FORT MYERS, Fla. – After announcing a quartet of marquee matchups against Florida, Ohio State, FSU and Miami last week, FGCU head baseball coach Dave Tollett has finalized the Eagles' 2017 schedule, which includes 22 games against a total of eight 2016 NCAA Tournament teams.
 
Along with 2016 College World Series participants and preseason #3 Florida and #8 Miami, Super Regional participant and preseason #9 FSU and defending Big Ten Tournament Champion Ohio State, FGCU's four remaining NCAA tournament opponents include defending ASUN Tournament Champion Stetson, defending Colonial Athletic Association Champion UNC Wilmington, defending C-USA Champion FAU and defending MEAC Tournament Champion Bethune-Cookman.
 
Of the Green and Blue's eight opponents coming off NCAA Tournament berths, six were either #1 or #2 seeds in their respective NCAA Regional fields. Florida, Miami and FSU each hosted and were the top seed in their respective regional tournaments, while Ohio State, UNC Wilmington and FAU entered the postseason as #2 seeds.
 
Twenty-six of the FGCU's first 30 games will be contested in Southwest Florida, with 24 games scheduled to be played at FGCU's Swanson Stadium and two additional games against Florida and FSU to be held at JetBlue Park, the Spring Training home of the Boston Red Sox. Additionally, from Feb. 24 through Mar. 15, the Eagles are scheduled to play 13 consecutive games against five of the aforementioned teams coming off NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
"We've once again put together one of the tougher schedules in the region, if not the country," Tollett said. "These are the caliber of teams we are going to be playing if we are where we set out to be at the end of the season. It's a challenging schedule, particularly during March, but it also presents us with a great deal of opportunity. I know the guys are especially excited to get the season started in front of our home fans this year."
 
The Eagles open the 2017 season with 10 consecutive games at Swanson Stadium, starting with its season-opening, four-game series against St. Peter's (N.J) from Friday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 19. Two days later, Eastern Michigan travels to Southwest Florida for a two-game, midweek matchup. In-state foe Bethune-Cookman, who FGCU has played each of the last six seasons, then comes to town for a three-game weekend set from Friday, Feb. 24 through Sunday, Feb. 26, before the team's first home stand of the season wraps up with an in-state showdown against FAU Tuesday, Feb. 28. Last season, the two teams were part of an instant classic that saw FGCU upset then #16 FAU in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 11th inning.
 
FGCU's first road trip of the season takes place in Wilmington, N.C., as the Eagles square off with UNC Wilmington in a three-game series from Friday, Mar. 3 through Sunday, Mar. 5. The Seahawks, who have made the NCAA Tournament four of the last five years, posted a 41-19 overall record in 2016 – its seventh season with 40 or more wins since 2003 – and appeared primed to make its first NCAA Super Regional before dropping the final two games of the Columbia Regional to host South Carolina.
 
A home-and-home, midweek set against Florida ensues with game one taking place Tuesday, Mar. 7 at JetBlue Park and game two occurring four hours north in Gainesville the following day. Next, the Eagles return to Swanson Stadium for its 15-game home stand that includes its first three-game series against Ohio State and second home contest against Miami in program history.
 
After the Buckeyes invade Swanson Stadium from Friday, Mar. 10 through Sunday, Mar. 12, FSU and FGCU square off Wednesday, Mar. 15 in the second of two games contested at JetBlue Park this season. The midweek showdown marks the first of three games between the Eagles and Seminoles in 2017. The following weekend, Big Ten foe Rutgers travels to Fort Myers for the second straight season, this time for a three-game series from Friday, Mar. 17 through Sunday, Mar. 19. With the home stand at its halfway point, FGCU and USF continue its in-state rivalry with a midweek game at Swanson Stadium Wednesday, Mar. 22. The Green and Blue then takes on Jackson State (Miss.) in a three-game series from Friday, Mar. 24 through Sunday, Mar. 26, before the aforementioned showdown against Miami Wednesday, Mar. 29 at Swanson Stadium. Finally, a three-game series against Jacksonville from Friday, Mar. 31 through Sunday, Apr. 2 not only wraps up the third-longest home stand in program history, but also kicks off ASUN play.
 
Unlike the first half of the season, FGCU spends the majority of its stretch run on the road with 19 of its final 26 games held at away venues, starting with a two-game set at FSU Tuesday, Apr. 4 and Wednesday, Apr. 5. Last year, the Eagles went into Dick Howser Stadium and won an extra-inning thriller against the then #4 Seminoles, marking FGCU's second straight win in the in-state series. From Tallahassee, FGCU continues conference play with a three-game series at defending ASUN Tournament Champion Stetson from Friday, Apr. 7 through Sunday, Apr. 9, before taking on Miami for the second of its three-game season series Wednesday Apr. 12 in Coral Gables.
 
The Green and Blue then returns to Swanson Stadium for its second and final home weekend series of the month and plays host to USC Upstate from Friday, Apr. 13 through Sunday, Apr. 15. Then, in its last home game until the second weekend of May, FGCU and FIU square off for a home-and-home bout Tuesday, Apr. 18 in Fort Myers and Wednesday, Apr. 19 in Miami. The Eagles have won each of the last two meetings in the in-state rivalry that has been put on ice since 2013.
 
At the midway point of the conference season, the Eagles continue its arduous schedule as they travel to Jacksonville for a three-game series against ASUN rival UNF from Friday, Apr. 21 through Sunday, Apr. 23. It's then on to Boca Raton for the team's season series finale against FAU Tuesday, Apr. 25, before heading north for a three-game set at NJIT from Friday, Apr. 28 through Sunday, Apr. 30.
 
Kicking off May, FGCU and USF conclude its season series with a midweek matchup in Tampa Wednesday, May 3. Then, after a nine-day layoff during which final exams and commencement ceremonies are scheduled to take place, the Green and Blue welcomes Lipscomb to The Nest for what could be an ever-important conference matchup from Friday, May 12 through Sunday, May 14.
 
After concluding its three-game, season series with the Hurricanes Tuesday, May 16 in Coral Gables, FGCU wraps up the regular season with a three-game road series against defending ASUN Regular Season Champion Kennesaw State from Friday, May 18 through Sunday, May 20.
 
Contingent on the Green and Blue finishing in the top-six of the conference regular season standings, the Eagles will compete in the ASUN Championship hosted by Stetson from Wednesday, May 24 through Saturday, May 27. A year ago, FGCU responded from a first-round loss and rattled off three straight wins to make its first ASUN Championship Game appearance in program history.
 
SCHEDULE DOWNLOAD
The complete 2017 schedule can be accessed at the beginning of this release, including options for fans to print a PDF-friendly version. Additionally, fans can download the schedule directly to their smartphone and calendar on any tablet by visiting the schedule online and clicking "subscribe" in the top-right corner of the page. For fans viewing on a mobile device, they can easily subscribe by clicking Menu, Sports, All Schedules and selecting 2017 Baseball.

TICKET OPTIONS
FGCU's season ticket package, which includes only games contested at Swanson Stadium, will be on sale for $89, and single-game tickets can be purchased at $7 apiece for adults and $5 for youth, military and groups. The FGCU ticket office is working directly with the front office at JetBlue Park to iron out details regarding single-game tickets against the Gators and Seminoles and hopes to have specifics in the near future. For questions or more information, please contact the ticket office at 239-590-7145 or email Director of Ticket Operations Kyle Schmit at kschmit@fgcu.edu or Assistant Director of Ticket Operations Michael Thomas at mdthomas@fgcu.edu.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the baseball team on Twitter @FGCU_Baseball, Instagram @FGCU_Baseball or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUBaseball. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
 
DAVE TOLLETT
In 14 seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 490-296-3 record (.623) as the only head coach in the program's history. He is a four-time ASUN Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four ASUN Regular Season Championships. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets and has coached 42 All-Conference selections, 27 draft picks, three current major leaguers, 19 current minor leaguers, four ASUN Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, two ASUN Players of the Year, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one five-time MLB All-Star.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visitwww.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.