FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – For the fourth consecutive season, and third under Head Coach Kacie Ehinger, the Nova Southeastern Sharks Volleyball team has qualified for the NCAA South Regional tournament. The Sharks (20-10) enter the tournament as the seventh seed and will play second-seeded Barry in the first round at the de Hoernle Sports Center on the campus of Lynn University beginning on Friday, December 6th. Nova Southeastern is one of six Sunshine State Conference teams that made the field, which consists of top-seeded Lynn, Barry, Tampa, Embry-Riddle, Florida Tech, West Florida (Gulf South Conference), NSU, and Spring Hill (Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference)
The Sharks lead the Sunshine State Conference in total blocks (282) and feature three All-Sunshine State Conference honorees, Olivia Aniol (first-team), Taylor Stockman (second-team) and Kate Mihacevich (third-team).
Aniol became the program’s all-time record holder for block assists in a season with 129 and set career-bests in kills (244), kills-per-set (2.28), service aces (24), solo blocks (23), total blocks (152), blocks-per-set (1.42), points (355.5) and points-per-set (3.32). Aniol leads the Sunshine State Conference in blocks assists, total blocks and blocks-per-set, while also ranking third nationally in total blocks and seventh nationally in blocks-per-set.
Stockman’s list of accolades continues to grow as the former Freshman of the Year, earns All-Sunshine State Conference honors for the third consecutive season and second straight season being recognized on the second-team. Stockman started all 30 matches for NSU, while leading the Sharks in sets played (108), points (395.5), points-per-set (3.66), service aces (36) while recording 264 digs and 85 blocks. The junior recorded the 1,000th point of her career earlier this season and currently ranks eighth all-time in program history with 1,189.5.
Mihacevich earned the second all-league honor of her career (2022, Third-Team). The senior recorded 292 kills, 32 service aces, 342.5 points, and set a career-high with 34 blocks. On a per-set basis, Mihacevich averaged 2.81 kills and 3.29 points, while setting a career-best with a 0.242 hitting percentage.
The NCAA South Region Tournament will take place on the campus of Lynn University from December 6th – 8th. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Volleyball, be sure to follow on Instagram at NSU_VBall and X at NSU_VB.
