FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY

Story Behind Its Quick Rise

Written by: Craig Handel

The Griffin family had always supported higher education. And sports.

Ben Hill Griffin III, the Florida citrus businessman who was president and chairman of the board of Alico, Inc. from 1990-2004, carried the torch from his father Ben Hill Jr. in helping Florida Gulf Coast University get started.

And with the Griffins planting big seeds, FGCU not only has grown as an institution but as an athletics’ powerhouse. Alico Arena, helped by Griffin’s $5 million donation, is home to the highly successful women’s and men’s basketball programs. Under the guidance of Karl Smesko, the women made the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in 12 years of eligibility. The Eagles (33-4) beat Washington State 74-63 in March in the first round to advance to the round of 32 for the fourth time in school history. They’ve won approximately 85% of their games, making them the winningest program in Division I history, ahead of such storied stalwarts Tennessee and the University of Connecticut.

Over the past 12 years, only FGCU, UConn and Baylor have won at least 25 games; and only the Eagles and defending national champion South Carolina have at least 30 victories in six of the last nine years.

A big reason is the long ball. FGCU has led the nation in 3-pointers the past three years and four of the last five. FGCU finished with 425 3-pointers this season – just six 3s behind their own all-time record of 431 in 2017-18.

The men’s program has had 10, 20-win seasons in the last two decades, including the magical run of 2012-13 when FGCU beat Georgetown and San Diego State on the way to reaching the Sweet 16. The Eagles became the first No. 15 seed ever to win two games in the NCAA Tournament. And now the Eagles have begun a new chapter under coach Pat Chambers.

FGCU and Chambers made a statement of sorts in his first game leading the Green & Blue. They went to Los Angeles and beat USC and Andy Enfield, the man who coached FGCU to that Sweet 16 appearance. “I think it was probably more for the players and the team,” Chambers says. “Our mindset is to continue to get better and be the best team by the end of the year.

“It’s great for our fans, for the families and the alumni to beat a Pac-12 team. But for me, it’s how we learn and grow and get better.”

The fifth coach in Eagles’ history, Chambers has been a head coach at Boston University (2009-11) and Penn State (2011-20) before coming to Southwest Florida. He also had been an assistant at Villanova (2004-09), where he helped the Wildcats reach a Final Four in 2009, two Elite Eights and three Sweet 16s.

After the victory over USC, Chambers and the Eagles won three games in three days to take the championship in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers. “We’re definitely building positive habits,” Chambers says. “We gotta have the mindset of improving 1 percent each day. Stack those days up.”

As much as the wins helped FGCU’s development, Chambers also says the team learned from early losses, two of which came by more than 30 points. Those losses came to Tennessee and Florida Atlantic, which played in this year’s Sweet 16.

“Getting drilled is a humbling experience. It taught us how to bounce back and handle success,” said Chambers, whose team finished 17-15.

Chambers takes a lot of pride in his Catholic faith, which he shared with a men’s ministry called Faith & Ale, which has chapters in Naples, Fort Myers and Tampa Bay.

Shortly after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, Chambers applauded the organization for still having the event. “This is not the time to retreat. It’s a time to come together, band together and help each other out. There are people who don’t have roofs. They need food and water and power. Where are they going to live?”

Chambers then shared his five pillars of faith — accountability, faith, humility, gratitude and passion.

ACCOUNTABILITY — Do what you say you’re going to do.

FAITH — Faith in the church and the importance of loving and caring.

PASSION — Have passion in what you’re doing for Christ, your family and your faith.

HUMILITY — Serving with humbleness to your neighbors, paying it forward.

GRATITUDE — Being grateful to being alive and sharing your life together.

Clockwise from top photo: Pat Chambers took his team to Los Angeles and beat USC and Andy Enfield, the man who coached FGCU to that Sweet 16 appearance. The W. Bernard and Elaine Lester Athletics Administrative Complex is named after the former president of Alico, Inc. FGCU women's basketball team celebration. FGCU women’s basketball coach Karl Smesko has guided the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament nine times. Andy Enfield led FGCU, nicknamed Dunk City, to the Sweet 16 in 2013.

Griffin Family

While Ben Hill Griffin’s name is on the University of Florida football stadium, the family has supported colleges and universities around the state.

Ben Hill Griffin Jr. died in 1990 — a year before FGCU was founded — but Ben Hill III initially donated 760 acres to get the campus built. “FGCU officials asked for about 350 acres at a ‘reasonable price,’” says Dr. W. Bernard Lester, who worked alongside Griffin and his father for many years at Alico, Inc. “What they received was 1,000 acres for zero price. “What Ben Hill Griffin asked for was that it be named as a regional university and that it fit the needs of the community.”

From becoming a Division I school in athletics to its enrollment, FGCU has approximately 16,000 students, to how quickly some university programs became accredited, Lester says he and Griffin were amazed how fast the school grew. “You’d have to ac-