After posting the highest winning percentage in the Suncoast Conference on the court and in the field for the second straight season this year, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers showed their true STUDENT-Athlete prowess on Wednesday as a conference high 21 Bucs earned NJCAA All-Academic Team honors.
All three Florida SouthWestern State women's athletics teams were honored by the NJCAA on Monday as the Bucs Volleyball, Softball, and Women's Basketball teams were named NJCAA Academic Teams of the Year by the organization.
To say Za’Nautica Downs was on fire in Florida SouthWestern’s first Suncoast Conference road game of the year in 2020 is an understatement. The Bucs’ sophomore guard was unstoppable against Hillborough, bringing us our #2 moment on our countdown of the Top 10 Moments of the FSW Athletics Year, her record shattering 41 point performance against Hillsborough.
We continue our countdown of the top 10 moments of the FSW Athletics year today as we look at our #9 moment; the Bucs Women’s Basketball team earning a bid to the NJCAA National Tournament for the second straight season.
After a series of one after another bad news reports regarding COVID-19 ended their 2019-2020 athletics year in March, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers got some good news on Thursday as the FCSAA Council of Presidents approved the NJCAA and the FCSAA AD’s plans to play the 2020-2021 seasons as planned, beginning in August.
The NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced on Tuesday that Florida SouthWestern guard Sheslanie Laureano has been named a 2020 NJCAA Women’s Basketball All-Star.
After two seasons on the Gulf Coast at Florida SouthWestern, Buccaneer sophomore Shekinah Guthrie will head to the other side of the state next season after signing with Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Today we take a look at part two of our four part series on the Florida SouthWestern State Teams of the Decade as we highlight the Buccaneer Women’s Basketball program. The Bucs wrapped up their fourth season as the decade turned in 2020. In those four seasons, the Bucs won three Suncoast Conference Championships, going 34-5 in conference play, and reached their first two NJCAA National Tournaments in program history.
While there was no bracket play going on at the NJCAA National Tournament this spring, there were matchups being played out and coming down to the closing minutes in the T3 Bracketology Top Arena Poll. At the end, there was just one left standing and that was Suncoast Credit Union Arena, home of the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers. The Bucs' home digs brought home the title of the NJCAA's top arena with a 59% to 41% victory over Northwest Florida State's Raider Arena in the all Florida final.
The Florida SouthWestern State Men's and Women's Basketball teams will not have the opportunity to continue their reign over the Suncoast Conference next season as the conference will be no longer, with news that FSW will head across Alligator Alley to the Southern Conference next season with State College of Florida joining them on the men's side and Hillsborough, St. Petersburg, Eastern Florida (Women), and Polk State (Men) jumping to the Mid-Florida Conference for the 2020-2021 season.
For the second consecutive season, the Florida SouthWestern State Athletics Department recorded the highest winning percentage of any team in the FCSAA.
While Florida SouthWestern State College recently completed just its fifth year of NJCAA competition, it has already become a hotspot on NCAA Division I coaches' recruiting trail.
Following an All-Conference sophomore season with the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers, forward Simone Lett has signed with the University of South Alabama to continue her athletic and academic career.
Florida SouthWestern State All-American Za'Nautica Downs is headed North to continue her academic and athletic career, as she signed with the Seahawks of UNC-Wilmington Wednesday on National Signing Day across the country.
Florida SouthWestern State sophomore Nairimar Vargas-Reyes made her four year commitment official on Wednesday, signing with up and coming America East power Stony Brook to play for the Seawolves for the next two seasons.
The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers didn’t have to look far for their new Head Women’s Basketball Coach as Wednesday, FSW Athletic Director George Sanders announced that Dr. Jerald Ellis, a four year assistant with the Bucs, would take over as the Interim Head Coach for the 2020-2021 season.
For the third straight season, the Florida SouthWestern State Women's Basketball team has an NJCAA All-American. After Tina Stephens secured the honors in 2018 and 2019, sophomore guard Za'Nautica Downs followed suit on Tuesday as she was tabbed a Second Team selection to write the final chapter in her Buccaneer career.
The only Head Coach the Florida SouthWestern State Women’s Basketball team has known has stepped down as Monday, Dr. Kristie Ward-Cangelosi resigned from her post with the Buccaneers to pursue a position in educational administration.
The 2019-2020 season was full of excitement for the Florida SouthWestern State Women's Basketball team. The squad played its toughest schedule in its fourth year of competition, while winning its third straight Suncoast Conference Championship and earning its second straight bid to the NJCAA National Tournament.
Florida SouthWestern State sophomore guard Za'Nautica Downs collected yet another award this week as she was named a 2020 World Exposure Second Team All-American as announced by the organization.
Of the 75 athletes that originate from outside of the United States between Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida Southwestern State College, a good amount are stuck in Fort Myers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Florida SouthWestern State sophomore and Suncoast Conference Player of the Year Za'Nautica Downs has been named a finalist for the World Exposure National Player of the Year.
The awards kept on coming for Florida SouthWestern State sophomore Za’Nautica Downs on Tuesday as the Bucs’ leading scorer was named an FCSAA All-State selection.
Florida SouthWestern State guard Sheslanie Laureano has been named one of eight finalists for the 2020 World Exposure Freshman of the Year award as announced by the organization on Monday.
After careful thought and consideration, the NJCAA has decided to cancel the rest of the 2020 Athletics season due to the rapidly changing situation concerning COVID-19. The cancellation effects the Florida SouthWestern State Men’s & Women’s Basketball teams as well as the Bucs’ Baseball and Softball squads.
Florida SouthWestern State Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach Rabun Wright has been named one of four finalists for the World Exposure 2020 NJCAA Assistant Coach of the Year.
Due to the continued concern of COVID-19 the the FCSAA has suspended all competitions, effective immediately, through March 28th. At that time, the organization's Council of Presidents will reaccess the situation and determine whether they feel competition between teams is safe once again.
Just three days before the scheduled start of the 2020 NJCAA National Basketball Tournaments, the NJCAA has announced that the tournaments will be postponed due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19. The tournaments will attempt to be played beginning April 20th in Hutchinson, Kansas (Men's) and Lubbock, Texas (Women's).
For the second straight season, the Florida SouthWestern State Women’s Basketball team had to play the waiting game to see if they were headed to the NJCAA National Tournament as an at large selection, but Monday, alongside fans and fellow students at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, the Buccaneers got the call and will be packing their bags over the weekend as they were announced as the #10 seed in the 24 team tournament where they will take on Oklahoma’s Murray State in the first round of the tournament Tuesday at 5:15 PM (EST).
In a first round battle of top 15 ranked teams, the #12 Florida SouthWestern State Women's Basketball team saw their Region VIII Tournament hopes come to an end on Thursday, dropping a 73-64 decision to #6 Gulf Coast State in the quarterfinal round. The Bucs will now place their season in the hands of the NJCAA at-large committee to determine whether they have done enough at 24-7 to earn their second straight trip to the NJCAA National Tournament. That decision will be made Monday at 11:30 AM during the NJCAA Selection Show which will be aired live on the videoboards at Suncoast Credit Union Arena and is open to the public.