FORT MYERS, FLA. – The FGCU men's golf team added another key transfer to the roster on Thursday as head coach
Andrew Danna announced the addition of University of Alabama transfer
Frankie Cappan III (North Oaks, Minn./Northwest Christian HS/Alabama). The rising junior was the No. 2 golfer for the Crimson Tide in 2019-20 and joins what is one of the best incoming classes in program history.
"We are really excited to add Frankie Capan to our program. After getting to know him through the recruiting process, it was easy to see the work ethic he puts into his game," said head coach
Andrew Danna. "I was very impressed with his drive and enthusiasm to improve each day as a person and a golfer. He will fit in very well with our squad and will help make our team's culture and work ethic that much stronger. I continue to be excited for the future of our program."
Capan had the second lowest scoring average for the Crimson Tide last season with a 72.47 stroke average in 15 rounds. That included a low-round 67 which was the second lowest round for the program in 2019-20. Overall in two years at Alabama, the native of North Oaks, Minn., played in 16 tournaments with a 73.52 scoring average. He finished his career with the Tide posting a pair of top-10 finishes, seven rounds shooting in the 60's, and 12 par-or-lower rounds. One of his top-10 finishes came during the 2018-19 NCAA Regionals where he shot a third-round 69 to finish tied for 10
th at one-over par.
Coming into FGCU, Capan will be one of the highest ranked recruits in program history as well. Before college, he ranked 41
st overall in the world amateur rankings and 10
th by the AJGA in the Class of 2018. He qualified for two U.S. Juniors and was the 2016 Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year. Additionally, he was a Arizona State Champion highlighted by a shooting a 59 in the final round of his senior year to win by 10 strokes.
Capan becomes the eighth newcomer for the Eagles entering the 2020-21 season. Danna signed graduate transfer
Michael O'Brien (West Chester, OH/Moeller HS) from Saint Joseph's and
Brady Madsen (Raymond, MN/MacCray HS) from Winona State in April. Earlier in the fall, the Eagles announced the signings of
Austin Cherichella (Orlando, FL),
Van Holmgren (Plymouth, Minn.),
Jon Hopkins (Bishop's Stratford, England),
Thomas Salanito (Palm Harbor, FL) and
Henry Tschopp (Uster, Switzerland).
Hopkins most recently made national headlines as the 2020 Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year for the NJCAA capping an outstanding junior college career.
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HEAD COACH ANDREW DANNA:
Danna will enter his second year at the helm of the men's golf program this fall. He served the previous season as the assistant at LSU. Prior to that he was the ultra-successful head coach for six years at Lynn University where he led them to the 2018 NCAA Division II national championship and was, subsequently, chosen the David Williams National Coach of the Year. He also led the Fighting Knights to three national runner-up placements, with a third and eighth place finish in his other two seasons.
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FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 82 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships, including three men's golfers. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (#24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. 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. In 2019-20, they ran their streak to three consecutive years leading both groups with the highest percentage of teams again receiving such high distinction (33% via 5 of 15 programs). FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. 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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