FORT MYERS, Fla. – When FGCU men's tennis head coach Josh Molino recruits players, he wants to find future Eagles who have grit and determination. There may not be a better example of that in his newest signee, Caleb Zigelbaur.

Zigelbaur, a Florida native who was given just four days to live after being diagnosed with Naegleria fowleri, has become an unofficial member of the Florida Gulf Coast men's tennis team after being paired up with the Eagles over a year ago by Team IMPACAT. That unofficial tie became solidified on Mar. 15 when FGCU "signed" him to the program.



"I loved it. Caleb loved it. It was amazing," said Caleb's mother, Jesse Ziegelbaur of the ceremony.

Naegleria fowleri is a brain-eating amoeba that carries a 97 percent fatality rate according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has mostly left Caleb in a wheelchair but, showing that grit and determination that he employs every day, Caleb walked out onto the court on Mar. 15 for his signing ceremony.

"Caleb's a great young man," Molino said. "We've really challenged ourselves to understand the definition of what 'hard' is. It also reminds us to be grateful for all that we have. Our guys have really rallied around Caleb. We've spent a lot of time with him, and we're really excited to have him as an Eagle."

The connection between the Eagles and Caleb began long before last Sunday's signing ceremony, which took place before FGCU's 4-1 win over Bucknell. For more than a year, the Eagles have been "recruiting" – calls, FaceTimes, invitations to practices and matches – Caleb and his family.

Nearly a weekly occurrence, Caleb visits the team on Tuesdays before and after his rehab on campus.
 

"We just really want him to feel like he's got a group of guys behind him," Molino said.

Caleb's family members struggled to fully express their gratitude towards FGCU men's tennis, but the gratitude goes both ways.

Eagles players light up and surround him as soon as he arrives at the facility.

"Just thinking about every point about him, every single shot about him, and just seeing what he goes through every single day makes us very proud," FGCU tennis player CJ Smith said.

The Eagles wrap up their home season on Friday when FGCU hosts North Florida at 1 p.m.

FGCU GIVE DAY 2026 LAUNCHES MARCH 25 AT NOON 
FGCU's annual Give Day – a 24-hour fundraising effort designed to support student-athletes, the 15 Division I sport programs and key priorities across FGCU athletics – launches at Noon on March 25. 
 
Help support Your Hometown Team by making your gift during the 24-hour campaign (or anytime leading up to that 24-hour span) by visiting the FGCU Athletics 2026 Give Day webpage here. 
 
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