TAMPA, Fla. – Following a tough three-game series at No. 1 Florida, the FGCU baseball team (0-3) faces its second-straight 2015 NCAA Tournament team to start the season as they travel to Tampa, Fla., for a mid-week matchup against USF (2-1) Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
 
After making his collegiate debut and pitching 3.1 innings of scoreless relief in front of an opening-night record crowd of 5,778 at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium Friday night, right-hander Ryan Lang (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS) is scheduled to make his first career start for FGCU and will be opposed by USF southpaw Andrew Perez.
 
"We have another challenge in front of us against USF," said head coach Dave Tollett. "But that's why these kids come to FGCU. They want to play the prestigious programs in the state and show they belong. It's a grind from the beginning, but we play these games for a reason."
 
SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF is coming off an opening-series win against Liberty after winning a pair of one-run games against the Flames last weekend. The Bulls claimed the season-opener in walk-off fashion, 11-10, and held on to win the series finale, 6-5. Liberty took game two of the three-game set, 4-0.
 
The Bulls are coming off a 2015 NCAA Tournament appearance after posting a 34-26-1 regular-season record and finishing tied for third in the American Conference. USF won the opening game of the Gainesville Regional against FAU, 5-3, but dropped its next two postseason contests by an 8-2 margin against regional host Florida and 8-3 in an elimination-game rematch against the Golden Panthers. It was USF's first NCAA Regional appearance since 2002.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Green and Blue enter Tampa on Tuesday night holding an 8-4 all-time advantage over the Bulls, including an impressive 6-0 record on the road. Most recently in 2015, the two teams split a pair of games with the road team emerging victories in both contests. FGCU won at the USF Baseball Stadium, 6-2, on Feb. 24, before dropping a one-run game at home a month later.

THE MATCHUP
In his 14th season of work at FGCU, Tollett has compiled a 463-267-3 all-time record as the only head coach in program history. Additionally, he is a four-time A-Sun Coach of the Year and has guided the Eagles to four A-Sun Regular Season Championships. On Tuesday, Tollett matches up with USF's Mark Kingston, who is 36-27-1 in his second season with the Bulls. Previously the head coach at Illinois State from 2010-14, Kingston compiled a 173-102 record, while leading the Redbirds to two MVC regular season championships, one conference tournament title and twice broke the program's season wins record.

LAST TIME OUT
FGCU dropped a three-game series at No. 1 Florida to open the season. Despite outhitting the Gators in the series opener, the Eagles lost by a 4-2 margin. On Saturday, FGCU took a 4-2 lead following a two-out, two-RBI single off the bat of Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) in the top of the third inning, but couldn't hold the lead as Florida took game two by a final score of 8-4. In the series finale, the Gators jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they won 12-3.
 
Second baseman Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) reached safely in all three games and finished the series against the No. 1 Gators 5-for-12 from the plate with a team-leading two runs scored and one RBI. Bottomley went 3-for-10 from the dish and led the team with four RBI on the weekend, including what was then the big hit in game two. A trio of Eagles recorded their first career hits in Gainesville as Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) and Jake Smith (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Prep) recorded singles in the series opener and series finale, respectively, while Nick Blasucci (Fort Myers, Fla./Riverdale HS) smoked a RBI double down the right field line after making his first career start at shortstop on Sunday.
 
KEY RETURNERS
Coming off a 30-26-1 season during which they made an A-Sun Championship semifinal appearance, FGCU returns a crop of experienced and talented players in 2016, including six players who earned postseason recognition from the conference. Senior Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) earned first-team recognition following a career year at the plate. Additionally, Noll was joined by Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) and Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) on the all-conference second team, while Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) and Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) made the all-conference freshman team.
 
Rivera entered the 2016 season after being named a preseason All-American by both Louisville Slugger and the NCBWA. The Cape Coral native was also named a unanimous selection to the A-Sun Preseason All-Conference Team. Following the 2015 season during which he hit a career-best .347 while driving in a Division I program record 70 runs, Rivera was named a Louisville Slugger All-American, becoming the fourth postseason All-American honoree in FGCU program history. He joined four-time MLB All-Star Chris Sale, Mike Murray and Jake Noll as others to earn the recognition. Additionally, Rivera was selected by the Houston Astros in the 38th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but elected to return to FGCU for his senior season and earn his degree.
 
Noll entered the 2016 campaign after being named the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year for the second-straight season. The redshirt junior, who joined Rivera as a unanimous selection to the preseason all-conference team, hit a team-best .348 and posted a career high with 41 RBI to go along with hitting the first three home runs of his collegiate career in 2015. Additionally, in January, he was named a top-100 prospect by D1 Baseball. Noll appeared on the list of 300 as the No. 99 prospect in all of college baseball and was one of four second basemen to appear in the top 100. Not only was he the highest rated player from the A-Sun, but Noll was also one of 25 players from outside of the Power Five conferences to crack the century mark.
 
CLIMBING THE RANKS
Rivera not only holds the FGCU career record for doubles with 59, but also ranks among the top 10 in program history in a number of categories including:

FGCU CAREER HOMERUNS

1.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	41
2.	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	40
3.	Jason Louwsma (2005-06)	24
	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	24
5.	Robert Green (2008-11)	17
	Vinnie Scarduzio (2007-08)	17
	Michael Suchy (2012-14)	17

 
FGCU CAREER RBI

1.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	180
	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	180
3.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	154
4.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	153
5.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	149

 
FGCU CAREER GAMES PLAYED

1.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	216
2.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	214
3.	Stephen Wickens (2008-11)	205
4.	Mike Reeves (2010-13)	191
5.	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	182
6.	Chris Perry (2003-06)	174
7.	Graig Smith (2005-08)	173
	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	173
9.	Sean Dwyer (2011-13)	169
10.	Brandon Bednar (2011-13)	167
	Derek Mollica (2004-07)	167

 
FGCU CAREER GAMES STARTED

1.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	216
2.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	214
3.	Stephen Wickens (2008-11)	204
4.	Mike Reeves (2010-13)	181
5.	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	173
6.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	168
7.	Sean Dwyer (2011-13)	166
8.	Brandon Bednar (2011-13)	165
9.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	162
10.	Michael Suchy (2012-14)	152
	Graig Smith (2005-08)	152
	Chris Perry (2003-06)	152

 
FGCU CAREER HITS

1.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	316
2.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	311
3.	Stephen Wickens (2008-11)	259
4.	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	247
5.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	241
6.	Brandon Bednar (2001-13)	206
7.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	203
8.	Mike Reeves (2010-13)	201
9.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	199
10.	Sean Dwyer (2011-13)	182

 
RECEIVING VOTES
For the third-consecutive year, FGCU was receiving votes in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I Preseason Poll. The A-Sun was represented by four teams as defending tournament champion Lipscomb, defending regular-season champion UNF and Stetson were also receiving votes. Additionally, as the A-Sun Preseason Honors and Awards were released in January, the Green and Blue were chosen to finish runner-up to UNF in the preseason coaches poll. The Eagles garnered 50 points and received three of eight first-place votes while the Ospreys collected 58 points and four first-place votes. Lipscomb was selected third with 48 points, followed by Stetson in fourth with 43 points and the lone remaining first-place vote and Kennesaw State in fifth after receiving 37 votes. The preseason top five was separated by only 21 points. Jacksonville (28), USC Upstate (14) and conference newcomer NJIT (8) round out the poll.
 
2016 SCHEDULE
The Eagles' schedule features seven teams that participated in the 2015 NCAA Base­ball Tournament including a pair of College World Series participants, an additional Super Regional participant and three conference champions. The seven NCAA Tournament teams include CWS semifinalist, defending SEC Tournament Champion and preseason No. 1 Florida, CWS participant and preseason No. 4 Miami, Super Regional participant Illinois, defending A-Sun Tournament Champion Lipscomb, defending MEAC Tournament Champion Florida A&M and a pair of familiar in-state foes in USF and FAU. A total of 19 games, including the first eight games of the season, will be played against those seven programs.
 
NEXT UP
Following their mid-week matchup with USF, the Eagles will return to Fort Myers for their home-opener against 2015 Super Regional opponent Illinois. The three-game series at Swanson Stadium will begin Friday at 6:30 p.m., with game two taking place Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 463-267-3 record as the only head coach in the program's history. He is a four-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four A-Sun Regular Season Championships. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets and has coached 39 All-Conference selections, 25 draft picks, 16 current minor leaguers, four A-Sun Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one MLB All-Star.

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.

#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.