As he watched the first minute of Nova Southeastern playing against Saint Leo University two years ago, Saint Leo Hall of Fame point guard Joey Brauer had one quick observation.
“They’re playing at a Division I speed,” said Brauer, who twice played against Georgetown powerhouse teams in the early 1990s.
That’s a fitting analogy because over the last four years, the Sharks have looked like a Division I squad while playing in the Division II Sunshine State Conference. In that span, Nova Southeastern has posted a 136-5 record and gone 77-3 in conference play. The Sharks won the Division II national title last season and played in the national title game for the third straight season.
The 2025-26 season figures to be more of the same in the Sunshine State Conference, long considered the nation’s best overall Division II sports conference.
“Nova is on one one level,” Saint Leo coach Spencer Henke said. “But, after that, I think the conference is very balanced. I think this is setting up as one of those seasons where a team that nobody expects much from could step up and be the No. 2 team in the conference. It’s wide open after Nova.”
The SSC players with the most NIL earning potential include Nova Southeastern’s Ross Reeves and Dallas Graziani, Tampa’s Ryan Blount, Florida Southern’s Amare Miller, Lynn’s Matthew Puodzikukaitis, Rollins’ Jah Nze, Palm Beach Atlantic’s Tyler Burton and Saint Leo’s Jaylan McElroy.
Here’s a preview and rankings for the 2025-26 Sunshine State conference men’s basketball season.
1. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN
As usual, the Sharks are loaded with talent. Top returner guard/forward Ross Reeves went off for 36 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s season-opening win over Alabama-Huntsville, which entered the game ranked No. 6 in Division II. Reeves, who started his career at Chaminade in Hawaii before moving to Fort Lauderdale last season, is surrounded by a ton of talent. Dallas Graziani is explosive as a scorer and playmaker at the point guard position. Senior forwards Ryan Davis and Jaxon Nap will give the Sharks plenty of scoring and rebounding on the front line.
2. TAMPA
Before Nova took over the conference, Tampa and Florida Southern were SSC powerhouses. The Spartans and Mocs have remained highly competitive through the years, but Tampa hasn’t won a conference title since the 2001-02 season. The Spartans will be led by sophomore forward Ryan Blount, who is expected to be one of the conference’s top players. Blount scored 33 points and had eight rebounds in Saturday’s season-opening win against Kentucky State. Blount will be joined on the front line by 6-foot-8 forward Grady Schwartz. The backcourt will be led by B.J. Schaeffer, who started 25 games as a freshman last season, and returning starter Trey Lane.
3. FLORIDA SOUTHERN
It won’t be easy to overtake Nova Southeastern in the SSC, but Florida Southern, which was ranked No. 15 in the Division II preseason poll, at least looks like a team that’s capable of challenging and claiming its first conference title since the 2018-19 season. Senior forward Amare Miller is one of the top players in the SSC and he kicked off this season with an 18-point, 13-rebound performance in Friday’s season-opening victory against Clark Atlanta. The Mocs also are expecting big things from Campbell University transfer guard/forward Elijah Walsh and returning sophomore guard Ameer Ramandan.
4. LYNN
In his first season, Coach Bill Morosco took Lynn to last season’s NCAA South Regional semifinals. This season, Morosco and his players are shooting for even more. That looks quite possible with guards JP Baron and Braydon luli heading the list of returners. Sophomore forward John Roland is the top returner in the frontcourt. Sophomore forward Matthew Puodzikukaitis, a transfer from Saint Vincent, should provide additional scoring and rebounding up front.
5. ROLLINS
After four decades at Rollins, Coach Tom Klusman retired at the end of last season. Kevin Hogan, who served as interim coach when Klusman took a leave of absence last season, now takes over. The Tars should have one of the SSC’s top backcourts with returning senior Jah Nze and Omar Figueroa, who previously has played at Flagler and North Alabama. Forwards Jackson Gaffney and Ryan Renfro will lead the frontcourt.
6. PALM BEACH ATLANTIC
The Sailfish will be led by sophomore guard Tyler Burton, who scored a career-high 28 points (including seven three-pointers) in Saturday night’s season-opening win over Trevecca Nazarene. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by senior Preston Le Gassick. Up front, PBA will look to Christian Kirkland, a transfer from Youngstown State, and returning forward Graham Worland.
7. EMBRY RIDDLE
Guard Jared Berry, who averaged 10.3 points per game last season, is the top returning starter. He’ll be joined in the backcourt Dawson Barr, who was a key bench player for the Eagles last season. On the front line, the Eagles are expecting big things out of 6-8 forward Braeden Moore, who transferred in after playing two seasons at Oral Roberts and redshirting as a freshman at BYU.
8. SAINT LEO
The Lions started a 6-foot-6 center and were undersized during last season’s 10-18 campaign. But size won’t be a problem this season. The Lions will start a front line that goes 6-7, 6-8 and 6-9.
“We at least look like a basketball team this season,” second-year coach Spencer Henke joked.
The front line will be led by sophomore forward Jaylan McElroy, who was tabbed as the SSC’s Freshman of the Year last season wile averaging 12.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. He’ll be joined in the frontcourt by a couple of transfers — forward Donovan Hill and center Dominic Commisso. Henke said Hill, a transfer from Shippensburg who had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a season-opening with against Savannah State, could emerge as one of the top players in the SSC. Guard Luther Smith Jr. will handle the point and senior Owen Pawlikowski gives the Lions an outside scoring threat.
9. BARRY
Senior guard Deon Perry, a transfer from Fairfield, is quickly emerging as one of Barry’s top players. He scored a team-high 18 points in Friday night’s season-opening loss to Montevallo. Forward Marko Saenac, a Serbiia native, is expected to be a force up front after playing at Weber State last season. Guard Malik Stanly, who averaged 13.6 points per game last season, is thee top returner.
10. ECKERD
Senor guard Koa Baker, who averaged 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season, is the top returner. The Tritons added a potential force in the frontcourt with the arrival of forward Wyatt Triestman, who averaged 17.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while playing for Westchester Community College last season.
11. FLORIDA TECH
Coach Will Murphy takes over after spending the last nine seasons at Division I Wofford and he inherits only four returning players. The top returners are Logan Allen, who averaged 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season and forward Xavier Ford-Belton. A group of nine transfers is highlighted by Matt Daulerio, who averaged 13.9 points a game for Widener last seson and guard Ca’Darrius Sowell, who averaged 12.8 points at North Greenville University.
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