“Maybe the most exciting basketball program in all of college hoops” is how NCAA President Charlie Baker described Nova Southeastern University’s men’s basketball team at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics & Affiliates Convention on June 10.
On March 29, the men’s basketball team won its second NCAA Division II National Championship in three years, beating California State Dominguez Hills 74-73.
“We’re more than just a team that had a great year, we’ve been at the national tournament and the last three we’ve been in the national championship game,” men’s basketball head coach Jim Crutchfield said. “It speaks to the program and university more than it does to any specific team because we’ve been comprised of a lot of different players.”
In the season 2023-24, the Sharks advanced to the national championship game and lost in heartbreaking fashion 88-85, after their opponent scored a buzzer-beating three pointer.
“That stung for us, so it’s a good feeling to have gotten ‘revenge,’” assistant men’s basketball coach Nick Smith said. “It gave us a sick feeling in our stomach for the whole year, it’s something our guys didn’t forget and we didn’t want to feel that way again.”
The motivation from the national championship loss appeared evident from the start of the season. The men’s basketball team had a 36-1 overall record and broke the NCAA Division II record for most consecutive home victories on March 9.
“Our guys did a really good job staying super locked in the entire year,” Smith said. “It’s exhausting the way we play sometimes, but it’s a testament to them and just how hard they work throughout the season.”
Maintaining their high performance and reputation speaks not only to how well they play basketball, but also to their resilience and ability to rise above the pressure that comes with being a top program.
“It’s more difficult for us to do that because we have a target on our back right now; everywhere we go, it’s a big game for the other team to knock us off, so it’s a tribute to the players to be that consistent,” Crutchfield said. “We’re privileged to have that pressure because we put ourselves in a good situation.”
Looking at this upcoming season, the team will be without MJ Iraldi and Ryker Cisarik—two key players from the Sharks’ championship run. Iraldi earned Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, All-SSC first-team honors, NABC National Player of the Year, D2 CCA South Region Player of the Year and won the Bevo Francis Award, while averaging 23.6 points per game, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists, and breaking the program’s single season scoring record. Cisarik earned All-SSC second-team, All-SSC defensive team and D2 CCA All South Region second team, while averaging 18.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.
“In the system and style of basketball we play, you can plug in different guys,” Smith said. “We feel like the new guys will bring it as well as the guys that are returning.”
Crutchfield said the team lost its five tallest players—Iraldi and Cisarik included— meaning slight adjustments and changes for the Sharks.
“We don’t try to replace guys, we just probably won’t be as big next year. We’ll try to come up with different types of players. One thing is for sure, we’re losing great players, but we’ve had a tradition here of playing next man up,” Crutchfield said. “Those guys are gone, someone else has to step up and our guys know that.”
For the 2025-26 season, the team is adding three transfers and four freshmen. Crutchfield looks forward to seeing how the team will carry its previous success into the new season.
“Once you experience playing for the national championship, it makes you want to get there again,” Crutchfield said. “I’m hoping that the guys that were here last year feel the same way about this year.”
The men’s basketball team will open its season in November playing the style of basketball Shark fans know and love.
“Coach Crutchfield isn’t a firm believer in saying our goal is to win a national championship. We want to put out a team that is fun to watch, fast-paced and just a bunch of good guys that play the game the right way,” Smith said. “We want people to see a team that plays way harder than the normal team.”
Eric Tovin contributed to this report.
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