The most decorated slugger in program history, Nick Rivera's return to the FGCU Baseball team was announced in Jan. 2021. Rivera will rejoin the Eagles as the Director of Player Development for the 2021 season, marking his second stint on head coach Dave Tollett's staff. The two-time All-American previously served as the Director of Operations for the 2018 squad. 

The former slugger returns to Fort Myers following a two-year stint with OOFOS, a recovery footwear company. 

In his new role, Rivera will be coordinating team travel, developing scouting reports, preparing film and overseeing student managers.

Rivera, who suited up for the Eagles from 2013-17, was a part of the historic 2017 team that advanced to the Chapel Hill Regional after capturing the program's first-ever ASUN Tournament title. Following a redshirt year in 2016, he went on to set seven career records and matched the single-season mark with 20 home runs.

Not only did he join former teammate Jake Noll as the only other two-time All-American in program history, but he also completed his illustrious career as the program record holder in games played (250), games started (245), doubles (71),home runs (46), RBI (220), total bases (499) and walks (179) while turning in a .315/.438/.554 slash line. His 499 total bases are the fourth-most in ASUN history and his 220 RBI rank fifth.

Additionally, Rivera finished the season as the NCAA's active career leader in games played, doubles, RBI and walks while also tying for the active lead in total bases, third in hits (284) and at-bats (901) and fourth in home runs.

A fifth-year senior, Rivera capped off his final campaign with the Green and Blue with a .303/.449/.610 slash line to go along with a career-high 20 home runs and 60 RBI. Twelve of the Cape Coral native's 20 long balls came in the final 21 games of the season, including four of his five two-home-run efforts. Rivera's final multiple-home-run game of his career lifted FGCU to a 10-6 win against Michigan in the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament game.

After leading the ASUN in home runs, RBI, walks (59) and slugging while also ranking in the top-three in the league in runs (53) and on-base percentage, Rivera was named FGCU's third overall and second straight ASUN Player of the Year. He was also one of two members of the ASUN to be named a 2017 Perfect Game/Rawlings All-American as he was joined by Stetson pitcher Logan Gilbert. The duo was accompanied by USC Upstate catcher Charlie Carpenter on the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Second Team in a part of the country made up of perennial powerhouse programs including Florida, Arkansas, LSU, Louisville, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, among others.

The Cape Coral native was named the ASUN Player of the Week on a trio of occasions during the season and matched the conference record with five weekly awards in his career. He set a number of single-game and program records, including a nine-RBI and 12-total base game versus Rutgers and six-walk outing at Kennesaw State to cap off the regular season. Rivera's six walks against the Owls not only set the FGCU single-game mark, but also matched the NCAA record. With a pair of two-home-run efforts at Kennesaw State, Rivera also went on to be named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball News.

After forgoing the 2015 MLB Draft to return to school and become the first member of his family to earn his degree, Rivera did just that as he graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice.

Updated 1/14/21