FORT MYERS, Fla. – Head coach David Deiros and his staff have finalized the 2020 slate for the upcoming spring season set to begin with the FGCU Kickoff Classic on Feb. 7. The schedule features six NCAA Tournament participants from a season ago.
“I’m pleased with the way how our upcoming schedule for the season materialized into,” said Deiros. “As always, we try to set up a very tough and challenging slate, especially at home – we open the year at the Nest the first three weekends in February. Our non-conference portion is never easy and it will help prepare us for ASUN play which is already one of the toughest conferences in the nation. I’m excited for our squad this spring and ready to get the season underway.”
The Eagles are set for two games on opening night (Feb. 7), taking on Delaware at 6 p.m. followed by ACC foe Boston College. FGCU will turn around and play two more contests Saturday night starting at the same time facing Big East’s Georgetown first and conclude the night against Long Island. The Green and Blue wrap up the season-opening tournament squaring off against UConn at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
From Feb. 13-16, the Eagles host their second-straight home tournament facing six opponents, highlighted by SEC’s Arkansas on two separate dates (Feb. 14 & 16). The Razorbacks turned in a 38-20 overall record in 2019, advancing to the Stillwater, Okla., regional. FGCU closes out the third week of the month with its final invitational from Feb. 21-23 which includes a pair of NCAA Tournament teams in Fordham and Harvard, while Big 10 foe Michigan State is also on the slate.
On Feb. 26, FGCU welcomes in-state rival USF for a doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Bulls produced a 41-19 overall record in 2019 along with an NCAA Regional appearance in Tallahassee, Fla. FGCU hits the road for the first time when it travels to Madeira Beach, Fla., for the “Spring Games” taking place Feb. 28-Mar. 1. The squad will participate in this tournament twice (Mar. 5-7). In between, the Eagles will travel to Gainesville, Fla., for one game against the Gators (Mar. 4). The SEC powerhouse went 49-18 last season, advancing all the way to the College World Series.
The month of March features two non-conference teams at home in FAU (Mar.10, doubleheader) and Iowa for a single contest (Mar. 16). The Eagles kickoff ASUN action at the Nest facing Kennesaw State (Mar. 14-15). Altogether, FGCU will host three conference foes at home including North Alabama (Mar. 28-29) and North Florida (Apr. 18-19). They conclude the ASUN slate on the road against Lipscomb (Apr. 25-26) – the 2019 ASUN Champion. The regular season officially ends with a doubleheader versus FIU on Apr. 29.
The site of the 2020 ASUN Tournament will be held in Lynchburg, Va., hosted by Liberty from May 6-9.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball and Instagram at fgcusoftball and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros is in his 18th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 641-336-3 (.657), going 147-90 (.620) in the ASUN, having 13 seasons with a winning record, and nine campaigns with 35 wins. Deiros is a former head coach at the 1998 Florida State Runner-up Lely High School in Naples and is the founding head coach of the 1999 District Champion/2001 Regional Runner-up Gulf Coast High School in Naples.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 80 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and women’s basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution’s undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors’ Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.
