FGCU vs Stetson Breakdown
When	Wednesday, March 24 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Where	DeLand, Fla. | Cooper Beach Complex
Live Stats	Sidearm
Stream	n/a
Twitter	@FGCU_BeachVB
Instagram	@FGCU_BeachVB
Facebook	FGCU Beach Volleyball

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The No. 20/20 FGCU beach volleyball team (7-3) will head upstate to DeLand on Wednesday to battle No. 16/17 Stetson (10-6) in an afternoon doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. The only other top 20 matchup between two ranked teams in ASUN history occurred on April 24, 2016 between No. 8 Stetson and No. 15 UNF.
 
This past week, the Eagles defeated the Hatters 3-2 in the FAU Beach Bash in Paradise. Stetson entered the match ranked 14th in the AVCA poll, and it was the highest-ranked opponent the Green and Blue has ever defeated, topping a win over No. 15 FAU in 2018. On top of that, it was FGCU's first win over Stetson since 2012, which snapped a 20-match losing streak to the Hatters and ended Stetson's 42-match winning streak against conference teams.
 
In doing so, FGCU moved into the national rankings for the first time in program history this week. On Monday, they entered the CollegeBeachVB.com rankings at No. 20 before doing the same on Tuesday in the AVCA rankings. Stetson, meanwhile, appeared in the AVCA poll for the 56th straight week and is 9-0 all-time against the Eagles at home on the Cooper Beach Courts.
 
In last week's win over Stetson, the No. 2 pair of Kayla Whetstone and Kacie Johnson provided the match-clinching win, improving to 7-3 overall as a tandem this year. It was the fifth all-time win over a ranked team by Whetstone (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Lamar HS), which puts her one shy of matching Madi Wilcox's program record. Along with Johnson (Frisco, Texas/Lebanon Trail HS), they have knocked off two ranked teams this season.
 
Whetstone also pushed her career win total to 51, which moved her past teammate Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) for sole possession of third place in program history.
 
Another pair - Maddison Parmelly (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall Heath HS) and Lexie Hamilton (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS/UNCW) - has started 6-3 together this year, while each of them also has a win with another individual. Emma Hansen (Trophy Club, Texas/Westlake Academy), who is 6-4 this year, is two wins shy of becoming the 15th player in program history with 20 wins.
 
Following Wednesday's doubleheader, FGCU will prepare for the FIU Surf 'n Turf event this Friday and Saturday, where they will face Florida Memorial, Tulane, No. 12/11 Florida Atlantic and No. 13/13 Florida International. Tulane is also receiving votes in this week's AVCA poll.
 
For complete coverage of the beach volleyball program, follow the Eagles on Twitter and Instagram at @FGCU_BeachVB, on Facebook at /fgcubeachvb and online at FGCUathletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU beach volleyball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.
 
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IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
 
COACH SWEAT
Chris Sweat is in his second season as head coach of the FGCU beach volleyball program after spending the prior five seasons as an assistant coach. A member of VolleyballMag.com's Under 40 Coaching Hotshots list in January 2020, he led the Eagles to a 4-0 start in 2020 prior to the Covid-19 shutdown and has compiled a 11-3 record to open his head coaching tenure.
 
#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 85 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 39 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 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. 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.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--