Florida Memorial women’s hoops secures long-sought conference title, plus notes

Gregory Stanback has been waiting for nearly a decade.

The Florida Memorial University Lions women’s basketball program that he coaches has waited even longer.

Finally, though, the Lions have won an NAIA Sun Conference title – the first in program history.

Stanback became FMU’s coach in time for the 2014-2015 season. FMU joined the Sun Conference from the Florida Sun in 2007-2008.

This season, the Lions have a 22-5 record and an active 12-game win streak. Their league record is 15-1, including an active 15-game conference win streak. They haven’t lost a game this calendar year, including Saturday’s regular-season finale – an 82-70 overtime win over Webber.

FMU is greatly improved from last season, when it went 16-10 overall and 12-5 in the league.

“The difference this season is more discipline and selflessness and a will to win,” said 5-8 senior guard Aliyah-Deen Ahmad, a California native and a holdover from last season. “Everyone knows their role.”

Next up is the Sun Conference postseason tournament, hosted by FMU. The Lions will have a bye into Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal.

If the seeding holds up, the Lions would face their Miami Gardens neighbors, St. Thomas University, in Saturday’s 5 p.m. final. STU is 21-7 overall and 12-3 in the league.

FMU’s key players are 5-9 junior guard Tianna Ayulo, a former South Broward star who transferred to FMU after Johnson & Wales shuttered its program; and Ahmad.

Ayulo leads the team in scoring (21.1) and rebounds (9.3). Ahmad leads in assists (4.2) while ranking second in scoring (18.3). Chantel Barnett ranks third in scoring (14.2), and she leads the squad in 3-pointers made (42).

Besides Ayulo, the Lions brought in two other new starters: 6-4 center/junior-college transfer Jasmine Worthy and 5-6 guard Nyah Johnson, a transfer from the NCAA Division II level.

Stanback also brought in Stephanie Cooper as his recruiting coordinator.

In addition, Stanback made a subtle change with his third-year assistant coach Krystal Stevens, who played under the last name Saunders before getting married.

Stevens, a former starting guard for the Miami Hurricanes and also a South Broward alum, is now FMU’s offensive coordinator. Stanback runs the defense.

“We took a page from football,” Stanback said. “You’re never too old to learn. Sometimes you have to humble yourself (and delegate authority). You see the results.”

Cooper, who was an assistant on one of the nation’s top high school girls’ basketball programs, Duncanville (Texas), has her own thoughts as to FMU’s success this season.

“It’s been our defensive pressure,” she said. “I don’t think anybody has handled our pressure, and that leads to offense.”

1-2 START FOR PANTHERS

FIU’s baseball team – led by new coach Rich Witten -- went 1-2 in its season-opening series against visiting George Mason. Two early FIU stars are outfielders Alec Sanchez and Mike Rosario.

Sanchez is hitting .417 with one homer and a 1.167 OPS. Rosario, a Miami Hurricanes transfer, is hitting .333 with one homer and a 1.000 OPS.

“Sanchez is locked in on every pitch,” Witten said. “He’s a fiery guy.”

FIU’s lone win in the series was a 3-2 victory on Saturday. The Panthers were outscored 13-4 in their other two games.

“Getting that first win out of the way is a good feeling,” Witten said. “When we execute our game-plan, we’re a very good ballclub.”

Witten said he has a deep team, and he doesn’t expect his starting pitchers to go deep into games, allowing FIU to give opponents different looks.

THIS AND THAT

▪ There are four players from this season’s Miami Dade College baseball team who have already committed to Division I colleges: outfielder Max Galvin (Oklahoma State); shortstop Alex Ulloa (Florida); and pitchers Carlos Colunga (Dayton); and Robert Fernandez (Rice). Ulloa was the Houston Astros’ fourth-round pick in 2021.

▪ NSU’s women’s swimming team won its third straight Sunshine State Conference title, and Emily Trieschmann posted the top NCAA Division II time in the 1,000 yards. She was named Swimmer of the Meet.

▪ The NSU softball team (10-3) is led by Alexis Smith, who has already set the program single-season record with nine triples. She also leads the team in batting average (.553), steals (12-for-13) and OPS (1.660).

▪ Barry pitcher Angel Cespedes is off to a hot start. He is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in three starts. Teammate Jake Ogden has a team-high three homers in nine games, and he’s batting .394 with 10 RBIs.