Florida Gulf Coast Eagles | |
---|---|
University | Florida Gulf Coast University |
Conference |
Atlantic Sun Conference Coastal Collegiate Sports Association |
NCAA | Division I |
Athletic director | Ken Kavanagh |
Location | Fort Myers, Florida |
Varsity teams | 15 |
Basketball arena | Alico Arena |
Baseball stadium | Swanson Stadium |
Other arenas | FGCU Soccer Complex |
Nickname | Eagles |
Fight song | Hail to the Eagles |
Colors | Cobalt Blue and Emerald Green |
Website | www |
The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (also FGCU) refer to the fifteen sports teams representing Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis; women's-only softball, swimming and diving, indoor volleyball, and sand volleyball; and men's-only baseball. The Eagles compete in the NCAA Division I and are members of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN). FGCU is also notable as the youngest institution competing in NCAA Division I, having been officially founded in 1991 and started classes in 1997.
FGCU athletics began in the NAIA. In 2002, Florida Gulf Coast became an independent member of NCAA Division II. In 2006, Florida Gulf Coast applied for NCAA Division I status and became a transitory Division I effective in the 2007–08 season. Florida Gulf Coast became a full Division I member on August 11, 2011.
In the 2013 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, FGCU became the first number 15 seed to advance to the Sweet 16.
A member of the ASUN Conference, Florida Gulf Coast sponsors teams in six men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
FGCU Athletics earned $4.5 million in revenue for the 2015 fiscal year, with revenue from ticket sales earning over $800,000 for FY 2015. Men’s basketball is the athletic department’s “cash cow.” Men's and women's basketball account for over $600,000, and baseball draws $28,000 in ticket revenue.
The FGCU baseball team became eligible to compete in the NCAA post season in the 2010 season after the two-year NCAA reclassifying period. FGCU has several former baseball players playing in the minor leagues, and has two pitchers (Chris Sale and Richard Bleier) pitching in the majors.