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Sunday, April 27, 2014

Forward Keith Stone Discusses FGCU Offer

Keith Stone, a forward out of Zion Lutheran High School (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), received an offer from Florida Gulf Coast and Joe Dooley on Monday, April 21.

"[Joe Dooley] liked that I could play many positions since I'm 6'8" and can handle, dribble, and pass the ball well," Stone told the Eagles Nest in an interview last week. The Eagles' ability to produce post season success interested the rising 2015 forward.

"They've got a great history there since they reached the Sweet Sixteen," Stone said.

Stone led a Zion Lutheran team, coached by John Guion, to a 21-7 record in the 2013-14 season. The combo forward reached the 30 point mark multiple times, including 36 points in a win against Lake Worth Christian and fellow FGCU target Jeantal Cylla, who dropped 32 points.

Now on the AAU circuit, Stone plays with the Florida Vipers. This weekend they took home the 17U title at the Gulf Coast Hoop Fest in Biloxi, Miss.

"It's been great. I've got a great point guard in Jose Morales and a good big man in Antonio Vrankovic," Stone said. "That's really all I need to work with."

Stone's phenomenal play hasn't just garnered interest from FGCU however; South Carolina, Florida State, and Wyoming, among others, have been keeping on eye on Stone. At the moment, he has a Wyoming visit planned for August.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Florida Gulf Coast 2014 Recruiting Profile: Zach Johnson

(Courtesy of SFHS Sports)
Zach Johnson
Height & Weight: 6'2" | 180 lb.
School: Norland (Miami, Fla.)
Position: Point Guard
Rating: 3-Star
Video Playlist

Johnson's Meteoric Rise Coming At Perfect Time For FGCU

Two summers ago Zach Johnson was a little known commodity. The 6'2" guard had yet to become a household name when it came to high school basketball in the Sunshine State. That would soon change.

After spending his freshman and sophomore years at Miramar High School, Johnson transferred to nearby Miami Norland High.

"I believed my game would excel if I transferred there," Johnson said. "Also I wanted to win a state championship. I think it was the best decision for me.

The dynamic guard exploded onto the Florida scene in his junior year, building on a productive regular season to dominant the state playoffs. His impressive surge drew attention from high major schools such as Florida State and Miami.

'Game would excel' - goal accomplished.

"It was really preparation. We played great teams all year and that just prepared me for all the upcoming teams in the state playoffs," Johnson said.

Once in Lakeland for the state final four, Johnson continued to make huge strides as he lead the Vikings in scoring. With a 42-30 victory over Pine Forest, Norland captured their second straight 6A State Title.

'Win a state championship' - goal accomplished.

With back to back state titles, Norland was the 6A team to beat entering the 2013-14 season. But still, Johnson stayed focused.

"We try not to put too much pressure on ourselves. We continued to do what we did - work hard and we knew good things would come."

But before his senior season began, Johnson had to make his college decision. He held a plethora of offers, including FGCU, Murray State, Butler, and Tennessee.

Well you know how the story ends - Johnson choose the Eagles, for a multitude of reasons. One came in the form of Providence guard Christian Terrell, who had committed just months before.

"Christian was a big factor in my commitment. He's a great person and a great basketball player," Johnson said. "We will be a great backcourt."

"I loved the coaches. Dooley has great experience and has coached amazing players. Coach Fly and Coach Richter - I built a great relationship with them," Johnson added. "The school that was on me from the beginning is the one I wanted to choose. Florida Gulf Coast was there from day one and they showed me that I was number one on their list."

Knowing where he would spend the next four years, Johnson continued his tear as a Viking. Norland strode through the playoffs and secured a state title three peat with a 60-44 win over Lake Minneola. Johnson scored a game high 19 points and was eventually named to the 6A All-State team by the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches.

Johnson's spectacular climb through the high school basketball has him peaking at the right time and heading to a deep Florida Gulf Coast team that seems primed for another NCAA Tournament appearance.

Check out our two other recruiting profiles: Christian Terrell and Eric Moeller.
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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Point Guard Michael Green Talks Florida Gulf Coast Offer

South Plantation High School point guard Michael Green picked up a scholarship offer from Florida Gulf Coast on Monday night.

The Eagles offer marks the second of his young career, the first coming from Northern Arizona.

"It means a lot when it comes closer to making my decision. Not a lot of schools show interest this early," Green said about the Eagles offering early. "I like the effort they put forth into recruiting me. I know it means a lot for recruiting a small kid like I am. It shows that they really want me."

While Green is only 5'11" in the South Plantation jersey, what he lacks in height, he makes up for in quickness and finishing ability. With the high school season over, Green runs the AAU circuit with Team Breakdown - the former home of 2014 FGCU commit Zach Johnson.

"Zach has also been recruiting me. He's been telling me how much he likes the program, how good they've treated him and how he gets along with the team," Green said. "It's not just the coaches, I have a friend telling me it's a good school and good program."

Back on Feb. 8, the two guards out of southern Florida took in Florida Gulf Coast's 73-46 victory over North Florida.

"I loved the intensity of the crowd. I liked the support that the fans show to the basketball team," Green said. "The campus itself is beautiful. I could see myself staying there for the next four years when I go to college. They make me feel really comfortable. I liked the way the staff and the fans treated me."

With a Florida Gulf Coast visit and offer in his pocket, Green is also attracting interest from Florida State, UCF, USF, Mercer, and Georgia among others.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Monday, April 21, 2014

FGCU Offers Small Forward And Point Guard From South Florida

Monday became a busy night for FGCU recruiting as the Eagles extended scholarship offers to both 2015 point guard Michael Green, of South Plantation High School (Fla.), and 2015 small forward Keith Stone, of Zion Lutheran High School (Fla.).

Green is a quick 5'11" guard out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He is great at getting to the rim and has a range that extends well beyond the three point line. Considering he was just offered by #DunkCity this probably doesn't come as much of a surprise, but Green can get up and slam as well. Joe Dooley traveled to see him today and FGCU becomes his 2nd scholarship offer, the first being Northern Arizona. During the AAU season, Green plays for the same squad, Team Breakdown, as current Eagles signee Zach Johnson played for.

Another South Florida product, Keith Stone also picked up an offer from Florida Gulf Coast on Monday night. Eagles head coach Joe Dooley watched Stone in a workout. The 6'7" small forward works well inside and a nice shot fake that opens up his mid-range jumper. Stone plays smooth in transition also. FGCU's offer marks his sixth scholarship, one other comes from Atlantic Sun foe North Florida.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Friday, April 18, 2014

White Sox Ace Chris Sale Continues Domination, Lacks Run Support

Although Chris Sale's unorthodox release caused many teams to overlook him, the former Florida Gulf Coast stud has those front offices shaking their heads in regret.

Now in his fifth season with the White Sox, Sale has grown into Chicago's reliable ace. Thursday night was no exception. The southpaw built a no hitter into the sixth inning and ended the night with 10 strikeouts, and only one earned run allowed over seven innings.

Boston's Jon Lester was also working a perfect game until it was broken up in the sixth inning by Tyler Flowers. On the other hand, Sale's bid for a no hitter was broken up by a solo shot courtesy of Xander Bogaerts

"It’s kind of who is going to crack first. I think I lost that one by about 490 feet," said Sale, the two time All Star.

Unfortunately in what has become a common situation for Sale, the White Sox were unable to provide much run support. Adam Eaton's RBI single in the sixth inning scored Chicago's lone run of the contest.

"I don’t think we got outpitched or outhit," Sale said. "We got outlucked I think."

Sale threw out a career high 127 pitches and has now gone over 100 pitches in every outing this season. His 10 strikeouts also gave him his 11th career double digit strike out outing - good for fifth in White Sox history.

"That’s what I’m supposed to do, especially after a night like last night," Sale said.

Despite another phenomenal start from Sale, Chicago fell, 3-1, to Boston. He maintains a 3-0 record and 2.30 ERA for the 2014 season.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Thursday, April 17, 2014

FGCU Recruiting Notes - April 17th

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)
This week has been busy for the FGCU recruiting trail so here are some Eagles recruiting notes to stay up to date on who might be coming to Florida Gulf Coast.

Jay Wright
After it was reported that the Capser College guard would be visiting FGCU this weekend (April 18), we have found out that the visit was tentative and eventually fell through. In addition, Florida Gulf Coast is now "off his list."

Nolan Berry
The Butler transfer center will be visiting FGCU, along with Saint Louis, UC-Davis, Loyola (IL), next month. Berry was teammates with current Eagles commit Eric Moeller when the two both attended De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis. He would be a huge get for Florida Gulf Coast.

Marcus Freeman
Today (April 17), Freeman, a 6'8" power forward from Louisburg College, committed to Coastal Carolina over Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles came late to the party, offering him on April 9.

Jabari McGhee
Contrary to an earlier report, McGhee is not visiting Ole Miss this weekend, according to Rebels beat writer Hugh Kellenberger; he has already visited Western Kentucky (Feb. 21), FGCU (March 15), and Louisiana Lafayette (April 8). His 247 Crystal Ball Predictions are currently 50% Ole Miss and 50% Florida Gulf Coast, after I switched my pick from the Rebels to Dunk City.

For more on FGCU recruiting, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Sunday, April 13, 2014

Possibilities For FGCU's Open Scholarship Spot

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)
With the departures of Eric McKnight and Dajuan Graf, Florida Gulf Coast now holds one open scholarship slot for the 2014-15 season. Although it confused fans a month ago, the Eagles' continuous recruitment with the class of 2014 now makes sense. But now the question is: who will come to Dunk City and fill that final scholarship? We explore the possibilities.

FGCU dipped into the transfer market, as it was reported that the Eagles are after Butler transfer Nolan Berry. The 6'10" freshman center left the Bulldogs after he played in just 18 games. The big man was a consensus three star recruit out of De Smet Jesuit High School, where he played with Florida Gulf Coast commit Eric Moeller (Co. Central Florida). A source informed us that Dooley made a visit to Berry during the week of March 31, but Berry is waiting a bit to start taking visits.

Considering that Florida Gulf Coast returns one player who averaged over 5 rebounds a game last season (Jamail Jones - 5.6), the Eagles are looking for a big man to solidify the front court. While Berry is an option, Jabari McGhee (2014) of Hargrave Military Academy also fits the bill. The 6'7", 210 lb forward took an official visit to Dunk City on March 15 and has narrowed down his list to FGCU, Western Kentucky, Louisiana Lafayette, Ole Miss, and Georgia Tech. In addittion to Florida Gulf Coast, he has already visited Western Kentucky (Feb. 21), and ULL (April 8), and plans on visiting Ole Miss on April 18.

The Blue and Green also have their eyes on JUCO guard Jay Wright (2014) of Casper College (Casper, Wyo). According to Verbal Commits, the 6'1" guard will take an official visit to FGCU on April 18. As a starter for the Thunderbirds, Wright averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game last season.

Excluding the aforementioned, Florida Gulf Coast has offered four other recruits in the class of 2014 according to Verbal Commits: guard Jamall Gregory (Calvin Coolidge HS - Washington D.C), small forward Zach Lee (Elev8 Sports Institute - Albuquerque, NM), power forward Quadree Smith (Potomac HS - Fairfax, VA), and power forward Marcus Freeman (Louisburg College - Williamston, NC).

Starting on Monday, April 14, until Thursday, April 17, there is a NCAA dead period when coaches cannot make in person contact with recruits. The live period resumes again on April 18 and extends to April 23rd. Also worth noting is that the regular signing period begins on Wednesday, April 16.

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FGCU Baseball Falls To Jacksonville In Pitcher's Duel

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)
Despite seven phenomenal innings from junior pitcher Jack English, Florida Gulf Coast (24-13, 9-3) dropped the final game, 1-0, of their weekend series to Jacksonville.

Through the first seven innings, neither Atlantic Sun squad could seem to solve the opposing pitcher. The Eagles put their first batter on base in the 8th inning when Nick Rivera singled to left field. Unfortunately, the Blue and Green couldn't advance a runner past second in the inning.

On the other side of the coin, the Dolphins faced similar troubles. Junior Jack English (Delray Beach, Fla.) stumped JU batters for 7.1 innings as he struck out three while only giving up six hits. But in the eighth, Jacksonville finally broke through when Angelo Amendolare doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch from freshman Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla.).

The Eagles, with Gage Morey due up, faced a 1-0 deficit heading into the top of the ninth. It looked promising to start the inning, as Morey tripled to right center, but he was immediately caught stealing home. With one out, Alex Diaz singled but no Eagles could advance him further.

Despite dropping this final game of the weekend, Florida Gulf Coast still took home a series win, outscoring the Dolphins 16-6 over the three contests. Sitting at 9-3 in conference play, the Eagles hold 2nd place in the Atlantic Sun; Mercer sits in 1st with a 12-2 A-Sun record.

Before continuing Atlantic Sun play with North Florida next weekend, FGCU plays host to the No. 12 Florida Gators on Tuesday night at Swanson Stadium. Florida Gulf Coast split two games with the Gators earlier this year; they won the first meeting, 2-1, on Feb. 27 before falling 4-0, two days later. The two teams met at Hammond Stadium last season as well. The Gators defeated FGCU, 5-3, behind five innings of work from Bobby Poyner.

In addition, the Eagles have already took the field at Swanson once this season, against Miami. Despite an evenly matched affair through nine innings, the Hurricanes scored three runs in extras to take home a win.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Friday, April 11, 2014

Eric McKnight And Dajuan Graf Will Not Return Next Season

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson) 
Florida Gulf Coast rising senior center Eric McKnight and rising junior guard Dajuan Graf will not be returning to the FGCU program next season.

According to a Florida Gulf Coast release, Graf will seek a program closer to home (Charlotte, NC) while McKnight plans to graduate in May, forgo his final year of eligibility, and start his professional career.

Graf, who often came off the bench to give starting point guard Brett Comer a breather, averaged 4.9 points while finishing second on the team in assists with 73 last season. He took care of the ball well and was a phenomenal facilitator.

“Dajuan improved his game significantly from last year to this past season, and we’re extremely grateful for all of his contributions to FGCU the last two years.” Dooley said in the release.

During the 2013-14 season, McKnight recorded 21 starts in his 23 games played following his 12 game suspension to start the season. During that time, the former Iowa State transfer tallied 6.9 points, and 5.1 rebounds a game.

“Like Dajuan, Eric has also taken his game to the next level over the past year. He certainly will be missed, but we respect his decision to get his degree and begin the next chapter of his life. We wish both Dajuan and Eric nothing but the best moving forward as I believe both of their best basketball is still in front of them," Dooley said.

With their departures, the Eagles are now one under the scholarship limit for next season. Coming out of high school are guards Christian Terrell and Zach Johnson while center Eric Moeller leaves the JUCO ranks to accompany them. Transfers Brian Greene Jr., Julian DeBose, Marc-Eddy Norelia, and Nick Pellar will all be available after coming off their red-shirt season.

With that in mind, FGCU has still been active in the class of 2014. Power forward Jabari McGhee visited on March 15th and the Eagles are on his final list of five schools. Florida Gulf Coast is also pursuing Butler transfer Nolan Berry, a former teammate of Eric Moeller. JUCO guard Jay Wright will reportedly take a visit to Dunk City on April 18th.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Florida Gulf Coast Offers JUCO Power Forward

FGCU offered 2014 power forward Marcus Freeman of Louisburg College today, according to his Twitter account. Louisburg is a North Carolina based JUCO that finished 35-2 this season. Freeman, a 6'8" 240 pound power forward, averaged 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds the past year.

According to Rivals, Freeman already held offers Buffalo, Chattanooga, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Tennessee Tech, and Washington State. Coming out of Riverdale High School, where he averaged a double double in 2012, his choices were limited due to academic status and eventually Freeman chose Louisburg (via Washington Daily)

In what was expected to be a quiet offseason with all scholarships filled, the Eagles have been surprisingly active with the class of 2014.

Power forward Jabari McGhee visited Dunk City on March 15, and FGCU is on his final list of five schools. The Eagles are also going after Butler transfer Nolan Berry, a former teammate of Florida Gulf Coast commit Eric Moeller.

While a big man seems to be a priority, the Eagles are chasing some guards as well. In early February they offered 2014 guard Jamall Gregory out of Washington, D.C. It was also recently reported that 2014 Casper College guard Jay Wright will be taking an official visit to FGCU on April 18th.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Florida Gulf Coast 2014 Recruiting Profile: Christian Terrell

(Courtesy of NDN)
Christian Terrell
Height & Weight: 6'4" | 185 lb.
School: Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Position: Shooting Guard
Rating: 2-Star
Video Playlist


Terrell No Stranger To #DunkCity Or Big Stage

Some fans felt it just wouldn't be right if Christian Terrell ended up somewhere other than Florida Gulf Coast, for there might not be a better match between player and school than #DunkCity and the Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.) guard.

It began in a summer league contest with the Stallions; Terrell caught a transition pass from teammate Grayson Allen and "I just tried to dunk it and...it was crazy," Terrell said.

To call it a dunk would be under appreciating its ferocity. Soon, the rimming shaking slam was picked up by every major sports news outlet.

"I woke up the next morning and my friends told me turn on SportsCenter and I didn't know why," Terrell said. "Then I saw it."

So, clearly Terrell is a walking highlight reel but don't get the wrong impression. The 6'4" guard can do more than just throw down. After Providence went 2-2 in the nearby City of Palms Classic during December, Terrell took home the tournament's three point contest title as well.

"I'm just an all around player pretty much. I don't do anything too great, but everything pretty well," Terrell said.

In the City of Palms Classic, Terrell averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds against nationally ranked teams such as Montverde Academy and Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.).

That isn't uncommon for Terrell and the Stallions; they consistently compete against some of the best talent in the nation. Providence has battled with four teams ranked in the USA Today High School Top 50 final rankings. At two points during the season, the Jacksonville based school was ranked 24th in the country. They took home the 3A state title in 2013 before falling in the semifinals in 2014.

"That just gets me ready for the next level," said Terrell, whose team has traveled all across the Sunshine state and even to South Carolina to play top level squads.

On one such trip, the 2014 Eagles commit matched up against fellow FGCU signee Zach Johnson of Miami Norland. At the Wally Keller Classic, Providence and Terrell (17 points) got the better of Norland despite Johnson's 21 points.

“It was really exciting. Zach is really good. I think we will back a great backcourt in the future," Terrell said on Jan. 17. "I think we will compliment each other really well.

Not only is Terrell sizing up against some of the best in the country, but the Florida Gulf Coast commit is playing amongst some major talent as well. Fellow guard Grayson Allen has signed to play at Duke, and forward Wyatt Walker holds offers from multiple Atlantic Sun schools.

"Playing with other talented guys you have to learn to share the ball and everything like that - you have so much talent on the team and everyone can score," Allen, a McDonald's All American, said.

With loads of experience, both in dunks and high level competition, Terrell can contribute right away for the Eagles. They'll be looking to win the Atlantic Sun title and secure a NCAA bid once again.

"That is our goal for sure and I think we can do it," Terrell said.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Eagles In The Pros Update: MLB and Minor Leagues

With Major League Baseball finishing its opening week of the season, the FGCU Eagles Nest took a look at some former Eagles now in the MLB and minor leagues. Check out how they're doing so far and feel free to use this page as an index of easy links for the future.

Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox)
The only current major leaguer who made their way from Swanson Stadium, Sale is now 2-0 on the season. He took the mound on Opening Day and went 7.1 innings while giving up three earned runs and striking out eight. In his second outing, the southpaw went 8 innings and gave up no earned runs, while striking out six batters. His slider continues to dominate the South Side of Chicago. White Sox veteran Paul Konerko said "I don't think I've ever played with a lefty with as good stuff as him."

Casey Coleman (Free Agent)
The Chicago Cubs cut Coleman after the former FGCU pitcher spent his entire career in Chicago following his selection in the 15th round of the 2008 draft. He is headed to Arizona to work out and throw while he awaits other teams' calls. (Des Moines Register)

Richard Bleier (Buffalo Bisons (AAA) - Toronto Blue Jays)
The former FGCU lefty has recorded some big league time and has pitched once already this season for the Bisons (1.2 innings - 0 earned runs). He holds the most experience besides Coleman and Sale and is definitely a name to watch.

Harrison Cooney (Burlington Bees (A) - LA Angels)
Drafted by the Angels in the 6th round of the 2013 Draft, Cooney picked up his first win already with the Bees. He is one of the Eagles brightest young prospects.

Brandon Bednar (Augusta GreenJackets (A) - SF Giants)
Another Eagle selected in the 2013 Draft, Bednar is off to a hot start, hitting .500 with the GreenJackets - that team name has to be one of the best in the minors as well.

Ricky Knapp (Savannah Sand Gnats (A) - New York Mets)
Knapp possess phenomenal command of his pitches, to go along with a game IQ. He has yet to see time with the Gnats, but there is no doubt he'll make his mark felt whenever he takes the mound.

Brandon Bixler (Cedar Rapids Kernels (A) - Minnesota Twins)
The recent Twins draftee already has two innings of his shutout ball under his belt. Be sure to watch this former Eagles' growth.

Mike Reeves (Dunedin Blue Jays (A) - Toronto Blue Jays)
The former FGCU catcher has made one appearance already and will be playing for the Florida based team, trying to achieve the big goal of returning to Canada to play for the Blue Jays.

Sean Dwyer (Modesto Nuts (A) - Colorado Rockies)
Another 2013 draftee, Dwyer has knocked in 3 RBIs already on the season, all coming from a double and a triple. He has taken advantage of his increased playing time.

Tim Roberson (Greenville Drive (A) - Boston Red Sox)
A 2009 Atlantic Sun All First Team selection, Roberson signed, undrafted, to the Red Sox and just began his 2nd season in Greenville.

Jacob Barnes (Brevard County Manatees (A) - Milwaukee Brewers)
He has already pitched five innings of shutout ball for the Manatees in 2014.

Stephen Wickens (New Britain Rock Cats (AA) - Minnesota Twins)
After spending last season with the nearby Fort Myers Miracle, Wickens was promoted to the Rock Cats in late March.
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Monday, April 7, 2014

Joe Dooley Rumors Continue To Swirl

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)
Although Boston College filled their head coaching vacancy, Joe Dooley's name has once again been thrown out there for another job: Tulsa.

Jeff Goodman of ESPN was the first, and really the only one to report Dooley as a candidate for the Golden Hurricanes' job after coach Danny Manning left for Wake Forest. That tweet started a firestorm of rumors and reasons why Dooley would make sense at the new position.

Well, the former Kansas assistant returned from Dallas and declined to comment on his named being linked to the vacancy.

“I’m not going to comment on any jobs,” Dooley said in a news-press.com article. “If your name is associated with jobs, it’s because you and your guys did a good job.”

In Dooley's first season, worth $225,000 and part of a five year deal, the Eagles went 22-13, falling in the Atlantic Sun finals to Mercer and then to Florida State in the first round of the NIT.

From his years on the Jayhawks' bench, Dooley holds many ties to Tulsa. Newly named Wake Forest head coach Danny Manning, who just left Tulsa, was a longtime assistant under Bill Self (2006-2012) before being hired by the Golden Hurricanes. Interestingly enough, Dooley's name was also linked to the Tulsa job back in 2012, prior to Manning's hiring.

According to the Tulsa World, the Golden Hurricanes, who are headed to the newly formed American Athletic Conference this offseason, "prepared to make Manning the first coach in program history to make as much as $1 million annually."

With Manning gone and Tulsa now on the prowl, FGCU fans hold their breath to see if they will lose their 2nd coach in as many seasons. At the moment, Dooley has yet to been contacted by anyone from Tulsa (via naplesnews.com).

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Friday, April 4, 2014

Murray Leads Eagles To 5-0 Win Over Kennesaw State

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)
Florida Gulf Coast ace Michael Murray continued his season long domination on Friday night, pitching nine innings of shutout ball as the Eagles soared to a 5-0 victory over conference foe Kennesaw State.

Murray, a West Palm Beach, Fla. native, only allowed four base runners and struck out four batters as well. With the win, he is now 7-0 on the season and has a .43 era, good for 4th in the entire nation.

The FGCU bats started early to gave Murray some support. With Michael Suchy on first and Colton Bottomley on second in the first inning, third baseman Zack Tillery doubled down the left field line to send both runners home. Gage Morey and Tyler Selesky contributed RBIs in the third innings to build the Eagles lead up to 5.

The Owls couldn't get anything off of Murray, and the closest Kennesaw State got was in the final frame when they put runners on second and third with two outs. Murray, however, finished the complete game by causing a groundout to second base.

The FGCU ace has now completed 62.2 innings on the season, giving up only three earned runs during that span. His 57 strikeouts during that period are top ten in the nation.

The Eagles (20-11, 6-1) face off agains the Owls in game two of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. - Nick Deckert will take the mound at Swanson Stadium.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Sherwood Brown And Maine Red Claws Conclude Season

(Courtesy of Mike McSweeney)
The Maine Red Claws concluded their season on Friday night as Sherwood Brown contributed five points, and they fell to the Iowa Energy, 142-122.

Maine finished the year 19-31 and will not qualify for the NBA Development League playoffs. They encountered multiple problems throughout the season including Romero Osby and Kammron Taylor going down with season ending injuries. To bring in backcourt depth, the Red Claws signed Florida Gulf Coast alumnus Sherwood Brown in early January.

"I was waiting for my moment to get another opportunity," Brown said on Jan. 19. "As the days went by I got more anxious to get back out there."

In his first appearance in a Crustaceans uniform, Brown tallied seven points in front of his former coach and current USC head man Andy Enfield.

"It just shows he [Enfield] still cares about us" Brown said. "I didn't even speak to him before the game and didn't know he was going to be there."

The 2013 Atlantic Sun Player of the Year continued to grow from there and recorded a double-double on Jan. 25. The best performance of his professional came on March 21 as he recorded 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. The minutes and starts kept growing after multiple teammates received NBA call ups.

"Opportunities present themselves in mysterious ways," Brown said on March 25. "You can never really ask for an opportunity. They just appear and you have to grasp it and take advantage."

In his rookie season, Brown got the start on four occasions and put up double digit scoring numbers in eight contests. In total, the 6'4" made appearances in 30 games.

Final Season Average: 22 minutes, 7.3 points (46.2 FG%, 35.7 3-PT FG%), 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists


For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Florida Gulf Coast 2014 Recruiting Profile: Eric Moeller

Eric Moeller 
Height & Weight: 6'11" | 220 lb.
School: College of Central Florida
Position: Center
Rating: 2-Star
Video Playlist 


Long Journey Leaves Moeller At Dunk City's Doorstep 

Ocala, Fla. is a three hour drive from the sunny beaches of Florida Gulf Coast. St. Louis, Mo? That takes a little longer, about 16 hours to be exact.

For 2014 FGCU commit Eric Moeller, it has been a long journey to say the least. Out of De Smet Jesuit High School (St. Louis), the 6'11" center was initially recruited by the Florida Gulf Coast, among others.

"My dream was always to play at a big school," said Moeller, who decided to forgo other offers and walk onto the Missouri basketball team for the 2012-13 season.

But his stint with Tigers didn't work out, and eventually he had another decision to make. Coming out of high school, FGCU was Moeller's No. 1 and an obvious choice, but he had some eligibility issues to sort out.

"Florida Gulf Coast suggested I went to Central Florida [Ocala, Fla.] for a year - somewhere close," Moeller said.

Beginning the 2013-14 JUCO season with the Patriots, Moeller put up consistent numbers including a season high 13 points against State College of Florida on Dec. 14. But due to some more eligibility issues, the 6'11" big man didn't see any time in the new year.

"It was tough not being able to play the 2nd half of the season," Moeller said. "I'm really just trying to focus on getting stronger. I've still been working despite the fact that I haven't been able to play."

Now getting into the gym more often, Moeller feels he can add more strength and weight to make him a bigger threat on the glass. As well as improve his rebounding, the De Smet grad is looking to regain his shot blocking abilities.

"I was a good shot blocker in high school and then I got to the college level and it was a lot faster and I kind of lost my timing," Moeller said. "Hopefully I can get some of that back."

But when Moeller starts his career with the Eagles, expect him to live up to the FGCU adopted hash tag: #RainingThrees.

"Biggest thing for me that has come about has been my shooting. I was always a good shooter in high school but I never played on the perimeter. I was always the five man," Moeller said. "When I came here to Central Florida, I became one of the best shooters on the team in terms of 3 point shooting."

He continued by saying "I'm definitely a mismatch nightmare. I can play on the outside if they put a big man on me. If they put me down low and a smaller guy guards me, I have post moves to score. I can work inside and out."

So around two years removed from the end of his high school days, Moeller is primed to begin his FGCU career. Who do Eagle fans have to thank for the much needed front court depth?

"Coach Richter, he's done everything to recruit me. He stuck with me for the past couple years - I've been pretty happy about that," Moeller said.

While he'll be training in the gym prior to joining the team for the 2nd session in July, Moeller is also working hard for the Eagles in another way. He'll be trying to get Butler transfer and former high school teammate Nolan Berry to join him in the friendly confines of Alico Arena.

"He knew I wanted him to come down to Florida Gulf Coast and play with me. I was really excited about that possibility and he agreed with me, he would love to play with me again and said FGCU was definitely near the top of his list," Moeller said.

Both standing at 6'10" at the time, Berry and Moeller proved to be dominant teammates at De Smet Jesuit.

"Playing with Nolan was amazing. One of the best parts of his game is being such a great passer," Moeller said. "Also, having another 6-10 guy made it pretty tough to guard both of us."

Regardless of Berry's future, Moeller is anxious to turn the page and begin the next chapter of his story.

"I'm definitely ready to get there," Moeller said.

For more on FGCU recruiting, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Report: FGCU Head Coach Joe Dooley A Candidate For Boston College Job

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)
According to Jeff Goodman of ESPN, Florida Gulf Coast's Joe Dooley has emerged as a legitimate candidate for the vacant head coaching job at Boston College.

The Eagles are searching to fill the position after they fired Steve Donahue following a 8-24 season that ended in a first round exit in the ACC tournament.

Dooley, who's making $225,000 annually, just finished up a 22-13 season with FGCU. The Blue and Green captured a share of the Atlantic Sun regular season title before falling to Mercer in the A-Sun title game. Prior to his time in Dunk City, he served as an assistant coach under Bill Self at Kansas for 10 years.

A New Jersey native, Dooley played prep basketball at St. Benedict's and moved on to play at George Washington in college. He brings a wealth of Northeast experience and knowledge to the table.

At this time, athletic director Ken Kavanagh has not been contacted by Boston College and is not "concerned" (via NDN).

UPDATE: Tuesday, April 1. 4:30 p.m.

Joe Dooley has not talked with Boston College and was surprised ESPN mentioned him as a candidate. He is "very happy" at FGCU and doesn't even have an agent. (Via Dana Caldwell)


For more on the situation, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)
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