It seems that many NSU students do not take pride in our athletic program. I think this is largely because we are a Division II school and we lack what most major universities have: a football team.
What most students don’t realize is that you do not need to have a Division I program in order to have school spirit. Students who show up to our teams’ games have just as much fun. Not only are the games a blast to watch, but we have exceptional athletes who work just as hard as Division I athletes.
Most students don’t realize the success that NSU athletics has had the past few years. Until a couple of years ago, I had never even heard of NSU, and I’m from South Florida. However, NSU athletics has recently made great strides in building its entire program. This past weekend, NSU had a remarkable first: hosting an NCAA national tournament.
Ever since NSU joined the NCAA in 2003 and became the Sharks in 2005, the program has been on the upswing and has garnered national attention. The Sharks have since earned 77 All-American awards and 102 NCAA awards. Some awards are based strictly on athletic performance, and others take academic accomplishments into account.
Not only have NSU teams won individual NCAA awards, but they have also racked up 20 Sunshine State Conference championships in eight sports. Some teams, such as the men’s and women’s golf teams have won a conference championship five and four times respectively.
Both golf teams are defending national champions and are ranked as number one in the country. The men won their first national championship last season, while the women have won four in a row and are working on adding a fifth straight ring. While many spectators may not find golf the most exciting sport, our teams have accomplished more in the past few years than some Division I teams have ever accomplished.
As far as individual national champions go, NSU has won seven since 2009. Women’s golf has seen three individuals take the crown. Women’s swimming has had one athlete, Erin Black, win back to back championships in the 500-yard freestyle in 2012 and 2013. Men’s swimming just saw Oskar Nordstrand win a championship this season in the same event as Black, and women’s rowing has watched as the 2009 Varsity 4 won a title.
While NSU may not have the big storied programs, like the University of Miami or the University of Alabama, the athletics department is working on making its program the best that it can be and something of which students can be proud.
