Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic Adds Dynamic Transfer Manuela Piljevic
4/21/2026 2:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic women's basketball Head Coach LeAnn Freeland added another notable NJCAA transfer to the Owls' 2026-27 class in junior guard Manuela Piljevic.
Piljevic, a native of Wollongong, Australia, joins the Owls following her sophomore season at Dodge City Community College.
"Mani brings a great amount of versatility and skill to our program," expressed coach Freeland. "She's a highly efficient scorer who has great range from three, takes advantage of mismatches on the low block, and reads defenders extremely well. Her high motor and basketball IQ make her extremely hard to defend, and she makes her teammates better with her selfless passing. Mani helped lead Dodge City to one of its best seasons to date, and her competitive spirit is evident when watching her play. We are excited to see her thrive in our system and are confident she will be an impact player for us. Our coaching staff and players are excited to announce Mani Piljevic is an Owl!"
During her sophomore season at Dodge City, Piljevic had a breakout season, competing in all 33 games while making 32 starts for the Conquistadors. The 2026 KJCCC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference honoree helped lead the Conquistadors to the second round of the NJCAA DI Tournament and the KJCCC Tournament semifinals. She led Dodge City in scoring, recording 457 points, averaging a team-best 13.6 points per game and shooting 46.6 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 82.5 percent from the line. In addition, Piljevic added 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest this past season.
She scored in double figures 26 times, including five 20-point performances, and one 30-point game, scoring a career-best 32 points at Seward on March 4. Piljevic also recorded two double-doubles, collecting a career-best 13 rebounds with 15 points against Hutchinson Community College on Dec. 10, and tallying 12 boards and 13 points at Pratt Community College on Dec. 13. She also dished out a season-best five assists against Laramie County Community College on Nov. 15 and Colby Community College on Dec. 3.
Before arriving at Dodge City, Piljevic started her collegiate career at the University of Albany, where she appeared in seven games as a freshman. In addition, Piljevic competed for the Serbian U20 National Team and with the Serbian FIBA U20 EuroBasket Team in 2024 and 2025.
Prior to her collegiate career, Piljevic played at Holy Spirit College and competed at the club level with the Sutherland Sharks, earning the 2022 Sharks Rookie of the Year and 2021 Sharks U18G Coach's Award honors.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are now available for the 2026-27 season. Click here to renew (by May 15), purchase new season tickets, or join the premium waitlist.
FOLLOW THE OWLS
For updates, follow @FAUWBB_Hoops on X and @FAUWBB on Instagram, or like Florida Atlantic Women's Basketball on Facebook.
Piljevic, a native of Wollongong, Australia, joins the Owls following her sophomore season at Dodge City Community College.
"Mani brings a great amount of versatility and skill to our program," expressed coach Freeland. "She's a highly efficient scorer who has great range from three, takes advantage of mismatches on the low block, and reads defenders extremely well. Her high motor and basketball IQ make her extremely hard to defend, and she makes her teammates better with her selfless passing. Mani helped lead Dodge City to one of its best seasons to date, and her competitive spirit is evident when watching her play. We are excited to see her thrive in our system and are confident she will be an impact player for us. Our coaching staff and players are excited to announce Mani Piljevic is an Owl!"
During her sophomore season at Dodge City, Piljevic had a breakout season, competing in all 33 games while making 32 starts for the Conquistadors. The 2026 KJCCC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference honoree helped lead the Conquistadors to the second round of the NJCAA DI Tournament and the KJCCC Tournament semifinals. She led Dodge City in scoring, recording 457 points, averaging a team-best 13.6 points per game and shooting 46.6 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 82.5 percent from the line. In addition, Piljevic added 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest this past season.
She scored in double figures 26 times, including five 20-point performances, and one 30-point game, scoring a career-best 32 points at Seward on March 4. Piljevic also recorded two double-doubles, collecting a career-best 13 rebounds with 15 points against Hutchinson Community College on Dec. 10, and tallying 12 boards and 13 points at Pratt Community College on Dec. 13. She also dished out a season-best five assists against Laramie County Community College on Nov. 15 and Colby Community College on Dec. 3.
Before arriving at Dodge City, Piljevic started her collegiate career at the University of Albany, where she appeared in seven games as a freshman. In addition, Piljevic competed for the Serbian U20 National Team and with the Serbian FIBA U20 EuroBasket Team in 2024 and 2025.
Prior to her collegiate career, Piljevic played at Holy Spirit College and competed at the club level with the Sutherland Sharks, earning the 2022 Sharks Rookie of the Year and 2021 Sharks U18G Coach's Award honors.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are now available for the 2026-27 season. Click here to renew (by May 15), purchase new season tickets, or join the premium waitlist.
FOLLOW THE OWLS
For updates, follow @FAUWBB_Hoops on X and @FAUWBB on Instagram, or like Florida Atlantic Women's Basketball on Facebook.
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