ORLANDO, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference announced the 2025-26 Men's basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Wednesday morning, the reigning NCAA Division II National Champion, four-time defending Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament champion Nova Southeastern Men's Basketball team has once again been selected as the preseason favorite to win the league, marking the sixth consecutive year the Sharks have earned that distinction.
Under the continued leadership of Head Coach
Jim Crutchfield, the Sharks have maintained their dominance both in the SSC and nationally. Over the past four seasons, Nova Southeastern has compiled an astounding 135-5 overall record, including 77-3 in SSC play, and has now won 84 consecutive games at the Rick Case Arena, a streak that dates back to February 26, 2020.
The Sharks received 100 points in the 2025-26 preseason poll, including ten first-place votes, reaffirming their position at the top of the conference.
Nova Southeastern concluded the 2024-25 campaign with a 36-1 overall record and a 19-1 mark in SSC play, once again capturing both the Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles. The Sharks continued their postseason success by securing their fourth consecutive NCAA South Region Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championship game for the third straight season, becoming champions once again.
As the Sharks enter the 2025-26 season, expectations remain sky-high as they look to continue their unprecedented run of success and defend their title.
2025-26 Sunshine State Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
School |
Points
(First Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Nova Southeastern |
100 (10) |
| 2. |
Florida Southern |
85 |
| 3. |
Tampa |
75 |
| 4. |
Lynn |
70 |
| 5. |
Palm Beach Atlantic |
58 (1) |
| 6. |
Rollins |
51 |
| 7. |
Embry-Riddle |
50 |
| 8. |
Barry |
49 |
| 9. |
Saint Leo |
35 |
| 10. |
Eckerd |
21 |
| 11. |
Florida Tech |
11 |
Nova Southeastern begins the 2025-26 season at home, hosting the SSC-GSC Crossover on Friday, November 14th, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Sharks will take on Alabama Huntsville in an NCAA South Region Championship rematch at 5 p.m. To purchase your season tickets for Sharks Basketball, visit this link.
To stay up-to-date on Sharks Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.
