MIAMI - The FGCU women's basketball team will open its 2019-20 season on the road Tuesday against Florida International at 7 p.m. in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
High expectations
This year's version of the Eagles will have to replace a pair of starters -
Lisa Zderadicka and
Destiny Washington, but returns six of its top eight scorers -
Nasrin Ulel (1st, 14.6),
Keri Jewett-Giles (2nd, 12.8),
Davion Wingate (5th, 7.6),
Tytionia Adderly (T-6th, 6.5),
Chandler Ryan (T-6th, 6.5) and
Kerstie Phills (8th, 5.1). Furthermore, the 2019-20 season will represent the first time in program history that FGCU will have the ASUN's reigning player (Ulel) and defensive player of the year (Adderly) suit up.
FGCU was slotted third in the initial CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll and sixth in the espnW mid-major poll to begin the season, and the Green and Blue received two votes in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll. The Eagles were also picked to repeat as conference champions by ASUN coaches and media.
Ulel (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta HS) and
Adderly (Jupiter, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) were selected as the ASUN's preseason player and defensive player of the year, respectively, while Ulel
and Jewett-Giles (Fort Myers, Fla./Dunbar HS) were named to the preseason all-conference team. As a team, the Eagles were unanimously tabbed to repeat as conference champs in both the media and coaches polls.
Historical Overview
The Eagles are entering the program's 18th season of competition, including their 13th since beginning the transition to the Division I level. Led once again by head coach
Karl Smesko, FGCU has 149 wins over the past five seasons, which is the most among all mid-majors and eighth-most among any Division I program – behind UConn (183), Notre Dame (172), Baylor (172), Mississippi State (159), South Carolina (152), Maryland (152) and Louisville (150). On top of that, the program is one of only seven Division I teams with three 30-win seasons during that stretch – joining UConn, Baylor, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Maryland and South Carolina.
Entering the 2019-20 season, Smesko has compiled a 524-119 record (.815), which ranks him as the third winningest active Division I head coach behind Geno Auriemma (1,062-139, .884) and Kim Mulkey (576-99, .853). Furthermore, he passed Tara VanDerveer (1,067-247, .812) in 2017-18 to become the fifth winningest Division I women's head coach of all-time – behind Auriemma, Leon Barmore (576-87, .869), Mulkey and Pat Summitt (1,098-208, .841). If that isn't enough, he ranks as the 15th winningest women's collegiate basketball head coach all-time across all divisions.
Smesko has his team on pace to shatter the NCAA's all-time Division I winning percentage record by the end of the 2020-21 season. Prior to this year, the Eagles have compiled a 463-92 (.834) record since the program's inception in 2002-03, which would easily be the best winning percentage in the country, as the only two other teams with even a .770 or above percentage are Tennessee (1,363-333, .803) and UConn (1,153-301, .793). The NCAA, however, requires at least 10 years as a Division I program, and FGCU's four reclassification years (2007-11) do not count towards the 10-year minimum. The Eagles will have to wait just a little longer to be recognized as the winningest women's basketball program in the NCAA.
Furthermore, FGCU has also produced a level of sustained success matched by only three other Division I schools as the Eagles have achieved nine straight 25-win seasons - an accomplishment only achieved by UConn, Notre Dame and Baylor. The Green and Blue have also completed 15-straight 20-win seasons.
Another historical season
In 2018-19, FGCU had another banner year, capturing both the ASUN regular season and tournament championships and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons of eligibility. In fact, it was the third time since the program became eligible for the ASUN tournament that the Eagles finished undefeated in conference play (16-0) and won the postseason tournament in the same season. Prior to that, only one other team had accomplished that in the now 34-year history of the conference. On top of that, the Eagles now own five undefeated regular seasons since 2012 alone. The conference has only seen two other such seasons since 1986.
The Eagles, who finished 28-5 overall, nearly upset 4th-seeded Miami on the road in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, rallying from down 14 in the third quarter to take a one-point lead early in the fourth quarter. That appearance represented the program's 12th-straight postseason entry, which extends an NCAA record for a startup Division-I program. The team won at least 25 games for the ninth-straight season and captured its ninth ASUN regular season title in the past 11 years in dominant 16-0 fashion. It also pushed FGCU's ASUN regular season winning streak to 23 dating back to Feb. 3, 2018.
The Green and Blue also continued to reinforce its "Raining Threes" mantra by reaching two all-time milestones last year - 5,000 3-point field goals made as a program and 2,000 made 3-point field goals in ASUN play.
Openers, series history
FGCU is 12-5 all-time in season openers, which includes a 2-3 record on the road. One of those wins, however, came on Nov. 8, 2013 when FGCU opened its season with a 75-55 win over Florida International. Additionally, the Eagles produced an 88-52 win over FIU in the second game of the 2017-18 season. Overall, they've never lost to the Panthers in 10 all-time matches, including a 100-58 win in Alico Arena last year. The two teams have met once a year since 2009.
Nearing 1,000 points
Three players are nearing 1,000 career points in their NCAA careers - Ulel (924), Jewett-Giles (911) and
Wingate (Atlanta, Ga./Stephenson HS) with 878.
FGCU Division I era career records (07-present)
Points
1. 1,901 - Sarah HANSEN (132 games) - 2010-14
2. 1,574 - Whitney KNIGHT (130 games) - 2011-12,13-16
3. 1,312 - Kaneisha ATWATER (106 games) - 2013-16
4. 1,263 - Kelsey JACOBSON (124 games) - 2008-12
5. 1,234 - Taylor GRADINJAN (148 games) - 2012-13,14-18
6. 1,185 - Shannon MURPHY (124 games) - 2007-11
7. 1,181 - Adrianne MCNALLY (93 games) - 2007-10
8. 1,138 - Stephanie HAAS (139 games) - 2012-16
9. 1,016 - Courtney CHIHIL (120 games) - 2008-12
10. 924 - Nasrin ULEL (95 games) - 2016-present
Field goals made
1. 685 - Sarah HANSEN (132 games) - 2010-14
2. 523 - Whitney KNIGHT (130 games) - 2011-12,13-16
3. 457 - Kaneisha ATWATER (106 games) - 2013-16
4. 424 - Taylor GRADINJAN (148 games) - 2012-13,14-18
5. 414 - Stephanie HAAS (139 games) - 2012-16
6. 409 - Adrianne MCNALLY (93 games) - 2007-10
7. 402 - Shannon MURPHY (124 games) - 2007-11
8. 385 - Kelsey JACOBSON (124 games) - 2008-12
9. 327 - Nasrin ULEL (95 games) - 2016- present
10. 326 - Courtney CHIHIL (120 games) - 2008-12
3-point field goals made
1. 330 - Kelsey JACOBSON (124 games) - 2008-12
2. 299 - Taylor GRADINJAN (148 games) - 2012-13,14-18
3. 294 - Whitney KNIGHT (130 games) - 2011-12,13-16
4. 219 - Shannon MURPHY (124 games) - 2007-11
5. 171 - Eglah GRIFFIN (95 games) - 2009-12
6. 159 - Nasrin ULEL (95 games) - 2016- present
7. 123 - Haley LAUGHTER (90 games) - 2014-17
8. 122 - Rosemarie JULIEN (71 games) - 2016-18
122 - Courtney CHIHIL (120 games) - 2008-12
10. 114 - Sarah HANSEN (132 games) - 2010-14
Rebounds
1. 887 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
2. 846 - Tytionia ADDERLY (340o-506d) - 2016- present
3. 735 - Whitney KNIGHT (114o-621d) - 2011-12,13-16
4. 603 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
5. 508 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
6. 504 - Adrianne MCNALLY (175o-329d) - 2007-10
7. 498 - Taylor GRADINJAN (117o-381d) - 2012-13,14-18
8. 422 - Katie MEADOR (193o-229d) - 2012-16
9. 385 - DyTiesha DUNSON (61o-324d) - 2012-16
10. 365 - Stephanie HAAS (96o-269d) - 2012-16
Defensive rebounds
1. 621 - Whitney KNIGHT (114o-621d) - 2011-12,13-16
2. 558 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
3. 506 - Tytionia ADDERLY (340o-506d) - 2016- present
4. 420 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
5. 381 - Taylor GRADINJAN (117o-381d) - 2012-13,14-18
Assists
1. 454 - DyTiesha DUNSON - 2012-16
2. 419 - Shannon MURPHY - 2007-11
3. 333 - Courtney CHIHIL - 2008-12
4. 285 - Adrianne MCNALLY - 2007-10
5. 260 - Brittany KENNEDY - 2011-13
6. 250 - Sarah HANSEN - 2010-14
7. 245 - Whitney KNIGHT - 2011-12,13-16
8. 239 - Kelsey JACOBSON - 2008-12
9. 229 - Kaneisha ATWATER - 2013-16
10. 201 - Lisa ZDERADICKA - 2017-19
11. 199 - Tytionia ADDERLY - 2016- present
Steals
1. 249 - Sarah HANSEN - 2010-14
2. 206 - Whitney KNIGHT - 2011-12,13-16
3. 199 - Courtney CHIHIL - 2008-12
4. 168 - Shannon MURPHY - 2007-11
5. 153 - Kaneisha ATWATER - 2013-16
6. 148 - Brittany KENNEDY - 2011-13
7. 144 - Tytionia ADDERLY - 2016- present
8. 143 - DyTiesha DUNSON - 2012-16
9. 114 - Taylor GRADINJAN - 2012-13,14-18
10. 112 - Jenna COBB - 2013-15
Games started
1. 131 - Sarah HANSEN - 2010-14
2. 126 - Taylor GRADINJAN - 2012-13,14-18
3. 111 - Courtney CHIHIL - 2008-12
4. 103 - Shannon MURPHY - 2007-11
5. 102 - Kaneisha ATWATER - 2013-16
6. 97 - Whitney KNIGHT - 2011-12,13-16
7. 96 - DyTiesha DUNSON - 2012-16
8. 90 - Adrianne MCNALLY - 2007-10
90 - Tytionia ADDERLY - 2016- present
10. 71 - Rosemarie JULIEN - 2016-18
11. 67 - Nasrin ULEL - 2016-present
FGCU's 2019-20 Non-Conference Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Nov. 5 - @ Florida International, 7 p.m.
Nov. 7 - vs Webber International, 7 p.m.
Nov. 13 - vs UCF, 7 p.m.
Nov. 17 - @ Princeton, 1 p.m.
Nov. 19 - vs Johnson & Wales, 7 p.m.
Nov. 22 - vs Saint Francis (@ FSW), 2 p.m.
Nov. 28 - vs Notre Dame (@ Riviera Maya, Mexico), 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 - vs South Florida (@ Riviera Maya, Mexico), 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 - vs South Dakota State (@ Riviera Maya, Mexico), 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 4 - @ Houston, 3 p.m.
Dec. 9 - vs Florida Memorial, 7 p.m.
Dec. 17 - vs Central Connecticut State, 7 p.m.
Dec. 19 - vs LSU, 7 p.m.
Dec. 22 - @ Temple, 12 p.m.
Dec. 29 - vs Duke, 2 p.m.
FGCU's 2019-20 ASUN Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Jan. 4 - vs Lipscomb, 4 p.m.
Jan. 6 - vs Liberty, 7 p.m.
Jan. 11 - @ Stetson, 1 p.m.
Jan. 13 - @ North Florida, 7 p.m.
Jan. 18 - @ North Alabama, 2 p.m.
Jan. 20 - vs Kennesaw State, 7 p.m.
Jan. 25 - vs NJIT, 4 p.m.
Feb. 1 - @ Liberty, 2 p.m.
Feb. 3 - @ Jacksonville, 7 p.m.
Feb. 8 - vs North Florida, 4 p.m.
Feb. 10 - vs Stetson, 7 p.m.
Feb. 15 - @ Lipscomb, 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 - @ Kennesaw State, 7 p.m.
Feb. 22 - @ NJIT, 1 p.m.
Feb. 29 - vs North Alabama, 3:30 p.m.
March 2 - vs Jacksonville, 7 p.m.
March 7 - ASUN Quarterfinals
March 11 - ASUN Semifinals
March 15 - ASUN Championship
TICKET INFORMATION
Season and mini-plan packages for the 2019-20 FGCU women's basketball team are now on sale. More information can be accessed by visiting FGCUTickets.com. To purchase tickets, or for additional inquiries, call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 AM-5 PM.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the women's basketball program, follow @FGCU_WBB on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook at /FGCUWBB.
SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
Do you enjoy watching or following the FGCU women's basketball program? Would you like to play a role in the growth of the program and help take it to heights never before experienced? If so, you can reach out to Director of Advancement, Matt Ring, about opportunities to make an impact on the experiences of our student-athletes. He can be reached by email at mring@fgcu.edu or by office phone at 239-745-4434.
COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko led the 2018-19 Eagles to the program's fifth undefeated conference regular season since 2011-12, as well as the ninth consecutive season with at least 25 victories. The Green and Blue finished 28-5 overall and 16-0 in ASUN play, capturing the team's ninth ASUN regular season championship and sixth ASUN tournament championship. The team finished the season receiving votes in the final AP Poll and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons before falling to host No. 19 Miami in the first round. It was the team's 12th-straight postseason appearance in 12 years of Division-I existence - the only program to ever do such.
Over the past five seasons, Smesko has guided FGCU to three 30-plus win seasons while recording a 149-28 (.841) record overall. That win total ranks eighth-best in the nation over that stretch - the most among all mid-majors and ahead of programs such as Oregon State and Stanford.
Including 2018-19, Smesko has also guided the Eagles to 15-straight 20-win seasons. He maintains a record of 524-119 (.815) overall in his career (third highest winning percentage among active D1 coaches behind only UConn's Geno Auriemma and Baylor's Kim Mulkey), including a 186-16 (.921) mark in ASUN play. Over the past eight seasons (including 2018-19), he has guided FGCU to a 124-4 (.969) record in conference play with five undefeated seasons. The now nine-time ASUN Coach of the Year earned his 400th career coaching win in 2014-15 in just 493 career games, two games faster than Auriemma.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April 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 awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12 seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just eight seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty consecutive semesters. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
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