FORT MYERS, FL – After splitting a pair of matches last weekend to start the 2018 campaign, the FGCU men's soccer team (1-1) will welcome its highest-ranked opponent ever at home as #1 Wake Forest (2-0) enters The Nest Saturday night for a 7 p.m. clash.
   
OPENING KICK
Saturday's match will not only be the highest-ranked soccer opponent to enter The Nest but it will also be the first time in program history the men's soccer team faces a team dubbed #1 in the country –  in 2012, the Eagles opened their season taking on #2 Akron on the road. It will be the second meeting between both teams with the first coming back in 2015 when the #19-ranked Eagles fell on the road to the #20 Demon Deacons, 1-0.

THE GREEN AND BLUE
Despite suffering a 1-0 setback in its season-opener against Charlotte, the Eagles were able to bounce back two days later behind the reigning ASUN Player of the Week O'Vonte Mullings (Toronto, Ontario/ Northview Heights Secondary). In the Sunday outing, the freshman netted a brace for the Green and Blue, scoring in the 26th minute and once again in the 53rd. Both tallies were assisted by sophomore Chris Clement (Mallorca, Spain/Lycee Francais de Palma) as he delivered two right-footed crosses into the box for Mullings to put away.

Connor Gavigan (Aurora, Colo./Grandview/Creighton) secured three saves – all coming in the second half – in his first start of the season. The redshirt sophomore now has six clean sheets in his Eagle career.

Over the last three seasons, the Eagles hold a 16-5-3 record at home.

ASUN OVERVIEW
FGCU was narrowly picked 2nd in the ASUN preseason coaches' poll earlier this month, making it the first time since 2012 the Eagles were not selected as the preseason league favorite. Senior Preston Kilwien (Pleasant Hill, Calif./College Park HS) was installed as league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year while junior Shak Adams (Antioch, Tenn./Cane Ridge HS) and senior Dennis Zapata (Orlando, Fla./University HS) joined Kilwien on the preseason all-conference team as FGCU's three selections were the most of any team in the league.
 
The Green and Blue finished just behind defending tournament champion Lipscomb in the preseason poll with 41 points while the Bisons had 42 points. Lipscomb received four 1st-place votes, while FGCU had one, 3rd-place Jacksonville (28 points) also had one and 4th-place NJIT (25) additionally picked up a top vote. Stetson (5th, 23 points), league newcomer Liberty (6th, 22 points) and North Florida (7th, 15 points) rounded out the preseason poll.

GREEN OUT
Fans are encouraged to wear green to Saturday night's match and it will also be 'Soccer Kit Night' where fans dressed in their favorite soccer gear will be eligible to win prizes.  

SCOUTING THE DEMON DEACONS
Wake Forest (2-0) is off to a hot start after beginning the season ranked #5. The preseason ACC favorites opened the 2018 year last Friday night by taking down #2 Indiana, 2-1 in double overtime and then collected a 4-2 victory over ETSU two days later en route to the top spot in the United States Soccer Coaches' poll as well as the Top Drawer Soccer poll. Justin McMaster has netted two goals thus far along with one assist for the Demon Deacons while defending ACC Player of the Week Bruno Lapa has added three assists.

The Deacs finished the 2017 campaign with the No. 1 RPI, going 19-2-2 overall, 7-0-1 in ACC action and a trip to the College Cup quarterfinals. Wake Forest has been ranked in the top five in 22 consecutive polls dating back to the middle of the 2016 season –18 more weeks than any other program (Akron - four).

BUILDING A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM
Since the program's first two seasons in 2007 and 2008, FGCU has posted a winning record each of the past nine years. All-time, the Eagles are 104-70-27 (.598) in 11 seasons, including a dominant 56-19-8 (.746) record in ASUN contests. In just seven years of D-I postseason eligibility, FGCU has won four ASUN Tournament championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 – and won an unprecedented six-straight ASUN regular-season championships from 2010-15. In 2017, the Eagles continued a stretch of never being seeded lower than 2nd and have reached at least the semifinals in all seven eligible seasons.
FGCU CAREER RECORDS
POINTS
1.          76 - Albert Ruiz (34g 8a) - 2014-17
2.         43 - Cristian Raudales (19g 5a) - 2008-11
3.         38 - Arion Sobers-Assue (12g 14a) - 2014-17
            38 - Felipe DeSousa (18g 2a) - 2012-14
5.         32 - Dylan Sacramento (12g 8a) - 2015-17
6.         31 - Josey Portillo (8g 15a) - 2008-11
7.         30 - Francesco DiStefano (9g 12a) - 2008-11
9.         28 - Deion Jones (9g 10a) - 2009-12
10.       27 - Dennis Zapata (8g 11a) - 2015-Present
ASSISTS
1.          15 - Josey Portillo - 2008-11
2.         14 - Arion Sobers-Assue - 2014-17
3.         12 - Francesco DiStefano - 2008-11
4.         11 - Dennis Zapata - 2015-Present
            11- Andres Navas – 2009-12
6.         10 - Deion Jones - 2009-12
7.          9 - Skylar Wilks - 2013-15
            9 - Miguel Jaime - 2014-17
            9 - William Morse - 2009-12
10.       8 - Donovan Henry - 2010-12

INSIDE THE SCHEDULE
All told, the 2018 slate features 16 games, including 10 non-conference matchups to prepare the Eagles for what they hope is a fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in only eight seasons of eligibility. Of those 10 non-league contests, an incredible five are against NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, and two more non-league foes who lost in their respective conference's tournament final.

The FGCU Soccer Complex will host seven contests this upcoming year, including another matchup with an NCAA Tournament opponent from 2017 in Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 19, and the latest edition of the I-75 rivalry with USF.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men's soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.

HEAD COACH JESSE CORMIER
Jesse Cormier guided FGCU to an 8-6-3 (4-1-1 ASUN) record in his 1st season with the team in 2017. The Eagles reached the ASUN Tournament semifinals for the 7th-straight season (every year of eligibility), and Cormier coached a program-record 10 all-conference selections. Hired in January of 2017 to become just the 2nd head coach in program history, Cormier was the head coach at Vermont for the previous 13 seasons. He won 14 games with the Catamounts in 2016 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. During his time with Vermont, Cormier guided the program to the America East Tournament in 12 of 13 seasons, making five title game appearances, winning two tournament crowns, claiming a regular-season championship and advancing to three NCAA tournaments, including a pair of Second Round appearances. Cormier holds an overall 123-96-50 (.562) record as a head coach.

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 to help raise.