FORT MYERS, Fla. – As part of a comprehensive Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) platform for the FGCU men's basketball program, a strategic partnership with the Rist Family Foundation Institute for Entrepreneurship has been created providing a unique educational opportunity. The Institute is housed within the University's No. 22 nationally ranked Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship and has helped hundreds of student and alumni owned businesses get started since its inception.
 
The program will deliver world-class experiential mentorship to members of the men's basketball team allowing them to apply what they learn in real-time to their NIL options. It is also the overarching piece of FGCU's NIL support for the men's basketball program.
 
"This is a transformative relationship that we have put together with the Rist Family Foundation Institute for Entrepreneurship along with the entrepreneur-in-residence," said head coach Pat Chambers. "This goes beyond just helping our student-athletes with navigating NIL opportunities – this provides them an educational opportunity with real-world applications that will empower them for the rest of their lives. We want to help our players be successful for their next 40 years, not just the four that they are on campus."
 
The focus of the partnership is to provide the foundation for a student-athlete's NIL plan. Individual meetings will focus on creating a personal brand as well as business plans. The mentorship, comprehensive support, and entrepreneurial business tools will help accelerate the goals of student-athletes who are looking to make the most of their opportunities. In addition to the educational opportunities the Institute provides to students across campus, those involved are also eligible for seed funding to help launch business projects and have access to the Institute's Runway Program. All students who major in entrepreneurship are also eligible for scholarships provided through the program.
 
The Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship has quickly become one of the top programs in the nation with FGCU ranked No. 22 by the Princeton Review and is ranked No. 1 in the state of Florida. The school opened Lucas Hall this past year – a 27,000 square-foot, three-story facility. Since 2016, over 300 businesses have been created by students taking program courses.
 
"To have this program at FGCU is such a tremendous benefit to our young people here," said Chambers. "The Rist Institute and the School of Entrepreneurship have unbelievable mentors for our players to work with. We are working to provide our players with this and other tools in the NIL space so they can maximize whatever opportunities come to them."

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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!

COACH CHAMBERS
Pat Chambers was officially introduced as the fifth FGCU men's basketball head coach in March 2022 bringing a wealth of experience in college basketball highlighted by head coaching stints at Penn State and Boston University. Chambers spent nine years leading the Penn State (2011-20) program and two years as head coach at Boston University (2009-11). He has 190 career victories in that span including four 20-plus win seasons. Part of his career as a head coach was highlighted by leading the Nittany Lions to a No. 9 national ranking in 2019-20 which tied the program's best-ever ranking set in 1996. Prior to becoming a head coach, he spent five seasons as part of the Villanova staff helping the Wildcats to a Final Four (2009), two Elite Eight, and three Sweet Sixteen appearances during his 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 92 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 45 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn at at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. 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 four 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 26 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Spring 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative 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--