FORT MYERS, Fla. - FGCU softball's Neely Peterson was named a Florida Gulf Coast League All-Star Friday.
Peterson, who competes for the FGCL Pioneers, was selected as a catcher for the Sun All-Stars. Peterson was one of only two Pioneers to be selected to the all-star rosters, Sun and Surf.
The FGCL All-Star event begins this Saturday at 11 a.m. with the Coasty Awards. A home run derby will follow at noon as the all-star game is set for 1 p.m. at the GT Bray Complex in Bradenton, Florida.
Peterson is averaging .366 up the plate for the Pioneers, accompanied by an .500 on-base and .732 slugging percentage. She leads the Pioneers this summer in total hits (51), home runs (3) and walks (10).
Her 10 walks rank second in the league. Peterson is fourth in doubles (6), tied for eight in home runs and her on-base percentage is tied for fifth in the FGCL. In the field, Peterson holds a .952 fielding percentage, tallying 55 putouts.
The FGCL is a premier summer collegiate softball league that calls the west coast of Florida home. The FGCL is composed of 12 teams featuring collegiate athletes spanning all divisions and conferences across the country.
In the Green and Blue, Peterson made 37 starts behind the plate during 2022. She averaged .215 on the year and was fourth on the squad in total doubles (4). Peterson belted three home runs this past season, one against Belmont, Jacksonville and Mercer.
She went 2-for-3 in the 6-4 upset win over No. 8 Texas, scoring a run.
Peterson threw out 13 baserunners in 2022, tying for second all-time in FGCU single season records.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball and Instagram at fgcusoftball and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros completed his 20th season as head coach during the 2022 campaign. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 706-397-3 (.640), going 176-109 (.618) in the ASUN, having 16 seasons with a winning record, and nine campaigns with 35+ wins. Deiros is a former head coach at the 1998 Florida State Runner-up Lely High School in Naples and is the founding head coach of the 1999 District Champion/2001 Regional Runner-up Gulf Coast High School in Naples.
E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
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!
#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 92 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 10 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 44 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) 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 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 25 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2021) each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. 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.
