Michael Fly, who spent seven years as an assistant coach on the Eagles’ staff, enters his fourth year as head coach of the FGCU men’s basketball program after being promoted on Apr. 5, 2018.
Including the 2020-21 season, Fly has been a part of nearly 190 wins the past 10 years, six ASUN Tournament Final appearances, three NCAA Tournament victories, three ASUN Tournament titles and three ASUN Regular Season Championships, two berths in the NIT, a CIT appearance, and a run to the Sweet Sixteen which captivated the nation and put the Southwest Florida campus on the national radar for good.
Academically, the Eagles have earned NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards each year he has been the head coach: 2018-19 - first-ever for the program, 2019-20, and 2020-21. Over the last two years (2019-20, 2020-21) seven players have been named to the NABC Honors Court with Sam Gagliardi and Justus Rainwater earning the distincition both seasons. In the Spring of 2020, FGCU had a program-record 3.35 team GPA with 15 Eagles posting a 3.0-or-better grade-point-averages. As head coach of the program, the team GPA has been above a 3.0 in all six semesters.
Fly, the sole remaining member from the 2013 Sweet Sixteen squad, has been an integral and loyal member of two staffs which have changed the men’s basketball culture in every facet, resulting in team accomplishments and player developments to coincide with the Dunk City mantra.
A 2006 University of Kentucky alumnus, Fly is the program’s fourth all-time head coach (since 2002; Division-I in 2007), joining Dave Balza (2002-11), Andy Enfield (2011-13) and Joe Dooley (2013-18).
Fly, 38, has coached 13 all-conference selections while with the Green and Blue, including two ASUN Player of the Year honors in Sherwood Brown and Brandon Goodwin, and two ASUN Defensive Player of the Year selections in Bernard Thompson and Demetris Morant. Graduate transfer Schadrac Casimir was named Second Team All-ASUN and was tabbed the conference's newcomer of the year in 2018-19. In 2020-21, Caleb Catto became the first player in program history to earn ASUN Academic All-Conference honors.
As an assistant coach, Fly was responsible for recruiting multiple-time ASUN champions Zach Johnson, Brandon Goodwin and Christian Terrell in addition to 2021-22 senior Caleb Catto who is one of the top overall players in the league. Johnson scored 1,344 career points in just three years to rank 4th in program history. Goodwin holds the top-two single-season scoring campaigns in program history in his only two years with the Eagles. Terrell is the only player in program history with at least 1,300 points, 500 rebounds and 250 assists. Catto was one of the most improved players in the ASUN in 2019-20 where he averaged 12.7 points per game and was named to the 2020-21 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.
Of the top-10 players in career points at FGCU, Fly has helped develop eight of them, including all-time leading scorer Thompson (1,835). Additionally, the Fulton, Ky., native has coached both the ASUN all-time assists leader Brett Comer (845; 24th in NCAA history) and FGCU all-time leading rebounder Chase Fieler (714).
A relentless and respected recruiter, Fly has worked tirelessly to build relationships nationally, regionally and particularly in the state of Florida. Since 2017-18, FGCU has averaged nearly nine players from the Sunshine State each year.
FGCU was one of only 18 teams in the nation to have posted six-straight 20+ win campaigns between 2013-2018 which culminated in postseason appearances: 2013, ’16, ’17 NCAA Tournament; 2014, ’18 NIT; 2015 CIT. During Fly’s time on the sidelines with the Eagles, FGCU has secured a 189-134 record (.585 winning percentage) entering the 2021-22 season.
Fly came to FGCU from Florida State where he was the video coordinator for three Seminoles’ NCAA Tournament teams (2008-11) and worked with future NBA players Okaro White, Toney Douglas, Solomon Alabi, Ryan Reid, Chris Singleton and Bernard James. Fly also served as the assistant director of Leonard Hamilton Basketball Camps during his time in Tallahassee.
In 2007-08, Fly was a corporate and broadcast alliances intern with the NCAA after serving as a video coordinator intern with the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats in 2006-07 under head coach Bernie Bickerstaff. Fly got his start in 2004-05 as a student assistant at NAIA Georgetown College under head coach Happy Osborne, helping the team advance to the Elite Eight that year.
In 2018, the Eagles earned an automatic NIT berth with their second-straight outright ASUN Regular Season Championship and became the only school in the history of the ASUN (since 1978-79) to post six-straight 20-win seasons. From Dec. 29-Feb. 14, FGCU won 13-straight games – the longest in its D-I program history, besting a 10-game run in 2014-15.
FGCU set single-season all-time program records for points (2,847; previous: 2,703 in 2015-16), 3-pointers made (254; previous: 251 in 2011-12), free-throw percentage (.740; previous: .714 in 2003-04) and field goals made (1,045; previous: 1,008 in 2015-16), while establishing D-I single-season marks for assists (535; previous: 527 in 2016-17) and free throws made (503; previous: 501 in 2015-16).
In 2016-17, FGCU posted a 26-8 record, matching the program’s D-I single-season wins record and securing the first single-digit loss campaign in the D-I era. The Eagles played their sixth NCAA Tournament game in five seasons after receiving a program-best No. 14 seed and fell just short to No. 3 seed Florida State – the second-tallest team in the nation in 2016-17 – 86-80.
Fly helped lead FGCU to an ASUN Tournament title in 2015-16, advancing to claim its third NCAA Tournament win in four years with a 96-65 victory over fellow No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the First Four – with the 31-point margin of victory in that round of the tournament being the largest in NCAA history.
In 2014-15, FGCU (22-11, 11-3 ASUN) finished with the second-most wins of any D-I team in Florida (North Florida, 23), and a 10-game winning streak during conference action which at the time was the longest in D-I program history.
Fly was instrumental in guiding the Eagles to their initial ASUN Regular Season Championship and first trip to the NIT in 2013-14. FGCU finished the year with a 22-13 record, including a record 14 wins as part of a 14-4 ASUN mark.
In 2012-13, FGCU (26-11, 13-5 ASUN) again appeared in the ASUN Tournament Final; this time turning in the most impressive 40 minutes in program history up to that point by defeating No. 1 seed and host Mercer, 88-75, on its home floor to become the first team into the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Deemed a No. 15 seed and sent to Philadelphia, the Eagles captured the hearts of the city and the nation by defeating No. 2 seed Georgetown, 78-68, before extending their win streak to seven games with another double-figure win over No. 7 seed San Diego State, 81-71. FGCU’s high-flying attack – which culminated in a then-program-record 148 dunks – helped the Eagles become the only No. 15 seed in NCAA history to advance to the Sweet Sixteen and the first team since Florida in 1987 to win its first two NCAA Tournament contests.
In 2011-12 under then-head coach Enfield, the Eagles advanced to the ASUN Tournament Final in the program’s first year of postseason eligibility, falling just 20 minutes short of the NCAA Tournament and finishing with 15 wins.
Fly is married to the former Heather Searcy and they are the proud parents of Jack Archer, who arrived in June 2019.
THE FLY FILE
Alma Mater: University of Kentucky, 2006
Birthdate: May 29, 1983
Hometown: Fulton, Ky.
Wife: Heather
Children: Jack
Coaching Experience
2004-05 - Student Assistant, Georgetown College (NAIA)
2006-07 - Video Coordinator Intern, Charlotte Bobcats
2008-11 - Video Coordinator, Florida State
2011-18 - Assistant Coach, FGCU
2018-pres. - Head Coach, FGCU
Professional Experience
2007-08 Corporate & Broadcast Alliances Intern, NCAA
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT FLY
Fly is an outstanding basketball coach. His hire as head coach brings tremendous pride to all of us who have watched him grow the last seven years into one of the best assistant coaches on the East Coast. His extreme dedication and loyalty to FGCU and to the players he has coached is admired by all. This a great day for Coach Fly and the FGCU men’s basketball program, and we look forward to following the success of the Eagles in the coming seasons.
-- Andy Enfield, FGCU Head Coach 2011-14; Current USC Head Coach
Fly is an excellent choice to be the head basketball coach at FGCU. There is no question that he has prepared himself for this position because he has studied the game throughout his career, and will utilize the skills he has learned to be a detail-orientated teacher to all of his players. He will recruit well, and his players will enjoy playing for him because he will be an outstanding mentor during not only their playing careers but throughout their lives. He has grown up on the game of basketball; it’s in his blood. Michael has absolutely put himself in a position to be a successful head coach.
-- Leonard Hamilton, Florida State Head Coach
Fly was like a father figure for me all four years at FGCU – he helped get me through college both on and off the court. He’s been a mentor for me as I’ve got into coaching and been there for me almost every step of the way. He’ll keep FGCU moving in the right direction and maybe even higher heights. I couldn’t be happier for him; he’s earned this opportunity by staying loyal to the program and the community.
-- Brett Comer, FGCU Guard 2011-15; Current Director of Operations at Dayton
This is an amazing hire for FGCU. It’s not just a stepping-stone job for Fly; he loves FGCU and the surrounding area. Of all the coaches that I’ve played for, none of them keep in contact as often as Fly, and his passion for the FGCU program is incredible. He is a hire that I’m very proud of as an alumnus.
-- Chase Fieler, FGCU Forward 2010-14; Current Professional Player
Fly is a tremendous pick as the next head coach. He’s one of those guys you can’t help but respect; I saw him almost as a head coach these past few years even though he was an assistant. He really wants to see guys succeed, and I can’t think of one problem I ever had with him. He brought me in, and it would have been nice to play for him, but I’m proud of him and I’ll definitely be following along closely. He’s going to bring a fast-paced style to the team and program. His worth ethic is second-to-none, and I can only see positive things in the future for FGCU.
-- Brandon Goodwin, FGCU Guard 2016-18
Last updated 8/9/2021
