The Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team is set to start its season Nov. 11 in Alabama. This season marks the return of Seminole standout athlete Skyla Osceola from the Hollywood Reservation.

Osceola is a graduate student who last played for the Sharks in the 2019-20 season. She debuted with the Sharks all the way back in 2017, when she quickly made her mark on the program by playing in all 27 games and dishing out a team-high 90 assists. She also led the team and the Sunshine State Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Since her freshman year, however, she has seen action in only 15 games as she’s battled injuries. The former standout at American Heritage-Plantation was not with the Sharks last year, but she returns this season on a squad that has high expectations.

The Sharks were picked to finish third out of 11 teams in the Sunshine State Conference women’s basketball preseason coaches poll. The team has several new transfers.

“It is nice to see the SSC has great respect for our current roster,” NSU coach LeAnn Freeland-Curry said in a statement. “I believe our team has tremendous potential, but we need to keep grinding harder every day to reach it. With so many new faces, we must grow and adapt quickly to be ready for our season opening weekend against two south region opponents.”

Osceola is a 5-foot-8 guard. She’s not the only Native American on the squad. Her teammates include the Grant sisters, Kyarrah and Kyannah. Kyarrah is in her second season with the Sharks. She averaged eight points last season and had 30 steals. Kyannah is a transfer from the University of Tennessee-Martin.
The sisters (Navajo and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians) previously starred at Choctaw Central High School in Mississippi.

After starting with road games against the University of Montevallo on Nov. 11 and Auburn University Montgomery on Nov. 12, the Sharks will return to Davie for their home opener Nov. 19 against Flagler College from St. Augustine. Game time is 2 p.m.