continues with the 30th moment on the list: Nova Southeastern University volleyball wins their first-ever South Region Championship to advance to the program's first NCAA Elite Eight.
 
Coming off of their first NCAA postseason appearance the year prior, expectations were high for the 2008 NSU volleyball squad, chosen third in the preseason Sunshine State Conference poll and being ranked No. 24 to start the season (the first ranking in history). Not only were those expectations met, they were exceeded following the conclusion of the team's 21-11 regular season.
 
The 21-11 record and 9-7 mark in conference play placed the Sharks near the top of the very competitive Sunshine State Conference, tying the team for third. They were chosen as the South Region's No. 6 seed, one of six to represent the SSC, including the top seed Tampa, who served as the host school.
 
NSU returned to the Spartans' home floor where a year earlier, they picked up the first postseason win in team history. In their first matchup on Nov. 20, NSU took on border rival and No. 3 seed Lynn and matched the run of the previous squad, defeating the Fighting Knights in straight sets to avenge a Senior Day loss nine days earlier, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19.
 
The Sharks would move one step further with a comeback victory in the semifinal round the following day, topping another in-conference foe in Saint Leo after dropping the first two sets, winning 28-30, 18-25, 25-15, 25-23, 15-12. With the Lions on the verge of advancing, NSU had 23 kills in set No. 3, hitting a season-best .629 to put the comeback in motion.
 
Not to be outdone, in the South Regional finals a day later, again NSU would face a 2-0 deficit, but again, would come back from the brink to survive and advance. This time, against West Florida, it was a 20-25, 27-29, 25-22, 25-20, 15-11 decision.
 
Amazingly, the team was able to move on in that match despite being without the services of head coach Steve Wilcosky, who was hospitalized due to an emergency appendectomy. The squad visited him after the victory, bringing along the South Region Championship trophy.
 
Though NSU's season would end in the round of eight on Dec. 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota, falling to No. 8 Truman State (21-25, 20-25, 20-25), history was made with the run. Emily Carle and Valentina Petrova garnered the program's first-ever All-American nods, with Petrova earning Second-Team AVCA honors and Carle chosen as Honorable Mention. Both were named All-Region and All-SSC as well (Petrova as First Team in both, Carle Honorable Mention in both).
 
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 BidMoment 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

For the latest NSU news and results, be sure to visit www.NSUSharks.com. To have results sent directly to your cell phone via text message, sign up for SMS text message delivery by clicking here. For the latest news, be sure to sign up for the Shark Alert E-newsletter by clicking here.

Tweet #NSU50