FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks baseball team is coming off a 35-16 campaign last season, going three games deep in the NCAA Division II South Regional Championships – the team's fourth straight – and announced on Friday the 2019 slate under ninth-year head coach Greg Brown.

Expectations are high, despite the absence of some of 2018's biggest stars, including All-American center fielder Andrew Liberty and All-American Gold Glove-winning catcher and seventh-round draft pick (Seattle) Jake Anchia, as well as all-time Sunshine State Conference hits leader Dylan Harris and drafted pitchers Devin Conn and Joe Strzelecki. The enthusiasm stems from the Sharks returning significant experience from a squad that hit .318 a year ago, including All-South Region right fielder Samuel Duran – the Sharks' top returning hitter at .384 with 33 RBI and 44 runs. In addition, outfielders Nathan Chevalier (.312, 26 RBI, 31 runs) and Christian Demby (.302, 23 RBI, 16 runs) are back, as well as second baseman Andrew Labosky (.302, 16 RBI, 22 runs) and third baseman Ian Acevedo (.297, 31 RBI, 37 runs). While NSU reloads in the field, the Sharks also return 14 pitchers with experience to the pitching staff, including right-handed relievers Ryan Maya (2-2, 2.25 ERA, 32 SO), Nik Sanders (3-0, 2.53 ERA, 28 SO), Kyle Kilbourne (0-2, 2.76 ERA, 21 SO) and Gilberto Torres (0-0, 5.27 ERA).

Not to mention the boost for the Sharks projected for a formidable group of newcomers. Transfers Brandon Chinea (SS, Tennessee) and Garrett Wolforth (C/1B, Dallas Baptist) will highlight the newest position players. Right-handers JP Williams (Eastern Florida State), Duncan Pastore (also an infielder, Wharton HS) Matt Sellers (Hillsborough CC) and left-hander Matt Ornelas (Sacramento City College) will bolster the pitching staff.

Testing the 2019 squad immediately, Nova Southeastern continues its tradition of tough scheduling, on top of the formidable Sunshine State Conference (SSC) slate. Maintaining a premier schedule, the Sharks' 46-game calendar features four 2018 NCAA Tournament teams, including a pair that reached the national semifinals. The Sharks will take the field at the NSU Baseball Complex in 22 contests, highlighted by visits from Southern New Hampshire, Catawba and Tusculum in non-conference play, in addition to hosting Florida Southern in SSC competition. On the road, NSU will travel to meet East Region power North Greenville, as well as West Florida, just ahead of an early-season showdown at three-time defending SSC Champion Tampa.

"Our goal is to challenge our team in our non-conference schedule and prepare for the challenge of the Sunshine State Conference," Brown said. "The SSC is as healthy as we have ever seen it with the traditional powers reloading and so much depth to our league. There is no weekend off and we look forward to the opportunities ahead in 2019."

The Sharks open up the 2019 slate at the NSU Baseball Complex on Feb. 1 against Tusculum. Despite their 25-27 mark last season, the Pioneers are just one year removed from perennial 30-plus-win finishes and made it to last year's South Atlantic Conference (SAC) semifinal. Second baseman Daulton Martin received a Preseason All-American nod after hitting .413 with 31 extra base hits to lead the Pioneers in 2018.

On Saturday, Feb. 2, NSU follows up with Catawba at home. Coming off a 30-24 campaign, the 2018 regular season SAC Champion Indians are paced by Preseason All-Americans shortstop Jeremy Simpson (.317 in 2017) and transfer outfielder Bryce Butler (.408 as an NJCAA All-American at Kankakee CC). The Indians won 40 games for a Regional appearance in 2017.
Now in the second season that SSC league members have the option to play Friday-Saturday-Sunday series, Nova Southeastern will play 5-of-10 under the format.

The Sharks close out the five-game opening homestand with their first conference fight, hosting the Barry Bucs (22-28) in the first series of the three-day format from Feb. 7-9.

The first NSU road swing marks its biggest non-conference test, as the Sharks travel to South Carolina for a three-game series at preseason No. 9 North Greenville, Feb. 15-16. The Crusaders went 46-10 and 21-3 in league play to earn the Conference Carolinas title and play for the 2018 NCAA Southeast Region crown. Under fifth-year coach Landon Powell, NGU has built an impressive resume including 35-win finishes in each of the last three years. The Crusaders are fronted by Preseason All-Americans RHP Tucker Burgess (14-3, 2.98 ERA) and center fielder Connor Grant (.367, 56 RBI). Last season at NSU, the Crusaders were ranked No. 1 nationally when the Sharks took 2-of-3 to win the series, clinched by a two-run Anchia walk-off homer in the finale.

The Sharks remain away from home for two additional non-conference games after departing the Palmetto State, playing Feb. 18-19 at the Gulf South's West Florida Argonauts (32-19) in Pensacola.

The Embry-Riddle Eagles (20-30) travel to Fort Lauderdale for an SSC series, Feb. 22-23, before the Sharks head to Tampa for their most crucial league task, March 1-2. SSC Champions in each of the past three seasons, the Spartans (42-11) advanced to the NCAA South Region Final and open the year with a No. 2 preseason national ranking, highlighted by Preseason All-Americans Nick DeTringo (.348, 41 R) and RHP Keven Pimentel (9-2, 2.42 ERA).

After squaring off with the Spartans, NSU returns to S.C. for three games at Peach Belt foe Lander Bearcats (16-35), March 8-9. A five-game homestand follows, opening with midweek tilts against American International (19-25) and Southern New Hampshire (41-17) – both out of the Northeast 10 - ahead of an SSC weekend series versus Florida Tech (20-30), March 15-16. SNHU earned the 2018 East Region Championship, the Penmen bouncing back from a first-round NCAA loss to eventual National Champion Augustana in Cary, N.C., reaching the semifinal for a rematch.

Seven consecutive road games close out the month with series at the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (26-24, fifth SSC), March 22-24, a single midweek contest in Miami Shores at Barry (March 26) and another league series in Winter Park with the Rollins Tars (20-29).

PBA also comes to NSU to open up the new month on April 2 as non-conference opposition, while St. Leo (38-11) meets the Sharks April 5-6 at the NSU Baseball Complex. The Lions finished fourth in the SSC a year ago after a 21-9 conference mark and are led into 2019 by Preseason All-American utility player Peyton Isaacson (.346, 50 RBI).

After facing Barry for the fifth time on the year (April 9), NSU heads north to Boca Raton to meet Lynn (22-28), April 12-14, before facing NAIA Sun Conference foe Keiser (38-19) in a lone midweek, April 16. On April 18-19, NSU closes out the road slate in St. Petersburg at Eckerd (22-27).

A fifth meeting with PBA (April 23) – again at NSU in non-conference – leads off the final week, as preseason No. 4 Florida Southern comes to Fort Lauderdale for NSU's senior weekend and the regular season's final series, April 26-28. Winner of the NCAA South Regional, the Mocs (45-11) finished third in the SSC and battled back from a second-round NCAA loss to reach the national semifinal in Cary. Leading the perennial power FSC for the seventh season, coach Lance Niekro was named 2018 South Region Coach of the Year.

NCAA South Region action will get under way on May 16. Division II will introduce a Super Regional format similar to Division I in this year's tournament, beginning May 24 at higher-seeded campus sites, ahead of the NCAA Division II Championships in Cary, N.C. from June 1-8.

For up-to-date coverage throughout the season, visit NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks baseball team on Twitter and Instagram at @NSU_Baseball.