East Panhandle News

Nova Southeastern University Athletics issued the following announcement on Aug. 17.

Nova Southeastern recognizes the illustrious careers of four former student-athletes and one coach

Looking ahead to an exciting academic and athletic year, the Nova Southeastern University Athletics Hall of Fame Committee is delighted to announce the 2021 NSU Athletics Hall of Fame class, which includes four former student-athletes and one coach, which forms another exciting group of exceptional Sharks. 

The 13th NSU Athletics Hall of Fame class includes men's swimmer Esau Simpson, women's basketball player Danielle Robinson-Pratt, women's golfer Abbey Gittings, rower Lauren Boudreau, and the inaugural men's and women's swimming coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron. The 2021 NSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductions, in addition to a gala banquet ceremony, will be held on Friday, November 12, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in the Rick Case Arena at the Don Taft University Center.  

"The 2021 Hall of Fame class signifies what it means to be an NSU Shark. I'm proud of these four alums and former coach, who all helped establish Nova Southeastern athletics, enhance our culture of success during competition, and continued to pursue excellence outside of athletics," stated NSU Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President of Advancement Michael Mominey. "Each of the honorees exemplified our mission of providing a first-class experience through athletics while aligning with the core values of Nova Southeastern." 

Listed below are the members of the 2021 Nova Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame Class: 

Esau Simpson

Men's Swimming

2011-14 

A 13-time NCAA All-American Simpson, alongside fellow Class of 2021 Nova Southeastern University Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Hollie Bonewit-Cron, established NSU as a national power in the pool from the program's inception in 2010. Simpson earned All-American recognition in the 400-free relay and Honorable Mention honors in the 200-free and 200-medley relays. During his junior year (2012-13), Simpson received five honorable All-American honors and claimed the silver at the Sunshine State Conference Championship in the 50-meter freestyle. As a senior, Simpson also was named a recipient of five NCAA All-American Honorable Mentions.   

 Simpson represented his home country of Grenada during the 2012 Olympics, competing in the Men's 100m freestyle qualifiers. Additionally, Esau raced in the 100-freestyle at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships.  

 Danielle Robinson-Pratt

Women's Basketball

2011-2015 

A four-year starter at Nova Southeastern during her career, Robinson-Pratt's name can be seen at the top of nearly every Women's Basketball all-time record. Danielle is the NSU all-time leader in points (1,676), games played (125), games started (123), three-point field goals (227), and free throws made (357). Additionally, Robinson-Pratt also ranks in the top-10 all-time in steals (2nd/191), minutes played (2nd/3,452), rebounds (3rd/594), field goals made (3rd/546), and assists (7th/235).  

As a freshman, Robinson-Pratt was named to the Division II Bulletin All-American Freshmen Team and the All-SSC Newcomer Team while earning Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year honors. Danielle followed her freshman year success with another exceptional season as a sophomore, earning co-SSC Defensive Player of the Year honors, and was named to the All-SSC Second-Team and All-South Region Second-Team. Danielle also added the SSC Tournament Most Valuable Player and All-SSC First-Team honors as a senior.  

During Robinson-Pratt's time as a Shark, NSU Women's Basketball experienced the program's first Elite-8 appearance in 2013, going 23-9 and finishing as the SSC Co-Champion, the first Final Four Appearance in 2014, finishing 29-5 and SSC Tournament Champions, and the program's third consecutive Elite-8 appearance in 2015, guiding the Sharks to a 27-6 record while winning both the Sunshine State Conference regular-season and tournament crowns.   

Off the court, Danielle excelled at Nova Southeastern. Robinson-Pratt was selected as captain of the NSU Women's Basketball team three times, a member of the distinguished President 64, a SAAC representative, Executive Vice President of Alpha Kappa Psi's Psi Prospect Class, and the President of the Flying Sharks Aviation Club.  

Robinson-Pratt graduated with her undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sport Science as a junior in 2014 and completed her graduate studies in Athletic Administration in 2015. She will finish her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) in May 2022 from the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences at NSU.   

Abbey Gittings

Women's Golf

2009-2013 

The 2012 NCAA Division II Individual National Champion, Gittings led the Sharks to three consecutive Sunshine State Conference Championships and three straight NCAA National Championships (2010-12) during her illustrious career at NSU. A three-time recipient of WGCA First-Team All-American honors, Gittings also was named the 2010 DII National Freshman of the Year and was awarded the 2012 SSC Female Athlete of the Year and the NBCA/PING National Player of the Year. Gittings ranks third all-time at NSU with five career wins.   

Gittings excelled in the classroom, as well, adding two WGCA All-American Scholar awards (2012, 2013) and was named to the Capital One Academic All-American At-large team in 2012. Abbey ranks fourth in Nova Southeastern Women's Golf history in scoring average (75.37), second in rounds played (126), and third in career birdies (254). Gittings concluded her collegiate career as the third ranked golfer in NCAA Division II.  

Lauren Boudreau

Rowing

2009-2013  

A three-time National Champion (2011, 2012, 2013) at Nova Southeastern, Boudreau also served as a co-captain for the Sharks Rowing team. Lauren guided NSU to the 2012 FIRA Overall Championship; in addition to women's team titles in 2011, 2012, and 2013, Boudreau recorded 22 varsity-8 spring first place finishes from 2010-13, culminating her collegiate career with the 2013 National Championship team and individual boat titles.   

Boudreau competed at the prestigious Dad Vail Varsity-8 twice in her career, placing second in 2012 and third in 2011. Lauren led NSU to back-to-back Sunshine State Conference Championships (2011, 2012), was selected as a two-time CRCA First-Team All-American, a three-time First-Team All-Sunshine State Conference honoree (2011-13), two-time SSC Boat of the Year member (2011-12), and was recognized as a 2013 NCAA Woman of the Year finalist.  

 Boudreau served as the NSU President of SAAC in 2013 and was an active member of the committee in all four years. During her presidency, Lauren raised over 5000 dollars for the Make-a-Wish foundation. She represented Nova Southeastern at the 2011 Sunshine State Conference SAAC E.L.I.T.E Weekend and was awarded the 2013 NSU Flo Hyman Award.   

Academically, Boudreau earned Dean's List honors each semester and was named the CRCA National Scholar-Athlete in 2012 and 2013. Lauren also was a member of the President 64. She was named the Alumni of the Month in June 2015.   

Boudreau graduated from NSU with her B.S. in Biology in 2013 and achieved her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern in 2017. Lauren, now a physician, is completed her residency in Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut in June 2020. Boudreau is currently in Neonatology Fellowship at the Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island with the Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University and anticipates completion in 2023. Boudreau serves on the NSU Lettermen's Association as a Charter Board Member.  

Hollie Bonewit-Cron (Coach)

Men's and Women's Swimming  

2009-2016 

Bonewit-Cron was named the first head coach for the men's and women's swimming programs in 2009, getting the Sharks into the pool and almost immediately built a national power. Serving as the coach for six seasons, she led NSU to four Sunshine State Conference Championships, five Top-10 finishes at NCAA Nationals, and two finishes in the Top-4. During her tenure, six NSU student-athletes won 12 individual NCAA National Championships, received countless NCAA All-Americans, broke two Division II records, as well as multiple individual and team CSCAA Scholar All-American honors.   

In the inaugural season (2010-11), the Sharks' men's swimming program won the first Sunshine State Conference Championship and finished 13th at the NCAA National Championship. The following season, both the men's and women's swim programs claimed victory at the 2012 Sunshine State Conference Championships. Neither program lost a dual meet in SSC races, and both teams finished nationally ranked, with the men's finishing 10th and women's 14th. Additionally, Bonewit-Cron coached Erin Black to the first individual NCAA. National Championship in NSU Women's Swimming history.   

Two Sharks represented their countries during the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, men's swimmer Esau Simpson, who raced for Grenada, and Bonewit-Cron, who coached the Grenadian team during the London Olympics. 

Original source can be found here.