FGCU: Baseball team expects busy signing day

The Florida Gulf Coast University baseball coach said he plans to have at least five high schoolers sign letters of intent Wednesday -- the first day of the fall signing period -- to play ball at FGCU starting in the fall of 2004.

"We had some specific needs that we needed and we tried to address them," Tollett said.

"Offensively, especially. We are going to have to replace (senior first baseman Chris) Brown and (senior outfielder Michael) Howard."

Tollett will need all the help he can get. The team released a tentative 2004 schedule that includes games against five of the eight teams that played in the 2003 NCAA Division II College World Series, including defending champion Central Missouri State.

Tollett isn't the only FGCU coach hoping to ink players Wednesday. Softball coach Dave Deiros said Bishop Verot first baseman Hillary Johnson will sign with the Eagles.

Volleyball coach Jaye Flood is also expecting to sign three players as the Eagles get ready for their inaugural season in 2004.

Among players on Flood's wish list include Canterbury School senior Brooke Youngquist.

The signing period runs until Nov. 19.

The one FGCU coach who needs the most help may be the one who won't sign anyone this week.

Women's basketball coach Karl Smesko's team is so beat up, if he could sign players Wednesday and they could start playing Thursday, he'd do it.

Heading into this weekend's games at the St. Leo Classic against Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan, the Eagles have just as many players in the training room as they do on the practice court.

Sunday night, for example, only seven of the team's 13 players were available to practice. That included sophomore point guard Megan Jones, who practiced with her right leg heavily wrapped while she recovers from a bone indentation -- or a stress fracture that didn't quite turn into a stress fracture.

Ebonie Haliburton (stress fracture), Candy Myers (ankle), Noreen McCallum (ankle), Tatyana Duverglas (ankle), Robyn Swain (ankle) and Andrea Clarke have all missed practice time.

"I've never been around anything like this," Smesko said.

The FGCU hockey team continued its early-season rampage through the Florida College Hockey Association over the weekend, taking a pair of games from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona.

The Eagles won 5-1 Friday night behind a goal and an assist from Mack Hayes.

Peter Flores added a goal and two assists, and goalie Ryan Frankland stopped 21 of 22 shots.

Saturday it was more of the same, as FGCU rolled 6-2 by scoring four unanswered goals in the third period.

Matt Hayes had a goal and an assist while Mack Hayes scored his second goal in as many nights.

Goalie C.P. Lindig turned away 21 shots to earn the win.

FGCU is now in second place in the College Hockey South conference with a 4-1 league record.

The Eagles take on first-place South Florida Saturday night in Brandon.