Filip Cvjeticanin To Undergo Back Surgery, Redshirt 2014-15 Season

(Courtesy of Captive Photons)

Florida Gulf Coast senior forward Filip Cvjeticanin will undergo back surgery in Europe this week and redshirt the 2014-15 season, the school announced Monday. He will then return to the court in 2015-16 for his senior season.

“Filip’s back has plagued him for some time. He hasn’t been able to lift weights and has missed valuable practice time,” Dooley said in the release. “This procedure will hopefully fix those issues. It gives him some time to get stronger and continue to develop. We’re looking forward to having him rehab here at FGCU following the procedure and expect him to contribute significantly during the 2015-16 season.

Cvjeticanin averaged 6.8 points and 2.7 rebounds a game for the Eagles last season. His 40.1 3-PT FG% led the team and his absence will hurt FGCU's long range potency. His 55 made threes were only matched by guard Bernard Thompson.

The Eagles return starters Brett Comer, Bernard Thompson, and Jamail Jones, but lose senior Chase Fieler and transfers Eric McKnight and Dajuan Graf.

Guards Christian Terrell and Zach Johnson, and big men Eric Moeller, and Demetris Morant round out FGCU's recruiting class. The latter of the four is awaiting a decision on a hardship waiver that would give him eligibility to play immediately. Meanwhile, transfers Julian DeBose, Brian Greene Jr., and Marc-Eddy Norelia will all be coming off redshirt years.

With probably the most talented squad in program history, the Eagles have been tabbed as early favorites to win the Atlantic Sun.

Their full schedule has yet to be released but Xavier, Pittsburgh, UC Santa Barbara, and South Dakota State headline their list of confirmed opponents.

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FGCU Women's Basketball Hires Former Arkansas Assistant Nicki Collen

Florida Gulf Coast has hired former Arkansas assistant Nicki Collen to fill the FGCU women's basketball assistant coaching vacancy, the school announced Monday.

"Nicki has a very high basketball IQ and a great wealth of experience. We thought she was a great fit for our staff and would really do well at FGCU," said head coach Karl Smeskso.

Collen coached under her husband, Tom Collen, at Arkansas from 2011-2013 and prior to that, served as an assistant coach (2003-2004) and director of basketball operations (2004-2005) at Louisville. During her playing career, Collen had success at both Purdue and Marquette, as well as professional season in Greece.

"She has a lot of contacts and experience evaluating high level talent. She has a good idea of the type of players we're looking for," Smekso said. "I think she'll be able to make the transition from Arkansas to Florida Gulf Coast pretty quickly."

FGCU director of basketball operations Mel Thomas and Drake assistant David Lane were the two other finalists for the position that became open when assistant Abby Scharlow resigned.

Meanwhile, Smesko expects that assistant Chelsea Lyles will be named recruiting coordinator, in place of Scharlow.

"We expect that's the direction we'll go. We haven't made an official announcement yet but that should be coming shortly," Smesko said.

The Eagles are returning from a 26-8 season in which they fell to Oklahoma State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They suffer the departure of lone senior Sarah Hansen but retain a plethora of talent.

"We think we'll have a very good team. We know it will be a great challenge just to get back to the NCAA Tournament. We feel that we are a team that if we get there, we have the potential to win games in the tournament," Smesko said. "We're definitely excited about the possibility of getting back but we know there's a lot of work to be done if we're going to achieve that goal."

Smesko brings in incoming freshman guard Tayler Goodall (Colombus North HS, Ind.) as well as Vanderbilt transfer Kady Schrann. The latter of the two will have to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules.

Their full schedule has not been released, but FGCU will be competing at the Paradise Jam against Wichita State, Ohio State, and Clemson. In addition, they have contests against Southern Miss, FIU, Bethune Cookman, California State Northridge, and St. Joseph's, according to the News-Press.

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FGCU Attendance Ranks First In The Atlantic Sun

The NCAA recently released its annual men's basketball attendance statistics and Florida Gulf Coast, with an average attendance of 4,340, ranked first in the Atlantic Sun.

Across the entire Atlantic Sun there was an average attendance of 1,933 - putting the A-Sun at 25th among the 32 conferences in the nation.

FGCU was one of only five schools (Nebraska, Syracuse, Virginia, and SMU) in the country to see an attendance increase of over 2,000. The Eagles grew from an average of 2,291 fans in 2012-13 to 4,340 in 2013-14. Of the 13 Division I schools in Florida, the Eagles stood at No. 6 behind Florida, FSU, Miami, USF, and UCF.

Coming off a Atlantic Sun regular season title and a NIT appearance, FGCU heads into the 2014-15 season with arguably the strongest roster in program history. It's possible that the Eagles will break their attendance record, again.

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FGCU Women's Basketball To Compete In Paradise Jam

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

It was announced today that the Florida Gulf Coast women's basketball team will compete in the Paradise Jam for the second time.

The eight team event takes place in the US Virgin Islands from Nov. 27 through Nov. 29. It is split into two tournaments, comprised of four teams each. FGCU was placed in the Island Division and will face off against Wichita State, Clemson, and Ohio State.

The Shockers, FGCU's first opponent, finished last season with a 26-7 record, including a 14-4 mark in Missouri Valley play. As a 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, they fell, 62-56, to No. 3 Penn State.

Next up on the Eagles' Paradise Jam slate is Clemson. The Tigers struggled to a 13th place finish in the ACC and a 13-19 overall record last year. To finish the tournament, Florida Gulf Coast will take on Ohio State (17-18, 5-11), of the Big Ten Conference.

In the program's first appearance at the Paradise Jam, in 2012, FGCU left with losses to DePaul and South Carolina, and a win over Hampton.

This off-season, the Eagles are coming off an Atlantic Sun Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. The Blue and Green lost an overtime heart breaker, 61-60, to Oklahoma State in the Big Dance.

They suffer the departure of all time leading scorer Sarah Hansen, but return a plethora of talented players. Whitney Knight and Stephanie Haas will look to build off of double digit scoring campaigns while Jenna Cobb is also primed for a breakout season.

Head Coach Karl Smesko also brings in lone incoming freshman Tayler Goodall, of Columbus North HS (Ind.). Goodall recently competed in the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game, tallying five points and receiving the Wooden Citizenship Award.

Schedule At Paradise Jam
Nov. 27, 4:30 p.m: vs. Wichita State
Nov. 28, 4:30 p.m: vs. Clemson
Nov. 29, 4:30 p.m: vs. Ohio State

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FGCU Among Powerhouse Schools Recruiting 2016 SG Eli Wright

(via Future150)

With college basketball recruiting becoming even more competitive, FGCU is already scouting out the class of 2016. And when it comes to 6-foot-5 shooting guard Eli Wright, the Eagles aren't afraid to go head-to-head against some of the nations powerhouse programs.

Florida Gulf Coast started showing interest in Wright in early June and contacted the Apollo High School (Owensboro, Ky.) star on Sunday, the first day coaches could begin to call and text rising juniors. Wright currently has offers from Mississippi State, Western Kentucky, Winthrop, Oklahoma State, UAB, Eastern Kentucky, Purdue, and Atlantic Sun member Northern Kentucky.

But his explosive play this spring has also garnered the attention of the nation's top tier schools. According to AllMetroHoops, Wright heard from Indiana head coach Tom Crean at midnight. He also was contacted by Tennessee, Ohio State, and the 2013 NCAA Champion Louisville Cardinals. Wright visited the Cardinals last week and told the Eagles Nest visiting FGCU is a 'possibility' as well.

His play with grassroots club Hoop Dreams has sprung him up recruiting boards and he is now ranked as the 36th player in the nation by Future150.

This will be a big test for Joe Dooley and FGCU recruiting, but I think they're up for the challenge. The Eagles will watch Wright, as well as his AAU teammates Malik Dow (6'5" SF), Jaiveon Eaves (6'2" SG), and Will Hager (6'2" PG), during the live period in July.

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FGCU And FIU Agree To Four Year Basketball Series

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

Florida Gulf Coast will start a four year men's basketball series with FIU, Eagles athletic director Ken Kavanagh announced on Tuesday.

This season, Florida International will start the series by visiting FGCU on Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. Then, the Eagles will headed to FIU in 2015 and 2017, while the Golden Panthers return to Dunk City in 2016.

With the Golden Panthers and Eagles participating in a home-and-home series the past two years, this deal guarantees the two teams will play for six years, straight.

In 2012, FGCU defeated FIU, 76-73, behind double digit scoring efforts from Chase Fieler, Bernard Thompson, Brett Comer, and Christophe Varide. Last year however, the Eagles shot an abysmal 2 for 14 from beyond the arc and fell 72-61 to FIU.

FGCU has 10 non-conference opponents set for the 2014-15 season. They play host to Furman (Dec. 18), FIU (Dec. 14), and UCSB on an unknown date. The Eagles also return the Gauchos favor and head to UC Santa Barbara for the second game of the series. In addition to three games at the Gulf Coast Showcase (Nov. 24-26), they also have 'guarantee' games at Xavier, and Pittsburgh, as well as a visit to Iona.

With the strongest roster in program history, Florida Gulf Coast has had trouble finding willing opponents.

"We're in that situation where we've gotten more successful so teams are more leery of coming to play us because they know how hard it is to win at Alico Arena," Kavanagh said.

Kavanagh and FGCU have relentlessly tried to add fellow Sunshine State schools to their schedule, seeing the benefits for both participants.

"Unfortunately right now there's been a reluctance by most of those schools to play us. It's disappointing we'd think it'd be a good game for those schools from a marketing and RPI standpoint," Kavanagh said. "Many of those schools have FGCU alums in the area. We have pockets of FGCU fans everywhere. When we played FIU, that was probably one of their biggest crowds of the year."

CHECK OUT THE EAGLES' 2014-15 SCHEDULE

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FGCU Baseball: Hidden Ball Trick In Northwoods League

Most college baseball players spend their summers sharpening their skills in collegiate summer leagues. A popular destination for FGCU athletes is the Northwoods League, located in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and even Canada. In a recent game between the Willmar Stingers and Waterloo Bucks, a few FGCU stars faced off against each other.

After Florida Gulf Coast catcher Blake Berger (Waterloo) reached first base, he stole second on a wild pitch in the dirt. Although Berger was initially safe, Willmar shortstop Max Dutto secretly kept the ball and applied the tag after Berger stepped off the bag. This was all assisted by the small talk of Berger's FGCU teammate, and Willmar second baseman Brian Pruett.

Enjoy the video:

Pruett is hitting .188 with 5 RBIs so far this summer and fellow FGCU infielder Nick Rivera, also with Willmar, is holding an average of .283 to go along with 9 RBIs and a home run. Eagles righties Brady Anderson (2-0, .90 ERA) and Garrett Anderson (0-1, 2.45 ERA) don the Stingers uniform as well.

Florida Gulf Coast finished this season with a 39-22 record and fell to No. 4 Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. Eagles Michael Suchy, Zack Tillery, and Ryan Atwood were all selected in the MLB Draft. Suchy has already signed and the same is expected for Tillery. FGCU signee Dash Winningham was drafted by the Mets and has already signed while Devin Smeltzer fell to the 33rd round and it looks as if he will be headed to Fort Myers.

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Florida Gulf Coast 2014 Recruiting Profile: Devin Smeltzer

Devin Smeltzer
Height & Weight: 6'3" | 190 lb.
School: Bishop Eustace Prep (NJ)
Position: LHP

When a pitcher and batter duel in a long at bat, it's often referred to as a battle. While Eagles signee Devin Smeltzer experienced this at Bishop Eustace Prep, the 6-foot-4 southpaw encountered a more perilous battle off the diamond.

At the age of 10, Smeltzer was diagnosed with cancer and was held out of school for long periods of time. "I was diagnosed and then went through a year of treatments and then it went into remission," Smeltzer said.

Throughout his battle with cancer however, the Voorhees, NJ never left left the game of baseball.

"It gave me a normal life because I couldn't go to school. Just being able to play the game kept me active and kept me being a kid," Smeltzer said.

Eventually, two Decembers ago, his cancer was completely cured. Despite that, Smeltzer takes the lessons with him whenever he takes the mound.

"It makes me treat every game like its my last," Smeltzer said.

Sticking to 'America's past time', he developed into a college and professional prospect. His fastball reached the low 90s and his slider has nasty break. Smeltzer's talent caught the eye of Perfect Game, and he was invited to the Perfect Game All American Classic.

"It was a blast and a ton of fun playing in a big park with the pro lifestyle," Smeltzer said.

Months earlier, Smeltzer had committed to Florida Gulf Coast.

"I had a good relationship with the coaches. After my visit, I just fell in love with the campus," Smeltzer said. "I like what the coaches do, it's like a big family."

After seeing six players selected in last year's MLB Draft, FGCU witnessed the selections of Michael Suchy, Zack Tillery, and Ryan Atwood this season.

"It's in a great spot for the draft, being around all the minor league and spring training stadiums," Smeltzer said. "The coaches really attempt and work hard to get you to the next level."

Smeltzer and fellow southpaw Chris Sale, the Eagles highest drafted player, have some rough similarities.

"We both have some funky deliveries," Smeltzer said. "I'd love to throw it as hard as he does one day and hopefully with hard work it will get there."

The San Diego Padres selected Smeltzer in the 33rd round of this year's MLB Draft; the second of two Eagles signees drafted.

"I'm taking it day by day. I look at is a win, win. I can either get my pro career started or be at an awesome place with awesome coaches and potentially start the road to Omaha as soon as I get down there," Smeltzer said prior to the draft.

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FGCU Baseball: MLB Draft Day Two - Suchy, Winningham Selected

Round 5 - No. 161

Michael Suchy, OF

Pittsburgh Pirates

Eagles outfielder Michael Suchy became the second highest MLB pick in FGCU history today as the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the junior with the 161st overall pick (5th round). Suchy hit .318 this season, including 49 RBIs and 8 home runs. The 6-foot-4 outfielder was named to the All Atlantic Sun First Team and started in all 60 appearances he made. His power and athleticism will be strengths at the next level, but he will have to limit his strikeouts.

Round 8 - No. 235
Dash Winningham, 1B
New York Mets

A Trinity Catholic High School slugger and Florida Gulf Coast signee, Winningham was the first of FGCU's commits to hear their name called. Last season, the 6-foot-2 first baseman knocked in 36 RBIs on his way to a .410 avg and a 4A State Championship. Signs point to Winningham signing with the Mets but nothing is official yet.

STILL ON THE BOARD
Zack Tillery - 3B/RHP
Devin Smeltzer - LHP (signee)
Jack English - RHP
Nick Deckert - LHP
Cody Hoffner - OF
Alex Diaz - SS

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Florida Gulf Coast Set To Play Pittsburgh In 2014

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

Florida Gulf Coast will play at Pittsburgh on Dec. 30, FGCU athletic director Ken Kavanagh announced on Friday.

The Panthers finished last season with a 26-10 record, including a 11-7 mark in the ACC. They grabbed an at large NCAA Tournament bid and defeated No. 8 seeded Colorado before falling to top ranked Florida.

FGCU's non-conference schedule is slowly taking shape as this announcement came just a day after we reported the Eagles would compete in a home and home series with UC Santa Barbara. Florida Gulf Coast plays host to Furman (Dec. 18) and FIU (TBD) this season, and they also head on the road to battle Iona and Xavier (Dec. 28). The latter of the contests is a 'guarantee' game which pays FGCU a sum to come battle a power conference opponent.

The Eagles will also compete in the Gulf Coast Showcase (Nov. 24-26), a Thanksgiving tournament located at Germain Arena. The field is comprised of FGCU, East Carolina, Evansville, Marist, Green Bay, Fresno State, and San Francisco. Each team is guaranteed three games.

Florida Gulf Coast, which will have arguably their strongest roster in program history, has had a difficult time scheduling strong opponents. Christian Terrell, Zach Johnson, Eric Moeller, and Demetris Morant round out FGCU's 2014 recruiting class while the Eagles also bring in a slew of transfers.

"We're in that situation where we've gotten more successful so teams are more leery of coming to play us because they know how hard it is to win at Alico Arena," Kavanagh told the Eagles Nest last week.

The departures of Mercer and ETSU from the A-Sun leaves FGCU with only 14 conference games, making the task even harder.

"We keep trying to call others schools like ourselves, good mid-majors, with the same problems getting home games," Kavanagh said.

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Report: FGCU To Play Home And Home With UC Santa Barbara

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

UPDATE: Saturday, June 21

UCSB will play at FGCU on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET and the Eagles head to Santa Barbara to battle the Gauchos on Monday, Jan. 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET (via press release).

END UPDATE

Florida Gulf Coast will play a home and home series with UC Santa Barbara in the 2014-15 season, a source with knowledge confirmed to the Eagles Nest on Thursday. The contract has not officially been signed, but both games will be played this season with the Gauchos visiting Dunk City for the first contest and the Eagles visiting UCSB later in the year.

UCSB finished last year with a 21-9 overall record, including a 12-4 mark in the Big West Conference. After finishing 2nd in their conference, UCSB season ended with a 69-38 loss to Cal Poly in the Big West quarterfinals.

Although most home and home series are usually played over two years, in this case UCSB and FGCU will battle twice in 2014-15. This is rare but in an interview with the FGCU Eagles Nest last week, FGCU AD Ken Kavanagh said the Eagles were pursuing this option.

"We're even looking at a couple schools where we may play a home and home against them in the same year where we play one home and one road against the same team," Kavanagh said. "It's not a common occurrence but it does happen occasionally."

The Eagles have now added another opponent to a hefty slate of non-conference openings. They already have games scheduled at Xavier (Dec. 28) and Iona (TBD), as well as home contests against Furman (Dec. 18) and FIU (TBD).

Kavanagh said FGCU is "very likely playing" in the Gulf Coast Showcase, a Thanksgiving tournament located at Germain Arena. The field is comprised of FGCU, East Carolina, Evansville, Marist, Green Bay, Fresno State, and San Francisco. Each team is guaranteed three games.

With only 14 A-Sun games filling their schedule, FGCU has ground to make up. They will continue to have three 'guarantee' games, one being Xavier. Also, the Eagles attempted to schedule contests with Belmont and FAU, but for various reasons they both fell through.

Florida Gulf Coast will arguably have their deepest team in program history. Coming off an Atlantic Sun regular season title and NIT appearance, they return three starters in Brett Comer, Bernard Thompson, and Jamail Jones.

Transfers Marc-Eddy Norelia, Julian DeBose, Brian Greene Jr, and Nick Pellar all become available. In addition, Christian Terrell, Zach Johnson, Eric Moeller, and Demetris Morant round out the Eagles incoming freshman class. The latter of the four is applying for an NCAA hardship waiver in order to be eligible immediately at FGCU.

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Point Guard Jonathan Jean Talks Florida Gulf Coast And Recruitment

Florida Gulf Coast point guard Brett Comer is months away from embarking on his final season with the Eagles. With that in mind, FGCU is looking for the right point guard in the class of 2015. High on their radar is 5-foot-11 Jonathan Jean.

"They like how I'm a leader and a floor general," Jean said of Florida Gulf Coast.

The floor general plays for East Bay High School, located in Gibsonton, Fla. In his junior campaign, Jean averaged 16 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.6 assists per game. During the grassroots season, the Eagles target dons the Nike Team Florida uniform.

"This spring for us was kind of rough. We started off pretty good and then we ended on a bad note," Jean said of their EYBL season.

He still showcased his talent among the best of his age, including 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals against Team CP3 at Session 1. FGCU head coach Joe Dooley was present at the event located in Sacramento.

Jean is familiar with the Eagles after visiting 'Dunk City After Dark' last October.

"I really liked it. It was fun. It seemed like the student section there is really part of the team," Jean said. "I also went to the game against Mercer and that game was really fun."

As for his recruitment, Jean said FGCU and Saint Joseph's are going after him the hardest.

"West Virginia was also on me really hard, but they got a point guard that committed there. I've been talking to Tennessee and Jacksonville," Jean said.

He is holding off on official visits until college is in session.

"I want to go to schools when it's in session when everyone is there and I can meet the team," Jean said."

With his decision planned for around September or November, the 5-foot-11 point guard is focusing on his game.

"Shooting off the dribble, that's something I need to work on," said Jean, who will be attending USF's team camp with East Bay High School.

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FGCU Baseball: MLB Draft Preview

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

The 2014 MLB Draft takes place June 5 through June 7, and multiple Florida Gulf Coast players and signees will likely hear their name called. With a relatively young team, it is unlikely that FGCU will see as many players selected as last year when six Eagles were drafted. For juniors and current FGCU commits, the question is whether to sign with the potential professional team or continue their amateur career. FGCU Eagles Nest breaks down FGCU's draft prospects, when they might be selected, and the decision they'll have to make.

Watch Live
Thursday, June 5 - 7:00 p.m. start on MLB.com (1-2 rounds)
Friday, June 6 - 1:00 p.m. start on MLB.com (3-10 rounds)
Saturday, June 7 - 1:00 p.m. start on MLB.com (11-40 rounds)

Michael Suchy | Jr. | OF | R/R | 6-4 | 230 
FGCU's top professional prospect eligible for this year's draft, Suchy landed on the 2014 Atlantic Sun First-Team after finishing season with 49 RBIs and .318 avg. The Bradenton, Fla. native possesses great power and led the Eagles in home runs this year. While his power and athleticism proved to be his greatest strengths, his swing also leads to a relatively high strikeout rate. At 6-foot-4, Suchy has impressive speed and runs the bases well; he recorded 10 steals this season.

Rankings
Baseball America: 217
Perfect Game: 164
SB Nation (Astros): 4th-7th rounds



Zack Tillery | Jr. | RHP/3B | R/R | 6-4 | 210
The junior out of Naples, Fla. is another interesting draft prospect. Tillery usually starts at third base and hit for a .314 avg last season. But his work on the mound is the most intriguing. His fastball has decent speed and his slider is absolute dominant when he gets in rhythm. Tillery worked out with the Yankees on Tuesday. As for his decision, he told the Naples Daily News "It's definitely a consideration."

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: N/A


Jack English | Jr. | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 205
Entering this season, Baseball America ranked English as the No. 6 Atlantic Sun professional prospect. The Delray Beach, Fla. product went 4-4 with a 3.00 ERA in his junior campaign. He will draw attention with his fastball, which reaches the low-to-mid 90s. With spurts of brilliance, including his complete game shutout in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, don't be surprised if English hears his name in the late rounds.

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: N/A

Devin Smeltzer | Sr. (HS) | LHP | R/L | 6-3 | 190
Out of Bishop Eustace Prep (Vorhees, NJ), Smeltzer is ranked as the top Eagles signee prospect. With a wide delivery, his fastball gets into the lower 90s and his slider possess deceptive movement. The southpaw told the Eagles Nest he is looking to get bigger and stronger, which is something that would help his velocity at the next level. A cancer survivor and selfless person, Smeltzer sees his decision to go pro or head to FGCU as a "win, win" and is "taking it day by day."

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: 285

Dash Winningham | Sr. (HS) | 1B | L/L | 6-2 | 220
The lefty slugger out of Trinity Catholic HS possesses superb power and has worked out numerous times with the New York Mets, most recently in New York City itself. His junior year, Winningham recorded 36 RBIs en route to a .410 avg. According to Perfect Game, he "swings hard and has very good raw bat speed, aggressive hitter, timing works well and barrel is consistently in the zone at the right time." As for a decision, Winningham told the Star Banner last summer "Hopefully, I'll get drafted and get offered some good money. If that doesn't happen. I'll go to Florida Gulf Coast for three years and try to do a good job there."

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: N/A

Other Eagles Prospects
Nick Deckert | Jr. | LHP | L/L | 6-3 | 180
Cody Hoffner | Jr. | OF | R/R | 6-3 | 215
Alex Diaz | Jr. | SS | R/R | 6-2 | 190

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FGCU Targets Impress At Pangos All-American Camp

Florida Gulf Coast recruits Kevin Dorsey, Travon Bunch, and Curran Scott impressed scouts and media, alike, at the Pangos All American Camp in Long Beach, Calif. this weekend.

The three day excursion is an annual event held by well respected coach and evaluator Dinos Trigonis. While it offers aspects such as workouts and individual instruction, the games, featuring some of the most highly touted recruits, are what garner the most attention.

Dorsey, a 6-foot-0 point guard out of Paul VI High School (Fairfax, Va.), made a name for himself on Saturday evening when he started to heat up from long range. Four first half threes from Dorsey ignited his 'Maryland' squad. He also recorded 7 assists, en route to being the fourth leading assist man at the camp with 5 apg. Dorsey's performance also landed him on the camp's Top 60 game list. College Basketball Talk's Scott Phillips said Dorsey "scored off of screens, changed paces well and knocked in some jumpers from the perimeter."

The 2015 guard is a 4-star recruit (according to 247Sports) and received an offer from FGCU in July of 2013, just a week after the Eagles hired assistant coach Jamill Jones. Jones previously coached Dorsey at Team Takeover, a grassroots team located in Washington, D.C. With Paul VI HS, Dorsey competed at the 2013 City of Palms Classic and even faced off against incoming FGCU freshman guard Zach Johnson.

Travon Bunch, another FGCU target, also showed brilliant flashes at the All-American camp. The 6-foot-11 center showed "good mobility" and uses his "very long arms on defense." Out of Racine, Wisc, Bunch (Georgia Prep / Atlanta Celtics) told Ballers Bridge on May 9 that FGCU is one of four schools recruiting him the hardest.

A Session Two top performer, 6-foot-5 small forward Curran Scott was another Florida Gulf Coast recruit putting his skills on display in California. On Saturday night, Scott recorded 19 points and on Sunday, he dropped 23 points. The Edmond, Okla. native does not yet hold an offer but heard from FGCU in early May and competes with Athletes First on the EYBL circuit.

Check out our 2015 FGCU Recruiting Board and follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest) for more Florida Gulf Coast recruiting news.

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Dunks of the Day: Sweat, Cooney, Mazziotta

(Courtesy of TechAndPhoto)

1: Former Florida Gulf Coast volleyball star Brooke Sweat made a great run in the AVP St. Petersburg Open this weekend. As a four seed, Sweat and her partner Lauren Fendrick breezed through the first two rounds and then took down number one seeded Emily Day and Summer Ross, 21-14, 17-21, 15-10, in the quarterfinals. After their semifinal opponents forfeited due to injury, Sweat/Fendrick were pitted against US Olympians April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings. After Brooke and Fendrick took the first set 21-19, they dropped the next two, 15-21 and 11-15. However, this is a promising start to the 2014 season for Sweat, who is tied for fifth in the USA Beach Volleyball player rankings. Next up on the AVP Tour is the Milwaukee Open from July 3 through July 6.

3: The first of six FGCU players selected in the 2013 MLB Draft, Harrison Cooney (Burlington Bees) put together his most impressive performance of the 2014 season, on Friday. The righty tossed a complete game shutout, striking out eight batters while only giving up six hits. With a 2.05 ERA, he is now 4-3 with the Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

4: Daniel Mazziotta is looking to qualify for the US Open on Monday. The former FGCU golf standout will be competing in a sectional qualifier at the Colonial Country Club in Memphis, Tenn. Over 36 holes, 145 golfers will compete for only 13 available spots. Mazziotta has been competing in the PGA Latin America Tour, and in just his fourth start, he won the Mundo Maya Open. Live scoring for the qualifier can be found here.

Dunks of the Day is a series of smaller FGCU news bits put together into one post. If you have a news tip or idea, please email us at fgcueaglesnest@gmail.com

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