Two NSU programs look to reload after national champions transfer

National titles lead to athlete transfers.

At least that’s the way it’s working out for the Nova Southeastern University Sharks women’s golf and men’s basketball teams.

Olivia Gronborg, a freshman from Denmark, recently became the fourth women’s golfer in NSU history to win an individual NCAA Division II national title. She joins Sandra Changkija (2010), Taylor Collins (2011) and Abbey Gittings (2012).

However, she has decided to transfer to the University of Miami.

“We’re sad she’s leaving, but I can’t blame her,” NSU golf coach Heather Wall said of Gronborg’s move to Division I. “I’m happy for her.”

Meanwhile, the NSU men’s basketball team – which went 36-0 and won the first national title in program history – has lost its entire starting lineup.

Will Yoakum graduated, but the other four starters all transferred to Division I squads, including RJ Sunahara, who signed with the Georgia Bulldogs.

The other transfers are Jonathan Pierre (Memphis), Kobe Rodgers (College of Charleston) and Dallas Graziani (Samford).

Sharks coach Jim Crutchfield said NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) was a big factor in the transfers.

Crutchfield also said some colleges contact players before they even enter the transfer portal, reaching out to AAU coaches and/or family members.“That’s how it works now,” Crutchfield said. “I was shocked at how much money these schools were giving players – just enormous dollar figures.

“Nobody got hit harder by the transfer portal than us. We were decimated.”

Crutchfield is currently spending time in his offseason home in West Virginia, spending time with his family as well as his riding mower.

“I’m a landscaper now,” Crutchfield joked. “I’m a maintenance guy.”

He’s also checking the transfer portal every day, working with his staff to bring in new players.

Crutchfield said he thought about retiring after winning the national championship – but not any longer.

“I love a challenge,” he said. “We have a system that works. In about a month, we will announce the players we are bringing in.”

Wall is similarly optimistic about her golf team, which returns everyone except Gronborg.

The Sharks are set to return top players such as Ellen Andersson and Ellen Ramstedt – both from Sweden – as well as Japan’s Haruka Muta, Denmark’s Emma Larsen and Uruguay’s Jimena Marques.

“We will also pick up or one two players from the transfer portal,” Wall said. “I’m not too worried. We will still contend for a national title.”

Still, the Sharks will miss Gronborg, who averaged about 265 yards off the tee.

“Olivia outdrove everyone by 25 to 30 yards on average,” Wall said. “She’s super strong, a great irons player, and she became a really good leader even as a freshman.

“She’s also smart about course management. She doesn’t make many mistakes, which is why she makes a ton of birdies.”

Gronborg said she gets her strength and flexibility from her gymnastics career, which she had to quit at age 12 to focus on golf.

“When I was doing gymnastics, I could turn my body in weird ways,” Gronborg said. “But I got too tall for gymnastics (she is 5-8), and I had to choose.”

She also chose Miami, a decision she made in January – long before winning the national title.

“I always knew I wanted to test myself at the highest level possible,” said Gronborg, a Psychology major. “It was nothing against Nova.

“But I’m happy I don’t have to leave South Florida. It was already a huge adjustment coming from Denmark.”