ESTERO, Fla. – The FGCU beach volleyball team (13-4, 6-2 ASUN) is set to host No. 9 Stetson (15-10, 8-0 ASUN) its final ASUN doubleheader of the regular season on Wednesday, April 12. The match is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Estero Community Park with a second match immediately following.
Once again, the Eagles face an uphill battle, as the team owns a 2-12 record all-time against the nationally ranked Hatters.
THE LAST TIME OUT
The Eagles split the weekend with two wins over Coastal Carolina and two losses to Mercer in a pair of ASUN doubleheaders.
On Friday, the Green and Blue topped Coastal 3-2 before falling 2-3 to the Bears.
Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) and
Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo/Parkway Central High School) were the only pair to garner wins in both matches.
The Eagles started off Saturday with a 5-0 sweep of the Chanticleers, but again, couldn't get past Mercer, dropping a 2-3 result. No. 3 pair
Katie Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) and
Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) and No. 4 pair
Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) posted wins in both matches.
SCOUTING THE HATTERS
Stetson leads the ASUN, boasting a perfect conference record so far in 2017. The Hatters have also snagged impressive wins over No. 10 Georgia State and No. 12 South Carolina.
The team has a strong history of ASUN success, winning two of the last three conference championships. The Hatters fell to North Florida in last year's ASUN finals.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will finish the regular season on Tuesday, Apr. 18 on with a 4 p.m. home match against FIU.
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach
Matt Botsford begins his fourth season at the helm of FGCU beach volleyball. He's already led the team to a program-high 13 wins in 2017. In three seasons, his beach teams have combined for an overall record of 30-41 (.412). In 2016, Botsford's indoor squad produced one of its most successful seasons ever at 27-6, with the win total representing the most in Division I program history and falling two shy of the all-time mark. His teams have combined for an overall 65-27 (.707) record, including a 32-10 (.762) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish. Botsford has coached 15 All-Conference selections in his three seasons. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
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 visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU
