FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Women’s Tennis (21-4) have punched their ticket to the NCAA National Tournament for the 12th time in program history and for the fifth consecutive season.
No. 2 Nova Southeastern, last season’s NCAA national finalists, enters the tournament as the third-seed and will face a difficult test in the opening round, taking on sixth-seeded No. 10 West Alabama (15-9) on the campus of Lynn University. Joining NSU in the NCAA South Regional tournament are No. 4 Lynn and No. 12 Auburn Montgomery.
Led by Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year Doug Neagle, Nova Southeastern has become a perennial power in NCAA Division II. The Sharks have accumulated a record of 72-12, and have reached the national semi-finals in each of the last two seasons.
Natalie Espinal has continued her illustrious career, anchoring the Sharks from the No. 1 Doubles and No. 1 Singles spot. Espinal beame the first women’s tennis player in Sunshine State Conference history to be recognized with first-team honors five times in a career and has also earned first-team doubles accolades four times. Espinal and Freya Davies were honored with first-team honors by the SSC and form the second-ranked doubles tandem in NCAA Division II.
No. 2 Nova Southeastern takes on No. 10 West Florida on Friday, May 10th, at Lynn University. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Women’s Tennis, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_WTennis.
