FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Entering only its 16th season, the Nova Southeastern University softball team has currently not only overcome obstacles in its short existence but has set some standards for the future of the program.

Starting in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 1995, the Sharks were just an NAIA team stepping on the field, not knowing what direction they were headed. Under the guidance of NSU's first ever head softball coach Robyn Handler, the Sharks were able to capture a winning season of 18-16.

It took just one more season for the Sharks to set the path for the program. In only the second year of existence, NSU softball team went 27-20 for the 1996 season and made its first appearance in the Southeast Sectional Championship.

After just three seasons as head coach, Handler led her team to its first Florida Sun Conference Championship with an impressive 11-1 record. Overall, a 33-13 record earned them a seed in the NAIA Southeast Region Championship, where they fell in the semi-final game.

Heading into its fourth season, the Sharks set out a team goal of qualifying for nationals. Planning on a repeat Florida Sun Conference Championship title, they were able to do just that with a perfect 12-0 FSC record. Finishing the 1998 season with a 49-7 mark, they fell short of their goals falling again in the semi-finals of the NAIA Southeast Region Tournament.

In 1999, the Sharks were able to earn their first All-American honors. All-Americans Jennifer Ridenoure and Shannon Sawyer, who was also named the 1999 Conference Player of the Year, left an imprint on the program that is still carried on today. The duo led their team to a three time Florida Sun Conference Championship and its first ever NAIA Southeast Regional Championship title. With a season record of 53-7, the Sharks advanced to its first appearance at the NAIA National Championship Tournament.

Entering her seventh season as head coach, Handler was looking for her most successful season yet. With an overall record of 38-21 the program went on to claim its fourth consecutive conference title and second consecutive NAIA Southeast Region title. With the programs third All-American Cheryl Bond, the team advanced to the third round of the 2000 NAIA National Championship Tournament, furthest in program history. This was a momentum step that has not been lost today.

In 2001, the program honored two All-Americans, junior Stephanie Schaefer and two-time All-American Bond. Bond started in all 50 games of the season leading the program to its fifth consecutive conference title and its third regional appearance. With three NAIA National Championship Tournament appearances under her belt, Handler was named a four-time FSC Conference Coach of the Year. Striving for a national title, she had compiled an amazing 259-93 record in seven seasons.

With 2002 being the last season the Sharks were to compete at an NAIA level, Handler pushed the Sharks even harder with their toughest schedule yet. Set out to face 16 Division II teams and one Division I opponent, she was confident in her team’s ability to win and strives for a 40-win plateau. The Sharks left the Florida Sun Conference with a strong mark, as six-time conference champions and four-time regional champions, they finished the season with a 34-17 record. Qualifying for nationals once again the Sharks graduated their success and began their two year provision play with the NCAA Division II Sunshine State Conference.

In 2003, Lesa Boneè took over the reigns as the new Head Coach of NSU softball. Even through the pressures of entering one of the top conferences in Division II, the team persevered to post a 25-22 record during its first season. They faced nine nationally ranked teams and in most only losing by a single run, they quickly earned the respect of their conference opponents. Not being eligible for post season play, the Sharks set high goals and trained tough in their off season for the 2004 season.

Boneè pushed the Sharks harder than they ever have been, mentally and physically preparing them for their second run at the challenging Division II play. With eight returners and six newcomers her expectations were high. Adding depth to the team the Sharks were able to compete harder against eight nationally ranked teams to post a 32-26-1 winning record. They took a major step for the program receiving two NCAA II regional rankings for the first time in its history.

Both senior Janette Rodriguez and freshman Katie Veltri received Second Team All-Region honors. The two started in all 59 games and Veltri led the team with five triples and was fourth on the team in batting (.346). Rodriguez was named a 2004 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete and led the teams batting average (.377), tied for first in runs scored (39) and doubles (12). Adding to the individual success, fell senior teammate Mary Kate Lavery set a new all-time record for career games played with 208 and tied the NSU career record for most RBI with 145. These girls left the program with high expectations and big shoes to fill for the following seasons.

In 2005, the Sharks potential was unknown as they welcomed six new players and this was the first season they were eligible to compete for the Sunshine State Conference title. Starting off the season on a 7-2 run things looked promising with a big win over nationally ranked No. 10 Caldwell College. Freshman pitcher Laura Cepicky stepped up and claimed the single-season strikeout record with 177 in 178.2 innings. Despite Cepicky’s efforts the team finished 25-29 overall with a 9-15 conference record to tie for sixth place.

Building off of the 2005 season finish, Boneè was excited for the season to begin. Bringing in nine new talented student-athletes to the four team returners, the program was headed in the right direction. Starting off the season with a 5-0 winning streak, they managed to finish sixth place in the Sunshine State Conference with a 22-28 overall record.

Junior Katie Veltri led the team batting a .384 average and was named to the All-Sunshine State Conference Second Team and the NFCA All-South Region Second Team. Junior Callie Binkley was named an All-SSC Honorable Mention batting a .314 with 30 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

In 2007, Boneè led her team into its third full season of competition in the Sunshine State Conference. With nine newcomers and five returning players, the team was amongst the youngest talent in the conference. Having two returning All-SSC players, Veltri and Binkley, the Sharks were able to record their best season yet going 10-14 in SSC and 33-30 overall.

Veltri was named NSU’s first ever SSC Softball Player of the Year, as just the second player to hit for the Triple Crown in the past six years, she led the conference in batting average, home runs, RBI, hits, runs scored, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Meanwhile freshman talent Noemi Luciani was an immediate impact utility player, starting in all 63 games and was only one of two freshmen named to the All-SSC team as an honorable mention. She finished second on the team and in the SSC in runs scored and led the team with runs scored at 19.

Veltri, Luciani and junior transfer Ashley Baker finished 1-2-3 in the SSC for runs scored. Baker led the team in doubles, triples, sacrifice bunts and finishes second on the team in home runs. She also pitched in 26 games to post a 10-5 record and threw the teams only no-hitter of the season. Sophomore Valen Eberhard and Dana Bergner combined to turn the most double plays in the SSC while freshman Dani Caron led the team in strikeouts and wins.

The Sharks first appearance on the SSC preseason polls for the 2008 season had them sitting in seventh place. Boneè in her sixth season as head coach and the programs fourth year of full SSC competition, was looking to make it the programs most successful yet. Improving their batting average 18 points to .303 in 2008, the Sharks went 43-20 for the season and 12-9 in the SSC. Their pitching was some of the best the program has seen with incoming freshmen Lexi Sarradet posting the teams best 1.47 ERA and became the programs only pitcher to win 20 games in a single season.

Alongside Sarradet, freshmen Rachel Talenfeld nearly set a school record with 36 stolen bases while hitting a .316 and scoring a team-high 52 runs. The Sharks went on to conclude the season with Baker and Luciani named to the All-SSC First Team, while Baker, Sarradet and Talenfeld all earned All-South Region honors.

Looking up for the 2009 season the Sharks came off their best season since becoming an NCAA Division II school. Now ranked sixth in the SSC preseason poll the Sharks had a record breaking season finishing 49-15 and 16-8 in SSC play and made their first run through the NCAA South Regionals. Their win totals were the most in program history since 1999. NSU also reached a program best of No. 2 in the NFCA Top-25 poll.

Transfer Lauren Lopez received All-SSC honors after breaking multiple NSU records. She was the SSC’s best base stealer with 23 steals in 25 attempts. She held NSU’s single season records for batting average (.478), hits (97), triples (8), and stolen bases (154). Posting 63 RBI, she was only three away from that NSU record as well. Lopez was named to the Daktronics, Inc. All-South Region Second-Team.

Both April Donachie and Bergner rounded out NSU’s All-SSC honor. In her final season Donachie hit .326 in 181 at bats and ranked second on the team with 42 RBI. Bergner hit .297 with a .432 slugging percentage. Both were selected to the Louisville Slugger/ NFCA Division II All-South Region Second-Team.

Heading into the 2010 season the Sharks were led with their most experienced roster in program history. Starting off the season ranked No. 15 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association the Sharks were also picked to finish on top of the Sunshine State Conference standings. With seven seniors their vision was to win the NCAA South Regionals as they dominated SSC play. The Sharks finished with over 40 wins for the third consecutive season and a 19-5 SSC record.

After falling short of their regional title, Lopez was named to the NFCA and Daktronics, Inc. All-American Third Team and was the Sharks second all-time SSC Player of the Year. She was named to the All-South First Team as well.

The 2011 Sharks are set to face St. Thomas at 6 p.m on Tuesday, Feb. 8 in a doubleheader at AD Griffin Sports Complex.