FORT MYERS, Fla. – Coming off a 13-6 win against in-state rival USF, the FGCU baseball team (1-3) welcomes defending Big Ten Regular Season Champion and 2015 Super Regional participant Illinois (1-2) for its home-opening series at Swanson Stadium this weekend. The series opener between the Eagles and Fighting Illini is scheduled for 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.
 
The Eagles will send right-hander Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS) to the mound in game one to face Illinois ace Cody Sedlock. Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) will then take the bump in game two and be opposed by southpaw Doug Hayes, before Mario Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) pitches in the series finale opposite Andrew Mamlic.
 
"We're looking forward to Illinois coming into town this weekend," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "They've always presented a good challenge for us, and it's going to be a great weekend. We're definitely excited to be back in Swanson Stadium playing in front of our home crowd."
 
Friday's home opener has been designated a "Green Out" as all fans are encouraged to wear green and support the Eagles. FGCU corporate sponsor and President of Wholesale Screen Printing Dustin Goeggle will be on hand and joined by his son Cameron to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
 
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING ILLINI
Illinois opened its season with a three-game set at No. 19 Tulane and dropped two of three to the Green Wave. After losing the season opener, 6-5, in extra innings, Illinois was defeated, 3-0, in game two before taking the series finale in New Orleans, 5-2. Offensively, they are led by catcher Jason Goldstein, who went 6-for-10 from the plate and drove in a pair of runs last weekend. Additionally, utility man Anthony Drago recorded four extra-base hits in the three-game series.
 
In 2015, the Fighting Illini turned in a record-breaking year as they posted a 45-6-1 regular-season record and won 26-straight games to close the season, claiming their first outright Big Ten title since 2005. After losing to eventual Big Ten Tournament Champion Michigan in the conference semifinals, the Fighting Illini hosted and swept through its regional field with three-straight wins against Ohio, Notre Dame and Wright State. Illinois went on to host Vanderbilt in the Champaign Super Regional and lost a pair as the defending National Champion Commodores returned to Omaha to defend its title.
 
SERIES HISTORY
FGCU is 1-5-1 all-time against Illinois and hosted the Big Ten opponent for a pair of games in 2015. The Green and Blue dropped game one, 13-2, before tying the Fighting Illini, 4-4, in game two. This weekend marks the third-consecutive season the two teams have met after Illinois also won a pair of neutral-site games in Gainesville, Fla., in 2014. FGCU's lone win in the series came in its first meeting with the Illini in 2011. After dropping the first two games of the three-game set, 6-3 and 7-2, the Eagles took the finale by a 5-1 margin.
 
THE MATCHUP
In his 14th season of work at FGCU, Tollett has compiled a 464-267-3 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. This weekend, Tollett matches up with Illinois' Dan Hartleb, who has posted a 327-232-1 overall record in 11 seasons at the helm of the Fighting Illini program. Hartleb was named the 2015 Big Ten Coach of the Year and 2015 Mideast Coach of the Year after setting the program record for wins (50).
 
LAST TIME OUT
After a season-opening series at No. 1 Florida, FGCU registered its first win of the season with a 13-6 victory against in-state rival USF. With the win, the Eagles improved their overall record against the Bulls to 9-4, including a perfect 7-0 mark in Tampa.
 
Making his first career start for FGCU, right-hander Ryan Lang (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS) earned the win after allowing four runs on six hits to go along with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work, while Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) recorded the save after throwing 3.1 innings of scoreless relief and striking out a career-high six batters.

The bats came alive for the Green and Blue as they registered 13 runs on 16 hits, marking the largest production in both categories since a 15-1 win against UMass on Apr. 25, 2015. A quintet of Eagles recorded multiple hits in the game led by a 4-for-5 performance from Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) to go along with a four-RBI night from Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS), matching a career high.
 
HOT STARTS
Bottomley has turned in impressive numbers through four games this season as he sports a .375 batting average (6-for-16) while leading the team and ranking 30th in the NCAA with eight RBI. Coming off his impressive performance against USF, Selesky leads all FGCU starters with a .400 batting average (6-for-15) and is tied with second baseman Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) for team lead with five runs scored.
 
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
	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	174
7.	Graig Smith (2005-08)	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)	169
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.
 
TICKETS
Single-game and season tickets for the 2016 FGCU baseball campaign are now available by calling the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 or visiting FGCUTickets.com. The ticket office is also open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for walk-up service. Single-game tickets are $7 for adults, while youth (12 and under), military and members of the alumni association are admitted for $5. Season tickets are $89 for adults and $59 for youth, military and alumni, but exclude the game against Miami at Hammond Stadium on Apr. 5.
 
NEXT UP
Following its home-opening series against Illinois, FGCU will travel to Coral Gables, Fla., for an in-state showdown against 2015 College World Series participant and preseason No. 4 Miami. The Eagles are 2-11 all-time against the Hurricanes, including registering an 8-1 win against then-No. 13 Miami a season ago.
 
DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 464-267-3 record (.634) 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.