FGCU Eagle News, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL (2026)

06/04/2026

FGCU men’s basketball head coach Pat Chambers wasted no time in preparing for the 2026-27 season. Offseason work began immediately after FGCU’s 73-63 loss to Central Arkansas in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference Tournament on March 7.

“As soon as that game was over, I literally turned my hat around and became a general manager,” Chambers said. “I strategically planned how we were going to attack this offseason to position ourselves to be the most successful we can be going into the year.”

The Eagles lost four seniors, J.R. Konieczny, Michael Duax, Rory Stewart and Brandon Dwyer, who all graduated this May. Additionally, four FGCU players entered their names into the transfer portal once it opened at the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament.

Chambers and his staff secured the commitments of three transfers to bolster the roster ahead of the new season.

Read more about how Pat Chambers is using the transfer portal to retool the mens basketball team at the link in our bio.

✍️ Jorge Murillo, Assistant Sports Editor
📸 FGCU Athletics

05/27/2026

Last fall semester, FGCU introduced its first mentoring program that aims to provide students with the best chances of securing employment post-graduation. Students are paired with university alumni to help them prepare for the real world through Q&A sessions and networking opportunities.

There are no entry requirements. Students can request a mentor on the university’s website. Prior to their meeting, students undergo about an hour of training and preparation. Once assigned, the student reaches out to set up their first meeting with their mentor. Students are assigned a mentor who best suits their major, career goals and interests.

The program aims to provide a more casual networking experience, making it fun rather than scary.

Students are encouraged to apply for fall semester sessions from now until Sept. 11. As the program’s second year approaches, Richards emphasized that its success ultimately depends on student engagement.

Read more about the FGCU mentoring program at the link in our bio.

✍️ Jordan Manning, Staff Writer
📸 Julianne Grassi

05/07/2026

FGCU continues to invest in healthcare through the groundbreaking of its newest building Marieb Hall South, formerly known as Academic Building 10. The ceremony to celebrate this new building was held on Wednesday, April 15.

This facility is focused on providing majors in the health sciences with hands-on experience through emerging technologies to equip them with the skills necessary for the job.

Marieb Hall South will have 32 to 39,000 square feet of innovation space on its third floor and the whole building will give students access to open space similar to Academic Building 9, now known as Antonier Hall.

FGCU received support and partnership on this building from Governor Ron Desantis, the Florida legislature and House as well as the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Foundation after its $22 million gift dedicated to the success of this program last summer, which was the largest donation in FGCU history.

The enrollment in FGCU’S Marieb college doubled in the last five years and the number of degrees awarded has increased by 61%. To continue this streak, the purpose of this gift was dedicated to seeing the students succeed in this prestigious field.

Read more about the future of FGCU’s new health building at the link in our bio.

✍️ Larissa Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief
📸 James Greco

05/05/2026

Congratulations to our seniors!🎓🤙💙💚

We are so proud of you and all the hard work you have put into your schooling and Eagle Media! We know you will do great things! Go Eagles!

04/30/2026

You should never let another person’s opinion be a substitute for your own. For most college students, checking Rate My Professor before signing up for classes feels like common sense. It’s quick, easy and gives you at least some idea of the class you might be signing up for. To be fair, some information is typically better than none. At the same time, however, those ratings aren’t something that should be blindly taken at face value.

People are much more likely to go back and put effort into a review after a negative experience than after a neutral or positive one. A student who struggled in a class might leave a negative review, while someone who found the material manageable might have a completely different take and never post about it. Glowing reviews for professors exist, but they are much less common.

There’s no denying that having access to student feedback can be helpful. College can already feel like a guessing game, especially for freshmen or anyone trying to balance their schedule. Reading reviews can give insight into things you wouldn’t otherwise know, like whether a professor is lecture-heavy, has group projects, or grades mainly on exams.

The problem is how easily those reviews can be either misunderstood or taken as scripture. Most of them are based on personal experiences that don’t apply to everyone. A student could have had a simple personality clash with a professor and lash out. Maybe the teaching style didn’t match their learning style. What you’re seeing is often incomplete and skewed toward stronger emotions.

Read more about this students opinion on Rate My Professor at the link in our bio.

✍️ Kenna Graves, Staff Writer
🖼️ Samatha Casey

04/30/2026

It was a turbulent first season for FGCU women’s basketball head coach Raina Harmon. There were marquee moments, such as the Thanksgiving week win over Stanford University, but those moments were few and far between. Ultimately, the Eagles finished their season with a 16-16 record, its lowest in program history.

While it was evident Harmon was put in a tough position to succeed in year one, the question now becomes what can be done to build a team reminiscent of the championship-caliber Eagles squads of the past?

As with any team hoping to compete in the modern landscape of college athletics, the most important factor in winning is financial commitment from the top down. Especially at the mid-major level, even the slightest difference in financial investment in the roster can be the difference between a first-round exit in the conference tournament and winning the conference championship.

Read more about how Raina Harmon and the women’s basketball team can build for the future at the link in our bio.

✍️ Sam Fortney, Sports Editor
📸 Lexi Harbach, FGCU Athletics

04/29/2026

It’s a full circle moment for FGCU Club Hockey head coach Eric Mabie.

In the 2022 ACHA Division II National Championship game, FGCU lost in triple overtime to the University of Mary, 3-2.

Four years later, the Eagles found themselves in a similar situation – tied 2-2 going into overtime in the national championship game against Oklahoma State. Except this time, it took 26 seconds for forward Cole Bauman to score the goal that won FGCU its first championship since 2019.

The 2022 team still has a strong presence, with three players still on the roster and two former players serving as Mabie’s assistant coaches.

In five national tournament games, the Eagles scored 34 total goals and had 14 different goal scorers. FGCU’s offensive production is largely due to its top-to-bottom talent, which saw every forward on the tournament roster record at least two points in the tournament.

Read more about FGCU Hockey’s fifth ACHA win at the link in our bio.

✍️ Jorge Murillo, Assistant Sports Editor
📸 Carina Nichitean

04/24/2026

Athletic Director Colin Hargis is stepping down from his role to return to NC State, where he will serve as deputy athletics director. He will mainly oversee external relations and the football program. Hargis’ final day at FGCU will be May 1, exactly two years from his hire date in 2024.

President Aysegul Timur stated in a university-wide email that a search panel will be assembled to lead FGCU’s national search for its next athletic director, which will begin later this week.

In the meantime, Deputy Athletics Director Lauren Leister will serve as the interim athletic director. She’s worked with FGCU Athletics since August 2020 and handled athletic director duties when former athletic director Ken Kavanagh left in December 2023.

Read more about Hargis’ time and accomplishments while at FGCU at the link in our bio.

✍️Jorge Murillo, Assistant Sports Editor
📸 Lexi Harbach

04/20/2026

Gas prices have risen dramatically due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and strikes on oil infrastructure since the United States and Israel began their war against Iran. These effects have reached students at FGCU, as rising prices have forced many to rethink how they travel to and from campus and beyond.

According to FGCU, a third of its 15,000-student body lives on campus, forcing the remaining 67% to commute. Due to their daily driving, they are a demographic hit hard by rising prices.

The suspension of the $0.38-per-gallon state gas tax could be seen in Florida, as neighboring states such as Georgia have already enacted temporary suspensions of state gas taxes to ease the impact of rising prices on consumers.

If the recent increase in gas prices has led to economic hardship for you or someone you know, FGCU student care services offers assistance with basic needs.

Read more about how students at FGCU have been impacted by the rise of gas prices at the link in our bio.

✍️📸 Casey Shepherd, Assistant Features editor

04/17/2026

In the heart of Southwest Florida, amid coastal environments, FGCU is often known for its marine science program. For these students, the road leading to Bonita Beach doesn’t mean leisure time. It is where hands-on research and learning take place.

FGCU’s Vester Marine Field Station opened in 2007 and is located off Little Hickory Island. It serves as a space for students to conduct their research on water quality, red tide and blue-green algae through four locations in Estero Bay that can be observed in real time on Vester’s website.

Unfortunately, Hurricanes Ian, Milton and Helene wiped out most of the facility’s first floor. The rebuilding process took months. On Feb. 16, it reopened its space for student research.

The reopening was made possible by the Collier Community Foundation (CCF), which provided a $150,000 grant to FGCU to help Vester purchase all necessary new equipment to make it fully operational.

Read more about the Vester Marine Field Station and it’s benefits toward FGCU students at the link in our bio.

✍️ Larissa Rodriguez, Assignment & Features Editor
📸 James Greco/FGCU

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