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FIU General InformationSchool.......................................................FIUCity/Zip ..............................Miami, Fla. 33199Founded .................................................1965Opened ...................................................1972Enrollment ...........................................38,000Nickname.............................Golden PanthersSchool Colors ..... Blue/PM 288 and Gold/109Home Field/Capacity ... University Park/2,000Surface/Dimensions ................Natural grass/ ...................................................325-400-325Affi liation ............................... NCAA Division IConference .......................................Sun BeltPresident ................ Dr. Modesto A. MaidiqueAlma Mater, Year ............................MIT, 1962Athletic Director ...........................Pete GarciaAlma Mater, Year ................Miami, Fla., 1984Ticket Offi ce Phone ............... (305) 348-4263

Baseball Quick FactsHistoryFirst year of baseball ..............................1973Overall all-time record .........1,276-764 (.625)NCAA Regionals/last .........................13/2002Opponent ..........................Bethune-CookmanResult .................................. lost, 7-4 (6/1/02)

Coaching StaffHead Coach................Henry “Turtle” ThomasRecord at FIU (yrs.) .......20-36 (Second Year)Career record (yrs.) .......20-36 (Second Year)Baseball offi ce phone ............ (305) 348-7403Assistant Coaches:Sean Allen ....Recruiting Coordinator/Pitching (Houston, 2001)Frank Damas ..........................Outfi led/Hitting (St. Thomas, 2003)Scott Humes Volunteer Assistant. ........ Infi eld (Miami, Ohio, 2003)Nike Sheffer .................. Baseball Operations Chris Altieri .........................Student Assistant Gabe Casanova .....................Athletic Trainer

Team Information2008 Record ....20-36/13-18 home/7-16 awaySun Belt ...............12-18/7-8 home/5-10 awayConference fi nish.......................................9thLetterwinners returning/lost ...................11/24Newcomers.................................................21Website ..........................www.FIUSports.com

This is FIU 1-24General Information ..................................1Baseball Quick Facts ................................1This is FIU .............................................2-3Greater Miami ........................................4-5The Beaches .........................................6-7University Park Stadium ........................8-9Baseball Facilities Upgrades ............. 10-11FIU Football Stadium .........................12-13FIU In The Pros .................................14-15Academic Services ............................16-17Athletic Training .................................18-19Strength and Conditioning ......................20Compliance ............................................21Head Coaches/Administration ................22The Sun Belt Conference .......................23Media Information ...................................24

Outlook/Staff 25-362009 Outlook ...................................26-257Rosters ...................................................28Pronunciation Guide ...............................28Squad Breakdown ..................................29Turtle Thomas ...................................30-31Sean Allen ..............................................32Scott Humes ...........................................33Frank Damas ..........................................34Baseball Support Staff ............................35President Dr. Modesto A. Maidique ........36Athletic Director Pete Garcia ..................36

The Team 37-62Returners ...........................................38-48Newcomers .......................................50-58

2009 Opponents 59-64Non-Conference Opponents ..................60Sun Belt Conference Opponents ............61Opponent SID Directory .........................612009 Opponent All-Time Series .........62-63Postseason Tournaments .......................64

2008 Season Review 65-752008 Overall Statistics ............................662008 Sun Belt Statistics .........................672008 Results ..........................................682008 Game-by-Game Batting ................692008 Game-by-Game Pitching ...............702008 Starting Lineups ............................712008 Starting Defense ............................722008 Miscellaneous Statistics ................732008 Superlatives ...................................74Career Statistics of Players Lost ............752008 Sun Belt Review ............................76

Records 77-82Annual Leaders ......................................78Individual Records ..................................79Team Records ........................................80Single-Season Top Five ..........................81Career Top Five ......................................82

History 83-98Yearly Results .........................................84Coaching Records ..................................84Year-By-Year Results ........................85-93FIU In The NCAA Tournament ................94Retired Number - #3 Oriol Perez ............95Retired Number - #15 Mike Lowell .........95Retired Number - #21 Danny Price ........96Retired Number - #23 Toti Mendez .........96Award Winners .......................................97All-Time Letterwinners .......................98-99

Index 100

Athletic Media Relations ContactBaseball SID ............................. Iván R. IrizarryOffi ce phone ............................(305) 348-6666Cell phone ...............................(787) 248-3061E-Mail .................................... iiriz001@fi u.eduSID Fax....................................(305) 348-2963Assistant AD/Media Relations ........ Rich KelchOffi ce phone ...........................(305) 348-3164Press box phone......................(787) 248-3061Overnight Address ............. 11200 SW 8 Street US Century Bank Arena, Room 211 Miami, FL 33199

Directions To University Park Stadium From Miami International Airport – Take

SR 836 West (Dolphin Expressway) to NW 107 Avenue exit. Go south on 107 Avenue to SW 8 Street (Tamiami Trail). Turn right on SW 8 Street, go two traffic lights to SW 112 Avenue. Turn left onto campus and go right at the first stop sign. Follow the road until you reach the FIU Football stadium and make a right. The baseball stadium will be on your right.

From I-95 – Exit at SR 836 West (Dolphin Expressway). Continue to NW 107 Avenue exit. Go south on 107 Avenue to SW 8 Street (Tamiami Trail). Turn right on SW 8 Street, go two traffic lights to SW 112 Avenue. Turn left onto campus and go right at the first stop sign. Follow the road until you reach the FIU Football stadium and make a right. The baseball stadium will be on your right.

From SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) – Exit at SW 8 Street (Tamiami Trail), heading west. Proceed to SW 112 Avenue. Turn left onto campus and go right at the first stop sign. Follow the road until you reach the FIU Football stadium and make a right. The baseball stadium will be on your right..

From the Florida Turnpike – Exit at SW 8 Street (No. 25-Tamiami Trail). Turn right on SW 8 Street (SR 41-Tamiami Trail) to SW 112 Avenue. Follow the road until you reach the FIU Football stadium and make a right. The baseball stadium will be on your right.

CreditsThe offi cial 2009 FIU Baseball Media Guide is published by the FIU Athletic Department. FIU Miami, FL 33199. This guide has been edited and designed by the FIU Athletic Media Relations Department.

Editor: Iván IrizarryEditorial Assistants: Rich Kelch, Brett Rybak, John Angel, Steven Schoon and Susan FrantzDesign and Layout: John AngelCover Designs: John AngelInside Cover Photos: Courtesy of Berta Meng Ortiz (Lowell high-fi ve), Brian Babineau (Lowell with trophy) and Michael Ivins, Boston Red Sox.Photography: John Angel, Alex J. Hernandez, Sam Lewis, Richard Lewis, FIU Photography & Graphics and special thanks to the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Birmingham Barons, Memphis Redbirds , San Diego Padresand Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for supplying photos.

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FIU is Miami-Dade County’s first public, four-year university. Our powerful record of inno-vation and research continues to improve the quality of life in our communities. With a nationally renowned faculty recognized for their outstanding teaching and cutting-edge research and a student body from throughout the United States and more than 130 foreign countries, FIU continues to grow and excel, achieving many benchmarks of excellence that have taken other universities more than a

century to reach

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century to reach

HISTORY AND GROWTHFIU was founded in 1965 and opened for classes in 1972 with 5,667 students - the largest opening day enrollment in U.S. collegiate history. Today it has more than 38,000 students, almost 1,000 full-time faculty and more than 124,000 alumni. FIU is one of the 25 largest universities in the nation, based on enrollment. The University offers more than 200 bach-elor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in 21 colleges and schools.

PROGRAMSThe University offers more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in 22 colleges and schools: College of Architecture and the Arts School of Architecture School of Music College of Arts and Sciences School of International and Public AffairsCollege of Business Administration School of AccountingCollege of Education College of Engineering and Computing School of Computing and Information Sciences Honors College College of Law College of Medicine (to welcome its fi rst class in August 2009)College of Nursing and Health Sciences School of Hospitality and Tourism Management School of International and Public AffairsSchool of Journalism and Mass Communication College of Public Health and Social Work Stempel School of Public Health School of Social Work

FACULTYNinety-five percent of the University’s full-time faculty holds doctorates or the highest degrees in their field.

RESEARCHFIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. Sponsored research funding (grants and contracts) from external sources for the year 2005-06 totaled $92 million. The University is ranked as a Research University in the High Research Activity category of the Carnegie Foundation’s prestigious classification system.

ATHLETICSFIU’s intercollegiate athletic teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, the nation’s most competitive college sports division, the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA. Seventeen sports programs are offered, including football (Division I-A), basketball, track & field/cross country, soccer, baseball, volleyball, softball, golf, tennis and swimming & diving.

THE BAND OF THE SUNThe Band of the Sun is an important member of the FIU School of Music, made up of the best and brightest students from both the University Park and Biscayne Bay campuses. Representing over 30 majors and disciplines, the band is a microcosm of the diverse University and Miami cultures. In only its sixth year of existence, The Band of the Sun has already established itself as one of the premier collegiate marching bands in the State of Florida through a high standard of excellence in performance and entertainment.

THE FIU CHEERLEADERSIn 1998, the FIU Cheerleaders received national recognition when they won the National Cheerleaders Association Grand National Championship Award. The FIU cheerleaders squad was the first team from Florida to win the national crown, and the team remains among the best in the nation, placing third at the NCA Championships in 2005. The squad performs at all football and home basketball home games.

THIS IS FIU

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THE GOLDEN DAZZLERSFormed in 1989, the Golden Dazzlers are FIU’s award-winning dance team. Over the course of its history, the group has won the NCA Dance National Championship and racked up third- and eighth-place finishes. The Golden Dazzlers, who per-form at all home basketball and football games, as well as at school pep rallies and other special events, continue to place high annually at the National Dance Alliance Championship.

THE MASCOTWhen FIU first opened its doors in 1972 the Sunblazer was its mascot. The Sunblazers repre-sented FIU for 14 years, but in 1987, University President Dr. Modesto A. Maidique promoted a campaign to replace the Sunblazer with the Golden Panther, a mascot that better repre-sented FIU and its ties to Florida’s natural environment. The University also adopted new school colors – blue and gold. This fall, the FIU Golden Panther got a makeover, and the result was a “meaner, leaner” predator.

ALUMNIWith more than 124,000 alumni, Golden Panthers constitute the fastest growing university alumni group in Miami-Dade County. FIU confers approximately half of all degrees now awarded by universities in Miami-Dade County.

NATIONAL RECOGNITIONThe University is the youngest to have been awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most distinguished academic honor society. FIU was recently ranked third in granting bachelor’s degrees to minorities (among the top 100 degree producing colleges and universities), according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education, June 1, 2006. FIU’s College of Law led all universities in the state with the high-est pass rate of 94.4-percent on the 2007 Statewide Florida Bar Examination. The second highest pass rate belonged to Florida State University with 88.2-percent.

U.S. News & World Report ranks FIU’s undergraduate international business program among the top 15 in the nation and their graduate programs among the top 25. The University has also been named one of the “10 Cool Colleges for Entre-preneurs” by Fortune Small Business magazine. One Executive MBA program was recently ranked #1 in Florida by Financial Times.

The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is one of the nation’s top programs. Other acclaimed pro-grams include Creative Writing and Marine Biology.

BUDGET & ECONOMIC IMPACTThe University’s 2006 operating budget was $611.8 million. FIU has more than 4,800 employees. The University has an economic impact of more than $1.7 billion on the South Florida economy.

ARTS & CULTUREIn recent years, FIU has emerged as one of South Florida’s major cultural assets, offering programs to both students and the local community. The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum will celebrate the grand opening of its new facility on the University Park campus in 2008, while the Wolfsonian-FIU museum, locat-ed in Miami Beach, promotes the collection, preservation and understanding of decorative art and design from the period 1885-1945.

The School of Theatre and Dance produces a wide variety of live student performances, and The School of Music presents an annual fall series of concerts that showcase talent in a variety of genres. The festival features FIU musicians as well as distinguished visiting performers.

Under the direction of the Creative Writing Program, the Writers on the Bay lec-ture series presents noted authors and poets. The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management helps present the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, one of the major culinary events in the nation.

CAMPUSESFIU has two campuses, the 344-acre University Park campus in western Miami-Dade County, and the 200-acre Biscayne Bay Campus in northeast Miami-Dade County. The University also has an academic site in Broward County, FIU Broward-Pines Center in Pembroke Pines. A major research facility, the 40-acre Engineering Center is located near the University Park campus. The Downtown Center, located in downtown Miami, offers graduate level business courses for busy professionals.

Architecturally distinctive University Park includes lush tropical landscaped grounds, apart-ment style and traditional residence halls, U.S. Century Bank Arena and FIU Stadium, a state-of-the-art eight-story library, an environmental preserve and other athletic facilities that contribute to a pleasant collegiate atmosphere.

Scenic Biscayne Bay features a natural mangrove preserve, direct access to the bay, apartment-style housing, a library, aquatic center and the Roz and Cal Kovens Conference Center.

G R E A T E R M I A M I

With a year-round tropical climate, exciting attractions, professional and intercollegiate sports teams, art, history, museums and all of the nature parks and education one could ask for, Greater Miami and the Beaches has become a superstar of the world’s travel destinations. Due to its location in a tropical climate, Greater Miami and the Beaches has many activities and attractions that differ from most vacation spots. This tropical cosmo-politan city boasts some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and ecological wonders, such as the Everglades, right next to one of the world’s most vibrant urban centers.

Miami, one of the most international cities in the hemisphere, is Florida’s largest urban center and a major transportation and business hub of the southeastern U.S. Greater Miami, which comprises the city of Miami and surrounding Miami-Dade County, includes Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Hialeah and many smaller communities.

The Miami area’s history dates back to the discovery of the “New World.” Ponce de Leon saw the tip of Key Biscayne in 1513 and named it, more than 100 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. In the 1850s only about 50 persons lived permanently on Biscayne Bay, and it wasn’t until the 1870s that Bahamian wreckers helped found the area’s first real community, Coconut Grove. Miami was incorporated in 1896, the same year that Standard Oil co-founder and railroad magnate Henry Flagler decided to extend his railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami.

During the land boom of the 1920s, Miami’s population swelled and, thanks to its inviting, subtropical climate, it emerged as one of the nation’s great winter resorts. Miami Beach is known for its historic art deco district and the numerous hotels that

line its beaches, and the area is filled with marinas and golf courses. Since the 1950s, commercial growth has grown significantly. Miami International Airport is the nation’s largest international cargo hub and third in terms of

international passengers. The Port of Miami is the number one cruise port in the world.

The Miami of the 21st century is an exciting, dynamic global marketplace. But being a global marketplace does not mean it is just a trading post for goods. Miami is a metropolis that is a major transfer station for peoples and ideas from throughout the world. Miami, once a town of tourists and retirees, has been reinvented into a hemispheric crossroads for trade, travel, culture and communications.

In Greater Miami, you can spend hours, days or weeks entertaining yourself and your family without having to travel more than a few minutes in any direction. Nighttime entertainment includes music and dance clubs with music ranging from smooth sounding jazz to lively disco, comedy clubs, concerts, theater, opera, symphony and movies. Even with all that to do, virtually no one comes to Miami without taking a stroll along the beach. Come, have fun and enjoy.

You can find affordable accommodations in Miami anytime of the year and while visiting, you’ll never go hungry for quality food. Greater Miami and the Beaches offer lots of great restaurants that will please anyone’s appetite -- every-thing from sea-food to steaks and from Indian to Japanese and do it with a fantastic ocean view.

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T H E B E A C H E S

If shopping is what you are looking for, Greater Miami offers a multitude

of opportunities found few places in the world. High fashion shop-ping centers portray glamour, while the practical gift shopper may prefer a

regional mall that has it all. There is no shortage of the unique as you stroll down the oceanfront filled with handsome antiques, explore one of a kind anti-malls, the hottest beach apparel

or the latest retro outfit.

Miami has it all for the nature lover. Glorious weather has always been a main attraction here due to South Florida’s sun-kissed days that feature bluer-than-blue skies and an average temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Guided boat tours and nature parks for all to enjoy are just part of the beautiful sights Miami has to offer. You can hike, bike, boat or take a ride on the tram to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of some of America’s best seascapes and landscapes. Whatever your pleasure Greater Miami is sure to please.

Miami is a sports enthusiast’s paradise. Fishing, scuba div-ing and water sport rentals, as well as much more are all on the menu for fun. So if you are looking to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather of South Florida and the fresh air over the Atlantic Ocean, you will find it all in Greater Miami and the Beaches.

Above and beyond the much-celebrated spots, Greater Miami has a rich assortment of neighborhoods that offer charming nooks and crannies and off-the-beaten-path excursions. Built in the roaring ‘20s, Coral Gables is a prosperous and dra-matically beautiful city, marked by Spanish-style mansions, huge ficus trees, coral rock pools, lush golf courses and a commercial area that’s jam-packed with specialty shops and restaurants.

Like most ethnic enclaves, Little Havana and Little Haiti are brimming with immigrant optimism. The Moorish architecture of Opa-Locka, inspired by the Arabian Nights stories, is a stunning inner-city collection of minarets, domes and horseshoe arches.

South Dade offers a more rural ambiance and features must-see spots such as Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, Miami Metro Zoo, the Homestead Motorsports Complex and more.

The waterfront city of Key Biscayne can only be described as an island paradise. It is a peaceful, well-preserved community crowned by the bucolic Bill Baggs State and Crandon Park, two of the most beautiful beaches in the United States.

Access to the area is simple and convenient. Miami International Airport, equipped with a sun deck for that last-minute tan, is just a 20-minute drive from FIU-University Park. By land, Greater Miami is accessible via the Florida Turnpike, I-95, U.S. 1 and Amtrak’s rail system. The Port of Miami, the world’s largest cruise port, is a nautical link that connects Miami to the Caribbean and Latin America.

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Florida International plays all its home games at University Park Stadium. The Frank Alonso and Family Locker Room, a fully-equipped training room, spacious dugouts, indoor hitting facilities and full bullpens in the right and left field foul territories creates an ideal setting for student-athletes and coaches. A seating capacity of 2,000 with unmatched sight lines, scoreboard, elevator, conces-sion stands and stadium lighting provide a fan-friendly atmosphere that makes this house a home for the Golden Panthers.

While the stadium has the amenities and necessities essential to a successful baseball program, improving the facility is a constant process. In just the last year, the coaches’ offices, alumni lounge and media area was completed on the third floor of the stadium, creating an area for those who helped build the program.

Head coach Turtle Thomas and his staff have led a charge to further advance the stadium with new carpeting in the locker room and training room, as well as beginning the initial stages to pad the outfield fences, add a state-of-the art video board, expand the batting cages, construct a new weight room and add a family area in right field.

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The evolution of FIU Baseball Stadium did not happen overnight. The completion of Phase I of a three-phase project that switched the positioning of the field culminated with a 1-0 win against Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 26, 1996 in front of a standing-room crowd. Fireworks and a first-ball ceremony that featured University President Dr. Modesto Maidique and many other dignitaries were part of the festivities.

Phase II construction, which increased the stadium’s seating capacity by more than 1,000, forced the Golden Panthers to play in Homestead for some time before returning in 2002. More than $3.5 million was raised from student trust funds to com-plete the first two phases and former head coach Danny Price raised $100,000 to fund the construction of the batting cages.

The expansion enabled FIU to host the 2005 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Phase III of the project got under-way in the spring of 2003 and was completed in 2007 with the finishing of the skybox, alumni lounge and media area.

The field’s playing surface is natural grass and symmetrical field dimensions of 325 feet down the lines, 375 feet in the power alleys, and 400 feet to straightaway center field.

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Since their arrival at FIU, Turtle Thomas and his staff have made numerous improvements to the baseball stadium and facilities.

The biggest improvement to the stadium is the $75,000 project to pad the outfi eld wall and add decals honoring the four retired numbers in FIU Baseball history. The facilities also feature three full-length batting cages with two portable mounds.

The press box has been upgraded by adding leveled seating to provide a better view for the media. The press area has also been sectioned off to separate it from the luxury suite. The suite offers the best accommodations at FIU Stadium, including premium seating, refreshments and even a high-defi nition television.

BASEBALL FACILITIES UPGRADES

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Stadium speakers have been replaced by new, state-of-the-art models, the carpeting has been replaced in the locker and training rooms, the bathroom in the locker room has new fl oor tiles, and even the dugouts have received a face-lift with a paint-job and the addition FIU & Sun Belt Conference decals. Also, fl at-screen TV’s have been installed in the locker room. The outside of the stadium will also be re-painted.

Plans are in place to replace the halo around home plate with a navy-blue one to match the outfi eld fence. Also, the pads on the backstop will be replaced with navy-blue ones. New on-deck circles will also be installed.

In addition to the upgrades to the facilities, sine Thomas’ arrival every FIU Baseball home game has been available for viewing via webcast on Panther Pass. This will continue in 2009 as every home game is scheduled to be broadcast on FIUSports.com.

FIU STADIUM FAST FACTSIt is the only Division I on-campus football stadium south of Orlando in Florida

The fi rst phase of construction will bring the stadium’s capacity to approximately 18,000 and will include: 1,500 club seats 6,500 square-foot Stadium Club An upper concourse and 19 premier suites Chair back and bench seating all with backrests for fan convenience

Additional phases of construction will include a new fi eldhouse, state-of-the art weight room, a student-support complex and will bring the stadium’s seating capacity to approximately 45,000.

“This stadium is the crown jewel of FIU Athletics. It will be the vehicle that takes our athletic department to the next level.”

FIU Athletic Director Pete Garcia

A new era began on Saturday, September 20 when FIU hosted the University of South Florida. All along, the Golden Panthers have set aggressive goals and have been com-mitted to competing at the highest level. FIU is building this tradition of excellence with Athletic Director Pete Garcia, Head Football Coach Mario Cristobal and a new on-campus stadium opening this fall.

Since breaking ground on May 25, 2007, sta-dium construction has occurred under the aus-pices of Coral Gables, Fla., based Odebrecht Construction, Inc. The stadium’s fi rst phase in-cludes a capacity of 18,000 and features 1,500 club seats, a 6,500 square foot Stadium Club, an upper concourse and 19 premium suites. Seating includes both chair back and bench seating with backrests for fan convenience. Addi-tional phases of construction will include a student support complex and will bring the stadium’s seating capacity to ap-proximately 45,000.

“This stadium is the crown jewel of FIU Athletics,” said Gar-cia. “It will is the vehicle that will take our athletic depart-ment to the next level.”

FIU’s new stadium becomes the only Division I on-campus football stadium south of Orlando in Florida.

“This puts FIU on an even playing fi eld in terms of facilities,” said Coach Cristobal. “Now, local athletes have another reason to stay home and help build a championship program while student-athletes

from all over the state and country will have one more reason to attend school here. This will have a huge impact on future recruiting and will

give our students and fans something to rally around and it is a great foundation to build upon.”

Nearly two-thirds of the stadium project will be funded from existing sources like athletic fees, game guarantees and ex-isting vendor contributions. In addition, ticket sales will be applied toward fi nancing improvements. The new stadium complex also opens the door to other sources of revenue like corporate sponsorship packages and naming rights, in addition to concerts, non-intercollegiate sporting events and other community activities that will take place at the sta-dium.

FIU Stadium opened on September 20, 2008 against South FloridaM AY 2 5 , 2 0 0 7 M AY 2 0 0 7 J U N E 2 0 0 7 J U LY 2 0 0 7

APRIL 2008 MAY 2008 JUNE 2008

“This is a win-win: business-wise and student-experience wise,” said FIU Board of Trustee member Albert Dotson who is also the chair of the board’s athletics committee. “The stadium is an important step that speaks directly to university objectives such as creating affi nity, developing the FIU brand and adding to the student experience. This will be a venue that will bring alumni back and help build FIU tradi-tions.”

Future phases for the stadium include an adjacent 100,000 square-foot student center that will house undergraduate advising, admissions, fi nancial aid and an alumni welcome center. Most of these services have been located on University Park in the Charles Perry Building.

“The student body has more than doubled over the past two decades,” said University President Dr. Modesto A. “Mitch” Maidique. “We are now looking forward to providing these services in a more appropriate, comfortable and attractive environment.”

President Maidique said the entire complex achieves sev-eral objectives that will help to enhance the student experi-ence at FIU. For example, the administrative portion of the complex will spread traffi c and pedestrian patterns more evenly around campus. This becomes more critical as the university’s student body pushes well beyond its current 38,000 enrollment.

“The new stadium will become a landmark and gathering place for the entire FIU community,” Dr. Maidique said.

Odebrecht Construction, which has been operating in Flor-ida for nearly 20 years, has been responsible for building another Miami sports icon—the American Airlines Arena—and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County.

“We have looked forward to building an excellent facility, one that will enhance the campus environment and contrib-ute measurably to FIU athletics, student life and the broader community,” said Gilberto Neves, Odebrecht CEO.

AUG 2007 SEPT 2007 OCT 2007 NOV 2007 DEC 2007

DEC 2007 JAN 2008 FEB 2008 MARCH 2008

The stadium will also be the home of the brain trust of the FIU Football program with the completion of a two-story, 50,000-square foot fi eldhouse in the early 2009.

Highlights of the new fi eldhouse include a 12,500-square foot clean span weight room that will be used not only by Golden Panther football players but all FIU student-athletes for their strength and conditioning needs.

Visitors will be greeted in a reception area that will also in-clude a Hall of Fame area. The fi rst fl oor will also contain an equipment room, athletic training complex, ticket of-fi ce and 8,500-square feet of locker rooms for players and coaches.

The fi eldhouse’s second fl oor will feature coaches’ offi ces, a theater-style team meeting room and six breakout rooms, which overlook the fi eld, for smaller gatherings. Those rooms also open to a deck that will be used for recruiting and game-day entertainment.

Along with all its other amenities, the opening of FIU Stadium featured 18,000 seats along with 19 air-conditioned premium suites, which offer unobstructed sideline views of all the action.

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Year Name Franchise Round (Pick)

2008 Jorge Castillo Chicago White Sox 26th (780)2007 Luis Bautista Chicago Cubs 32nd (966) Chris Dunn Florida Marlins Free Agent James McOwen Seattle Mariners 6th (195)2006 Nick Cadena Texas Rangers 30th (898)2005 Yahmed Yema Boston Red Sox 7th (228) David Asher Seattle Mariners 8th (233) Dennis Diaz Philadelphia Phillies 22nd (724) Luis Rivera Chicago Cubs Free Agent Matt Rainey New York Mets Free Agent2004 Derek DeCarlo Milwaukee Brewers 9th (256) Mark Worrell St. Louis Cardinals 12th (360) Fernando Alvarez Chicago White Sox 16th (479) Mario Suarez Chicago White Sox 34th (1019)2003 Josh Banks Toronto Blue Jays 2nd (50) Ricardo Nanita Chicago White Sox 14th (412) Andrew Edwards New York Yankees 27th (814) Arthur Santos Boston Red Sox 34th (1014)2002 Brad Eldred Pittsburgh Pirates 6th (163) Ozzie Lugo Anaheim Angels 13th (384) Bernie Gonzalez Colorado Rockies 14th (411)2001 Mike Quintana Cleveland Indians 8th (247) Willy Collazo Atlanta Braves 10th (315) Matt Huntingford San Francisco Giants 29th (286)2000 Eric Miller Montreal Expos 24th (705) Gilbert Landestoy Anaheim Angels 37th (1100)1999 Steve Kent Seattle Mariners 9th (275) Edwin Franco Kansas City Royals 11th (331) Harold Eckert Los Angeles Dodgers 19th (584) Raul Garcia Kansas City Royals 26th (781) Jeff Rodriguez Atlanta Braves 30th (924)1998 James Molina St. Louis Cardinals 21st (618) Sean Mahoney Tampa Bay Devil Rays 32nd (972) Mike Christensen Anaheim Angels 36th (1081)1997 Jose Rodriguez St. Louis Cardinals 24th (734) Danny Alvarez Cleveland Indians 43rd (1296) 1996 Evan Thomas Philadelphia Phillies 10th (286) Shawn Stutz Tampa Bay Devil Rays 13th (394) Eduardo Ferrer California Angels 24th (715) Francisco Lebron Pittsburgh Pirates 51st (1458)1995 Dorian Speed Chicago Cubs 7th (175) Jamie Emiliano Colorado Rockies 9th (235) Mike Lowell New York Yankees 20th (562) Juan Munoz St. Louis Cardinals 33rd (911) Paxton Stewart Toronto Blue Jays 48th (1320)1994 Jeff Keith San Francisco Giants Free Agent1993 Greg Keagle San Diego Padres 6th (170) Kevin Wehn Colorado Rockies 17th (492) Tim Kester Houston Astros 18th (504) Casey Mittauer New York Yankees 20th (561) Eric Alexander St. Louis Cardinals 41st (1152) Bryan Garrett Cleveland Indians 67th (1628)1992 Garvin Alston Colorado Rockies 10th (291) John Fantauzzi San Diego Padres 11th (309) Mike Warner Atlanta Braves 22nd (621) Efrain Ventura Chicago White Sox 50th (1408)1991 Kevin Lucero St. Louis Cardinals 16th (416) Chris Sinacori Los Angeles Dodgers 16th (430) Jerry Santos St. Louis Cardinals 39th (1013) Gregg Mucerino San Diego Padres Free Agent1990 Fausto Tejero California Angels 14th (383) Gilberto Torres St. Louis Cardinals 50th (1247) Paul Anderson St. Louis Cardinals Free Agent

James McOwen was drafted in the 6th Round by the Se-attle Mariners and spent the 2008 with the High-A High Desert Mavericks, hitting .263 with seven homers and nine triples.

Photo: Angie CeranskiWisconsin Timber Rattlers

Josh Banks pitched 85.1 in-nings for the San Diego Pa-dres in 2008, posting a 3-6 record with a 4.75 ERA.

Photo Courtesy of: Leah TobinSan Diego Padres

Mark Worrell, the St. Louis Cardinals 12th-Round Draft Pick in 2004 and made his major league debut in 2008. He is now a member of the San Diego Padres.

Photo Courtesy of: Jared OdomSt. Louis Cardinals

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W W W . F I U S P O R T S . C O M 15

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Year Name Franchise Round (Pick)

1989 Larry Stanford New York Yankees 6th (153) Jose Vazquez New York Yankees 22nd (569) Peter Gietzen New York Yankees 23rd (595) Al Pacheco St. Louis Cardinals 27th (690) Denny Wiseman St. Louis Cardinals 30th (768) Nelson Caraballo Pittsburgh Pirates 33rd (858) Anthony Hicks St. Louis Cardinals 35th (898)1988 Mike Grayson Milwaukee Brewers 31st (809)1987 Doug Messer San Francisco Giants 17th (437) Ken Deal St. Louis Cardinals 27th (695)1986 Ken Adderley Baltimore Orioles 10th (253) Mark Grater St. Louis Cardinals 23rd (594) Hernan Adamas Chicago White Sox Free Agent Doug Ellis Pittsburgh Pirates Free Agent Eddie Gonzalez Los Angeles Dodgers Free Agent1985 Mark Lee Detroit Tigers 15th (392) Alex Ojea St. Louis Cardinals 24th (618) Tim Reker New York Yankees 26th (675)1984 Tony Arias Oakland Athletics 8th (194) Jim Filippi Chicago White Sox 12th (314) Nestor Valiente Seattle Mariners 19th (472) Alfred Perez Houston Astros 25th (632) Paul Steinert Seattle Mariners 27th (662) Ossie Alfonso Minnesota Twins Free Agent Rick Ames Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent Steve Petitt St. Louis Cardinals Free Agent Gary Truzzolino New York Yankees Free Agent1983 Denny Murray Toronto Blue Jays 16th (401) Oriol Perez Seattle Mariners 17th (425) Doug Carpenter New York Yankees 32nd (765) Jorge Miyar Los Angeles Dodgers Free Agent1982 Rory Brown New York Yankees 7th (180) Ron Chapman Toronto Blue Jays 10th (238) Ben Donisi Milwaukee Brewers 14th (634) Ric Strasser Houston Astros 21st (535) Pete Post New York Yankees 23rd (591) Frank Contreras Miami Marlins Free Agent Jorge Llano Miami Marlins Free Agent1981 Tom Corcoran Detroit Tigers 3rd/61-Supplemental) Mike Reddish New York Yankees 15th (388) Pat Bone New York Yankees 18th (466)1980 Rusty McNealy Seattle Mariners 17th (422) Joe Hughes Baltimore Orioles 18th (468) Tim Knight New York Yankees 39th (815) Marc Serdar Houston Astros Free Agent1979 Ron Koenigsfeld Milwaukee Brewers 10th (257) Chris Lein New York Yankees 16th (415) Mark Campbell Houston Astros 23rd (577) Don Jacoby St. Louis Cardinals Free Agent Joe Kubit Minnesota Twins Free Agent1978 Dan Ledduke New York Yankees 10th (260) Rick Jendra Cincinnati Reds 24th (590) Kevin Ruffl er Houston Astros Free Agent1977 Mark Oestreich Seattle Mariners 13th (338) Lloyd Ard Seattle Mariners 18th (466) Tom Fitzgerald Seattle Mariners 30th (708) Scott Winston New York Mets Free Agent1976 Bill Curry Baltimore Orioles Free Agent1975 Jim Pacheco Cleveland Indians Free Agent Eddie Rodriguez Chicago Cubs Free Agent1974 Larry Hoskins Chicago Cubs Free Agent Marty Jacobs New York Yankees Free Agent Jim Knox New York Mets Free Agent1973 Frank Baumgardner Baltimore Orioles Free Agent

Mike Lowell has won World Titles with the Florida Marlins (2003) and Boston Red Sox (2007).

Photo: Brita Meng OutzenBoston Red Sox

Brad Eldred, FIU’s all-time home run leader. Enjoyed a successful tenure with the Pitts-burgh Pirates and is now part of the Wash-ington Nationals orga-nization. In 2008 he was third among all AAA players, hitting 35 home runs

Photo: Courtesy of Pittsburgh Pirates/Dave Arrigo

Willie Collazo made his MLB debut with the New York Mets on Sept. 5, 2007. Col-lazo was a 10th-Round se-lection of the Atlanta Braves in the 2001 Draft.

Photo: Marc LevineNew York Mets

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The Student Athlete Academic Center (SAAC) is located on the west side of the FIU campus, adjacent to the FIU Arena. A dedicated group of academic coordinators, a reading and writing specialist, support staff, graduate assistants and numerous tutors are available to assist all FIU’s student-athlete population with their academic courses.

The role of the SAAC staff is to help the student-athletes develop proper learning habits, as well as to develop learning plans and monitor their progress. The SAAC is an academic environment, where a friendly, academic atmosphere is encouraged. The center is open six days per week (including evenings) to accommodate the needs of the student-athletes.

The Student Athlete Academic Center has areas for formal, “monitored study” as well as informal study areas. Individual “study carrel” areas are provided as well as a library, classroom, conference room, computer laboratory and open study areas.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Coordinators of Academic Support are assigned to each team and offer assistant and individualized counseling. This includes but is not limited to: academic advising for course selection each semester, personal and career counseling, monitoring academic progress and class attendance, monitoring adherence to study hall assigned hours and serving as a liaison between the athletic and academic community. They meet periodically with each student throughout the semester in order to monitor the academic progress. Weekly meetings are mandatory for students who have proven academic difficulty. The Coordinators work closely with the coaches and keep them apprised of the student-athletes’ academic status while assuring that all academic requirements for FIU and NCAA eligibility are met.

TUTORING

General and subject-specified tutoring is available in the Student Athlete Academic Center. Core subjects, such as math, English and science are the primary focus of the tutorial services; however, tutoring is also available in advanced level courses such as calculus, accounting or subject areas which are known to cause students difficulty. Graduate students are normally hired as

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The Student Athlete Academic Center (SAAC) is located on the west side of the FIU campus, adjacent to the U.S. Century Bank Arena. As Director of Student Athlete Academic Services, Shawn McWashington manages the center and supervises a dedicated group of academic co-ordinators, a reading and writing specialist, support staff and numerous tutors hired to assist all student-athletes with their academic courses.

The role of the SAAC staff is to help the student-athletes develop proper learning habits, as well as to develop

learning plans and monitor their progress. The SAAC is an academic environ-ment, where a friendly, academic atmosphere is encouraged. The center is open six days per week (including evenings) to accommodate the needs of the student-athletes.

The Student Athlete Academic Center has areas for formal, “monitored study” as well as informal study areas. Individual “study carrel” areas are provided as well as a library, classroom, conference room, computer laboratory and open study areas.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Coordinators of Academic Support are assigned to each team and offer assistant and individualized counseling. This includes but is not limited to: academic advising for course selection each semester, personal and career counseling, monitoring academic progress and class attendance, monitoring adherence to study hall assigned hours and serving as a liaison between the athletic and academic community. They meet periodically with each student throughout the semester in order to monitor the academic progress. Weekly meetings are mandatory for students who have proven academic difficulty. The Coordinators work closely with the coaches and keep them apprised of the student-athletes’ academic status while assuring that all academic requirements for FIU and NCAA eligibility are met.

Shawn McWashingtonDirector Student Athlete

Academic Center

tutors in subject areas for which they have expertise. A schedule of tutoring hours is maintained on the SAAC bulletin board and students are urged to sign up in advance for assistance. Students participating in tutoring are required to bring in the course syllabus and text along with the assignments for which they seek assistance. In addition, a trained ESOL specialist provides student-athletes for whom English is a second language with tutoring and assistance.

MONITORED STUDY HALL

Freshman and other student-athletes with less than 2.5 GPA are required to at-tend a monitored study hall weekly. The monitored study hall is open six days a week at times compatible with class and practice schedules. Tutors are available during evening study hall hours to assist student-athletes. A study hall monitor is on premise at all times to make sure student-athletes are making productive use of their time. Student-athletes must sign in and out of study hall through a computerized tracking system.

SAAC MISSION STATEMENT

To promote the academic, personal and social growth of FIU student-athletes, encouraging them to become active, independent self-regulated learners, who are vested members of the FIU community.

SAAC STAFF CREED

All members of the Student Athlete Academic Center (SAAC) must work to safe-guard the academic integrity of the institution and to insure compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA, the Sun Belt Conference and FIU. We also foster a welcoming environment in which all members of our diverse community receive support, feel valued, are safe and acquire self confidence.

FIU ATHLETICS MAKES THE GRADE

After graduating 44 student-athletes at FIU spring commencement ceremonies in the spring of 2008, the Golden Panthers Intercollegiate Athletics Department learned that its semester academic grade point average was the highest in the history of the program.

With the posting of spring grades, FIU student-athletes earned a 2.94 GPA for the semester, which was more than one-tenth of a point higher than the 2.82 achieved by the university’s general student population in Fall 2007.

Individually, 46 percent of the Golden Panthers student-athlete population (161 of 349) made academic honors of 3.0 or better and eight recorded perfect 4.0 GPAs on the semester.

Women’s swimming and diving and volleyball shared the highest team grade point averages with 3.22 scores. Twelve members of coach Noemi Zaharia’s

Another contributor to the success of FIU’s student-athletes is the commitment from the University administration to student-athlete academic excellence. In the past year President Modesto A. Maidique has led the charge to make sure FIU’s student-athletes have the same opportunity to excel in the classroom as they do on the field of competition with a spectrum of improvements:

The entire University, including the Athletic Department, implemented multi-term registration, allowing students to register for two terms simultaneously, which makes for better planning to fulfill degree requirements.

The SAAC was bolstered with increased funding, tutors, computers, graduate assistants and increased opportunities for summer school.

The number of student-athlete tutors in the SAAC was doubled from seven to 14 in 2007-08.

$72,000 was set aside for technological improvements in the SAAC, resulting in the purchase of 20 personal computers and 25 laptops for student use.

FIU has more than tripled the operating budget of the SAAC from $62,000 to $195,000.

FIU’s student-athletes responded extremely well to increased opportunities to enroll in summer school class-es with 95 percent passing their classes, allowing them to move ahead or stay on course to graduate.

Two graduate assistants were added to the SAAC staff to assist the learning specialist and the SAAC will have a fifth academic coordinator on staff this fall.

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The health and well being of every FIU student-athlete is the primary concern of the university’s fully-staffed athletic training team. All certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the staff, along with a host of athletic training students, are responsible for the health and care of FIU’s 17 sports teams that includes some 400 student-athletes.

Athletic training responsibilities include covering practice ses-sions and competitions as well as team travel as deemed appro-priate. All of FIU’s athletic trainers are responsible for evaluating and assessing athletic injuries, administering first aid and injury care, making medical referrals and establishing treatments, reha-bilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries/illness. The staff

also spends a significant amount of time in the education of student-athletes with respect to injury prevention, nutrition and psychological support in dealing with injuries.

The treatment and rehabilitation of injured athletes at FIU takes place at three on-campus facilities as well as at the 24-hour University HealthCare and Wellness Center. The crown

jewel of the athletic training complex is its state-of-the-art, 6,500 square-foot main center that conveniently located adjacent to U.S. Century Bank Arena. The facility features a hydrotherapy room, which includes custom-built, underground hot and cold plunge pools and a therapy pool with an underwater treadmill, a doctor’s examination room, functional training area, rehabilitation area with 12 treatment tables and an audio-visual system that includes high definition and flat screen televisions. Satellite facilities are located at the baseball stadium and in the softball/tennis field house.

JENNIFER SMOYAKAssistant Athletic

Trainer

GABE CASANOVAAssistant Athletic

Trainer

DAVID AHOUSEAssistant Athletic

Trainer

JOHN STEELAssistant Athletic

Trainer

KARI L. RIDDLEHead Athletic Trainer

The athletic training staff works closely with several sports medicine physicians and FIU student-athletes may receive specialized care at any time from Drs. Keith S. Hechtman and John Zvijac, orthopedists; Drs. Mario Leyte-Vidal and Michael Robinson, dentists; Drs. Stephen Morris and Robert Tanner, optometrists; and Dr. Esther Levin, cardiologist, as well as by members of the FIU Health-Care and Wellness Center.

The athletic training staff and team physicians are committed to providing the most comprehensive and safest health care possible.

DENNIS COONAN Assistant Athletic

Trainer

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The FIU strength and conditioning program is designed to provide every student-athlete with the best and most productive physical training for his or her specific sport. Its goal is to assist student-athletes in minimizing injury risk and enhancing all physical parameters, including strength, speed, power, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance.Head strength and conditioning coach Mick Smith designs both team and individual training programs designed to helping FIU student-

athletes reach their full potential. Special detail is taken in differentiating in-season and off-season training protocols, ensuring the student-athletes are fully prepared for the various rigors of their sports and improving their performances.All programs are constantly monitored and documented and every individual is evaluated and tested to determine the results of the

training. Team and individual testing is done to ensure continued progress throughout each student-athlete’s career.

With more than 25 years of strength and con-ditioning expertise at the high school, college, Olympic and professional levels, Mick Smith heads FIU’s strength and conditioning pro-gram. Prior to joining FIU in 2007, Smith spent 13 years as the top strength and conditioning coach of two NBA teams and enjoyed stints at the University of Miami, and at Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School.

Smith was in charge of all aspects of the Orlando Magic’s strength and conditioning programs from 1997 to 2006, which included evaluation and assessment of strength needs,

design and implementation of position-specific programs, assistance in the design of the team’s practice facility, nutritional education and dietary management of players.

He served in the same capacity for the Portland Trailblazers from 1993-97, during which time the team reached the NBA Finals twice. Smith directed strength and conditioning programs for Portland teams that featured NBA great Clyde Drexler and standouts Terry Porter, Buck Williams and Cliff Robinson

Prior to embarking on his successful tenures in the NBA, Smith spent six years at the University of Miami. Smith served as the associate director of strength and conditioning for the Hurricanes from 1987-90, assisting with the football, baseball, track, swimming and diving, crew, tennis and golf teams before taking over the strength and conditioning program for baseball team until 1993.

Smith first came to Miami as the Director of Physical Education and Strength and Conditioning Coach at Christopher Columbus High School from 1986-87. From 1985-86 Smith was the Olympic Weight lifting Coach/Coordinator of Fitness at the United States Sports Academy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Smith began his coaching career in the college ranks at Creighton University as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach and Instructor in Weight Training - First Aid and tennis from 1982-84 while earning his master’s degree.

In addition to his diverse experiences as a strength and conditioning coach, Smith is a nationally and internationally published author. Smith has co-authored three books; Complete Basketball Conditioning Book (Fall, 2006), NBA Power Conditioning Book (1997) and Conditioning The NBA Way Book (1994). In 2004 and 2005, Smith had three articles published in Europe’s largest sports publication, Giganti Del Basketball, which specializes in basketball and volleyball.

He has also presented on various strength and conditioning topics at the Association Italiana Prepatory Athletic Sport Squadron (2004) and at the NSCA National Convention in 2000 and 2002.

Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 1980 and returned to earn his mas-ter’s degree in exercise science in 1984. He was certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the NSCA in 1988.

David Feeley begins his fi rst season as the strength and conditioning coach for both the Baseball team after fi nishing a Master of Educa-tion at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

Feeley comes to FIU after a successful career as a lineman for Plymouth State University’s Football Team. He was a four year letter win-ner, and received the award for best lineman in 2002.

After fi nishing his bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Plymouth State in 2004, Feeley became the head strength and training coach at Brick Township High School, in

Brick, NJ. There he designed the strength and conditioning programs for the Football, Track and Field and Cross Country Teams.

Following his time in Brick,NJ, Feeley became the Strength and Condi-tioning Consultant at Stockton College. There he planned the strength, power and conditioning program for the Division III Baseball team.

In August of 2006, Feeley became a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. During his time at UNLV he was directly responsible for the year round strength and conditioning for Baseball, Track and Field, Cross Country and Cheerleading. He was the head assistant and responsible for assist-ing with the implementation of all aspects of the football strength and condition programs. In December 2007 he was promoted to Assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Feeley is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Associa-tion, as well as a member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach Association and is a USA Weight lifting Certifi ed Club Coach.

Compliance InformationDon’t Be Sidelined: Ask Before You Act

ACADEMICS AND AMATEURISMAs a prospective student-athlete concluding your high school years, it is extremely important that you maintain the highest academic standards while also maintaining your amateur status before entering college. If you wish to participate in athletics or receive an athletic scholarship during your first year, you must: (a) graduate from high school, (b) earn a minimum required grade-point average in 16 core courses and (c) earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches your core-course grade-point average and test score sliding scale as determined by the NCAA Eligibility Center. You must also meet provisions that verify you have retained you amateur status.

Every college-bound student-athlete, both domestic and international, who is attending an NCAA Division I or II institution for the first time, must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. This includes college-bound student-athletes who are transferring from any two- or four-year institutions (including international institutions) that are not members of NCAA Division I or II. Therefore, you want to register with the Eligibility Center as soon as possible. For on-line web access, go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

INDUCEMENTSAny institutional staff member or booster is

prohibited from offering of providing an extra benefits or financial aid to you, your relatives or friends other than those specifically authorized by the NCAA.

Extra benefits that are not authorized by the NCAA include:• Cash or loans of any amount• Co-signing or authorizing a loan• Gifts or free services (airline tickets, restaurant meals, use of an automobile, etc.)• Rent-free or reduced-cost housing• Employment at a higher rate than wages paid for similar work or payment for work not performed.

FIU, as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Sun Belt Conference is responsible for insuring that its various constituencies (i.e., university staff, faculty, student-athletes, alumni and friends) abide by NCAA and Sun Belt rules and regulations as well as informing prospective student-athletes of rules for progressing from being a high school athlete to a student-athlete in college.

You are a “prospective student-athlete” when you start ninth grade or before that, if a college gives you, your relatives or friends any financial aid or extra benefits generally not provided to any other prospective student.

You become a “recruited prospective student-athlete” at a particular college or university if any coach or representative of that institution’s athletic interest approaches you or your relatives about enrolling and participating in intercollegiate athletics. Some of the activities by coaches or boosters that cause you to become a recruited prospective student-athlete are: • Providing you with an official visit• Visiting you or other members of your family anywhere other than the college campus

• Placing more than one telephone call to you or any other member of your family

• Signing a National Letter of Intent or a written offer of athletically related

financial aid.

Should you have any questions regarding NCAA rules and regulations, please fell free to contact the FIU Compliance Office at (305) 348-1782.

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Eric CampbellCross Country, Track & Field

Melissa ApplebaumTennis

Thomas ChestnuttWomen’s Soccer

Mario CristobalFootball

C

Beth McClendonSoftball

Sergio RoucoMen’s Basketball

Track & Field

S i R Cindy RussoWomen’s Basketball

Ci d R Turtle ThomasBaseball

T tl ThB th M Cll d

Joe VogelGolf

Noemi ZahariaSwimming and Diving

N i Z h iJ V l

Munga EketebiMen’s Soccer

M Ek bi

Danijela TomicVolleyball

D ij l T i

Julie BergSenior Associate ADInternal Operations/SWA

Shawn ThorimbertAssociate AD

External Operations

J li B Sh Th i b t

Drew AugusteAssistant AD

Event Management/Operations

D A t

Steve CiscoAssistant AD

Ticket Sales and Operations

Internal Operations/SWA

St Ci Derrick Mayfi eldAssistant AD

Facilities and Operations

External Operations

Derrick Mayfield

Jorge FuentesAssistant AD

Corporate Sponsorships

Liz BorrellAssistant AD

Student-Athlete Development

John O’MearaAssistant AD

Marketing

O

Bill BryantAssociate AD

Compliance

Jose SotolongoAssociate AD

Major Gifts

Pete GarciaAthletic Director

Compliance

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Alex DuqueAssociate Director of Finance

Stadium Corporation

Jessie MarksAssistant ADDevelopment

Al D

Ticket Sales and Operations

J i M k

W W W . F I U S P O R T S . C O M 23

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While there are 31 NCAA conferences that sponsor multiple sports, the Sun Belt is one of only eleven to participate in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and Football Bowl Subdivision. The Sun Belt was formed in 1976 with six members competing in four men’s sports, and today comprises 13 institutions of higher learning while sponsoring 19 champi-onship sports for men and women. The Sun Belt Conference enters its 33rd season in 2008-2009 with a proud history of athletic and academic success. The conference sponsors 10 women’s sports - basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball; and nine men’s sports – baseball, basketball, cross country, foot-ball, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Each of the 19 sports has seen numerous team and individual accomplishments, and 12 Sun Belt Conference schools are currently graduating its student athletes at a rate higher than their school’s student body. All Sun Belt schools are committed to excellence in the 21st century, and facility upgrades and expansion are occurring on virtually every campus. During the 2007-08 academic year alone the Sun Belt Conference accomplished numer-ous feats. In the fall of 2007 Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky University both represented the league in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament – the first time the Sun Belt has sent multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament in volleyball. Middle Tennessee did not disappoint, as the Blue Raiders advanced to the “Sweet 16” – marking the first time a Sun Belt school has made the round of 16 in volleyball. The Sun Belt momentum continued in the sport of football as Florida Atlantic defeated Memphis in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The win marked the second consecutive season that a Sun Belt team has defeated its Conference USA opponent as Troy defeated Rice in 2006. In men’s basketball, Western Kentucky University and South Alabama both received bids to the 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – the first the league has sent two teams to the “Big Dance’” since 1994. WKU’s 101-99 win over 14th ranked Drake followed by a 72-63 win over San Diego made the Hilltoppers the first Sun Belt team to reach the tourna-ment’s “Sweet 16” since 1993. Despite losing more than half of the league’s All-Conference members from 2006-07, Sun Belt women’s basketball ranked in the top half (14th of 31) of the final league RPI rankings for the 10th consecutive year. In six of those ten years, Sun Belt women’s basketball has placed in the national top 10 for RPI. There was no shortage of success in the Sun Belt’s spring sports in 2008 as well. In ten-nis, FIU and Denver represented the Sun Belt in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament – with the Pioneers advancing to the second round. In men’s tennis, South Alabama and Denver represented the league in the NCAA Tournament with USA advancing to the second round. Sun Belt golf was also well represented in postseason play as Middle Tennessee’s men’s team and Denver’s women’s team both reached the NCAA National Championship. Both the Blue Raiders and Pioneers finished in the top ten of their regionals to advance to the final stage of the NCAAs. The 2008 Sun Belt softball season saw Louisiana-Lafayette reach the Women’s College World Series after defeating Houston in three games in the Super Regionals and winning the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional by defeating East Carolina and in-state rival LSU twice. In baseball, the Sun Belt Conference has sent multiple teams to the NCAA tournament each year since 1988. The 20-year streak of having two or more teams reach NCAA play is matched by only four other conferences (ACC, Big West, SEC, Pac-10). Because of its status as a member of the Division 1-A football coalition, the Sun Belt Conference has a permanent seat on the NCAA’s 17-member Board of Directors. As a result, the conference has a crucial voice on some of the most pressing issues in college athletics and will always have a role in the implementation of any future NCAA legislation and guidelines. The conference continues to utilize television to grow and promote the league. Adding volleyball, baseball and softball to the conference’s television package has resulted in more national and regional television exposure for the league than at any time in its history. The conference’s regional television package enables live telecasts of Sun Belt events to reach over 20 million households. Additionally, ESPN televised the conference’s men’s basketball championship game for the 28th straight season in 2008, marking its longest affiliation with any conference in the country. The Sun Belt Conference has partnered with JumpTV Sports, Inc. to deliver a full-service, customized, public and premium web site to provide fans with a broad range of real-time information and content about the conference’s athletic teams. The Sun Belt is one of the few conferences in the nation to provide video highlights and features on its website from each of the league’s respective championships. This technology serves as a great recruiting tool for schools by enabling anyone in the world with internet access to view the conference’s championship events, and fans in five different countries viewed the confer-ence’s most recent soccer championship. Prominent Sun Belt alumni include United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (Denver), NFL Hall of Fame football player “Mean” Joe Greene (North Texas), Arizona

Diamondbacks All-Star baseball player Luis Gonzalez (South Alabama), former member of the United States Senate and House of Representatives John Breaux (Louisiana-Lafayette), country music superstar Tim McGraw (Louisiana-Monroe), and Boston Red Sox All-Star and 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell, LPGA Hall of Fame member Pat Bradley actor Andy Garcia (FIU). The conference’s first 32 years have also produced numerous individual national champions along with Olympic track medalists including Earl Bell, Tom Hill and Al Joyner (Arkansas State), Hollis Conway (Louisiana-Lafayette), and Tayna Lawrence (FIU). Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan received the Naismith Trophy recognizing the nation’s top women’s basketball player in 1983, helped the United States win the Olympic gold medal in 1984, and helped the Lady Monarchs capture the national championship in 1985 (one of eight women’s Final 4 appearances by Sun Belt schools: Old Dominion - 1983, 1985; WKU – 1985, 1986, 1992; Louisiana Tech – 1994, 1998, 1999). Sun Belt teams have also participated in the men’s NCAA Final 4 (UNC-Charlotte in 1977), the College World Series (Louisiana-Lafayette in 2000), the women’s College World Series (Louisiana-Lafayette in 1993, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2008), and had 10 players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. The Sun Belt Conference is led by Commissioner Wright Waters, who is in his ninth full year as commissioner. He was named the conference’s fourth commissioner in February of 1999 following the tenures of Vic Bubas (1976-1990), Jim Lessig (1990-1991), and Craig Thompson (1991-1998). The league’s annual all sports champion is awarded the Vic Bubas Cup, named after the conference’s first commissioner. The conference office has been headquartered in downtown New Orleans since 2000 after moving from suburban Metairie, La., where it had been based since 1991. Prior to moving to the “Big Easy,” the league was based in Tampa, Fla., from 1977-1991. The original conference office was located in Charlotte, N.C., from 1976-77.

601 Poydras Street, Suite 2355New Orleans, Louisiana 70130

www.sunbeltsports.orgPhone: (504) 299-9066

CommissionerWright Waters

Associate Commissioner/Chief Financial OfficerBert Carter

Associate Commissioner/ComplianceDr. Kathy Keene

Associate Commissioner/Sports AdministrationRick Mello

Associate Commissioner/Media RelationsJohn McElwain

Assistant Commissioner/Sports AdministrationBryant Carter

Assistant Commissioner/Multimedia/New MediaTravis Llewellyn

Director of Media RelationsMelissa Kristofak

Chief Administrative OfficerChauntrell Shelby

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IVAN IRIZARRYMedia Relations CooordinatorBaseball ContactOffice: (305) 348-6666Cell: (787) 248-3061E-mail: iiriz001@fiu.edu

RICH KELCHAssistant AD/Media RelationsOffice: (305) 348-3164Cell: (786) 256-0464E-mail: kelchr@fiu.edu

BRIAN GOLDMANAssociate Director Media Relations Office: (305) 348-1496Cell: (412) 897-0760E-mail: bgoldman@fiu.edu

JOHN ANGELGraphic Designer Office: (305) 348-1357E-mail: jange003@fiu.edu

BRETT RYBAKMedia Relations InternOffice: (305) 348-6024E-mail: brybak@fiu.edu

STEVEN SCHOONMedia Relations InternOffice: (305) 348-2084E-mail: sschoon@fiu.edu

The 2009 FIU Baseball Media Guide is designed to assist members of the media cov-ering Golden Panthers baseball. We appreciate your coverage. If there is anything we can do to aid you, please contact the FIU Athletic Media Relations Office at (305) 348-6666.

We ask that the following policies and proce-dures are abided by while covering the Golden Panthers. These are for the benefit of your needs and those of our student-athletes and coaches.

The Athletic Media Relations Office is located on the second floor of US Century Bank Arena in Room 211. Enter the building through the southeast entrance and our office is at the top of the stairs

Media credentials are limited to working print and electronic media representatives and others whose duties make necessary the use of press row. Only authorized personnel will be admitted to press row and go on the University Park Field following games. Photography cre-dentials are also available upon request. NO PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL BE PERMITTED TO SHOOT ON THE FIELD WHILE THE GAME IS BEING PLAYED.

Radio broadcast requests must be in writ-ing and forwarded to Associate Director Evan Koch at least three weeks in advance. Because of space limitations, visiting broadcast crews will be limited to two people. FIU will provide one business telephone line free of charge for visiting broadcasters.

Press Policies: Working space on press row is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Credentials will be issued according to the following criteria:

1.) Local and state newspapers by circulation, wire services, national publications, newspapers from opponents’ area and student newspapers from FIU and opponents’ schools;

2.) Other daily newspapers with preference to those that regularly cover FIU;

FIU MEDIA OUTLETS

PRINTThe Miami HeraldOne Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132Phone: (800) 866-3375 Fax: (305) 376-2295

The Sun-Sentinel200 East Last Olas Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301Phone: (800) 776-6979 Fax: (954) 356-4676

The FIU BeaconFIU University Park,Miami, FL 33199Phone: (305) 348-1582 Fax: (305) 348-2712

TELEVISIONWFOR (Channel 4, CBS)8900 NW 18 Terrace, Miami, FL 33172Phone: (305) 639-4552 Fax: (305) 639-4688

WTVJ (Channel 6, NBC)15000 SW 27 Street, Miramar, FL 33027Phone: (954) 622-6357 Fax: (954) 622-6107

WSVN (Channel 7, Fox)1401 79 N. Bay Causeway, Miami, FL 33141Phone: (305) 795-2719 Fax: (305) 795-2746

WPLG (Channel 10, ABC)3900 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33137Phone: (305) 325-2485 Fax: (305) 325-2480

WLTV (Channel 23, Univision)9405 NW 41 Street, Miami, FL 33178Phone: (954) 622-6350 Fax: (305) 471-4236

WSCV (Channel 51, Telemundo)15000 SW 27 Street, Miramar, FL 33027Phone: (954) 622-6350 Fax: (954) 622-6107

RADIO790—The Ticket (790 AM)20450 NW 2 Avenue, Miami, FL 33169Phone: (954) 622-6350 Fax: (305) 652-5385

WQAM (560 AM)20295 NW 2 Street, Miami, FL 33169Phone: (305) 651-8272 Fax (305) 650-0181

WRGP (95.3 FM)FIU University Park, Miami, Fla. 33199Phone: (305) 348-307Fax (305) 348-6665

WIRE SERVICEAssociated Press9100 NW 36 Street, Suite 104, Miami, FL 33178Phone: (305) 594-5825 Fax: (305) 594-9265

MAILING ADDRESS OVERNIGHT ADDRESSFIU University Park FIU AthleticsUS Century Bank Arena 11200 Southwest 8 StreetMiami, FL 33199 Pharmed Arena, Room 211 Miami, FL 33199

WEB SITE www.FIUsports.com

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERSMedia Relations ..................... (305) 348-6666Media Relations Fax .............. (305) 348-2963Baseball Office ....................... (305) 348-7403Ticket Office ........................... (866) 348-4263

2 0 0 9 B A S E B A L L

3.) Radio and television personnel not broad-casting but considered reporting;

4.) Non-daily newspapers, with preference to those that regularly cover FIU;

5.) Scouts. Freelance and/or non-daily writers may be

asked to produce copies of actual publications in which their work has appeared. In some cases, these materials will be requested as verification of a writer’s status.

Interviews with FIU student-athletes are encouraged, but must be arranged through the Athletic Media Relations office at (305) 348-6666. Players will not be available on game days until the conclusion of games. After a brief NCAA-prescribed postgame cooling-off period, head coach Turtle Thomas will be made avail-able to the media in a designated interview area, usually in the dugout or on the field. Requested FIU players will be brought outside the lock-er room for postgame comments. THE FIU LOCKER AND ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOMS ARE OFF LIMITS TO EVERYONE EXCEPT TEAM PERSONNEL.

Interviews during the week with Coach Thomas and any players should be arranged through the FIU Athletic Media Relations Office. Generally, interviews will be conducted immediately before or after practices.

Press guides, rosters, fact sheets and cumulative statistics will be distributed prior to each game.

Wireless Access: University Park Stadium is a wireless facility. Please contact Iván Irizarry for more information.