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silver hire wbb 2019

Women's Basketball Nicholas Huenefeld (@niklaustradamus)

Silver's hire completes @FGCU_WBB coaching staff

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Janelle Silver has been hired as the video coordinator for the FGCU women's basketball program. She replaces Sydnei McCaskill, who was elevated to director of basketball operations earlier in the offseason, and her hiring completes the coaching staff for the upcoming 2019-20 season.

"We are pleased to be adding Janelle to our staff," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "She has a good understanding of both basketball and technology. All of her references praised her work ethic, and I think she will do a great job in this role."
 
The Washington D.C. native brings a diverse background that includes being a collegiate basketball player at St. Thomas University (2017-18), Morgan State University (2013-16) and Ohio Valley University (2012-13). While at St. Thomas, the guard served as a team captain and helped lead the Bobcats to an NAIA National Tournament appearance.
 
"I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to join the FGCU family," Silver said. "The success of this program is well-known and to be a part of it means a lot."
 
In 2016-17, she served as an assistant girls basketball coach at her alma mater, Northwood High School, in Silver Spring, Maryland, and she was an assistant coach at Washington Adventist University last year.
 
Silver earned a bachelor of arts in strategic communications from Morgan State in 2016 before completing a master of science in sports administration from St. Thomas in 2018.
 
Notes
FGCU is on pace to shatter the NCAA's all-time Division I winning percentage record by the end of the 2020-21 season. Prior to the 2019-20 season, the Eagles have compiled a 463-92 (.834) record since the program's inception in 2002-03, which would easily be the best win 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.

Over the past five seasons, Smesko has guided FGCU to 149 wins, 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.
 
Smesko and FGCU has also produced a level of sustained success matched by only three other Division I schools as he has guided the Eagles to nine straight 25-win seasons - an accomplishment only achieved by UConn, Notre Dame and Baylor. Furthermore, he has achieved 15-straight 20-win seasons with the Green and Blue.
 
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 men's and women's basketball teams 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.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--
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