Florida Gulf Coast University has been thrust into the national spotlight in a matter of days—thanks to two big wins in the NCAA tournament this past weekend.
The young and relatively unknown school in Fort Myers beat Georgetown Friday and San Diego State Sunday causing two big upsets—and also made some history. FGCU became the only basketball team in history to play in the NCAA as a number 15 seed—that’s out 16—and make it to the final sixteen spots in the tournament.
This could mean a new era for the school moving forward.
On campus Monday, the school was host to the likes of national news outlets like FOX and ESPN. Area residents also turned out to share in the excitement and buy Eagles gear.
Max Strausser, seasonal resident of Fort Myers, said his friends—some who live as far as the Midwest—have now taken an interest in FGCU.
"The team has put this area truly on the map," he said. "The recruiting that will come out of this will just be fantastic for the university.”
FGCU’s President Wilson Bradshaw says he welcomes the spotlight.
"I think anything that enhances the visibility of FGCU in a very positive way as a whole then I think that is very good," he said. "So, if people are driven to our website and we have had just an enormous increase in the traffic on our website, if they are driven there because of the success of their basketball team, then that is very fine."
Danielle Herbert-- a Freshman Marketing Major-- said she has never seen so many people in the bookstore. Herbert said this is sure to make the school a draw.
"I’m from Illinois," she said. "I just moved here. I have a sister actually wanting to come down and I said you’d better get registered fast because people are wanting to come here now."
The school will play the University of Florida at 10pm in Texas on Friday.
President Bradshaw-- along with FGCU students vying for student tickets right now-- will be there cheering their team on.
