From The Desk of Brian White

Happy New Year Owl Fans!

We at FAU Athletics want to wish you a wonderful New Year from the FAU family to yours! With the turn of the calendar year, there is always a feeling of newness and renewal in the air and it's no different in the FAU athletic department.  We're well into the swing of winter sports and soon our spring sports will be starting up. On behalf of the athletic department, we want to thank you for your unconditional support and give you a quick update on some of the happenings around the department.

FAU Football Adds Players During Early Signing Period
The FAU football team added to its family by welcoming seven signees during the early signing period in December. Joining the FAU family are Caliph Brice (Rock Hill, SC/Northwestern HS/Hutchinson CC), Adrain Bryant (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake HS/College of the Sequoias), Diamante Howard (Miami, Fla./Miami-Southridge HS), Antarrius Moultrie (Pensacola, Fla./West Florida Tech HS), Rahmond Smith (Homestead, Fla./Homestead HS), Dwight Toombs II (Port St. Lucie, Fla./St. Lucie Centennial HS) and Eddie Williams (Miami, Fla./Miami-Palmetto HS). Four of the early signees have enrolled in classes and will participate in spring practice.  Welcome to the FAU family!

Do.Not.Miss.Football.In.Paradise … Renew Your Season Tickets
Make sure you don't miss a minute of Winning in Paradise by renewing your football season tickets. Season ticket renewals are currently underway and if you renew in the month of January you can be entered to win some cool incentives. All you have to do is renew your tickets and you're automatically entered to win a prize on the day you renew. Once you renew, you'll remain in the prize drawings for the remainder of the month. The sooner you renew the more chances to win. For more information on renewing call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or go online to www.fausports.com.  Check out our current January Renewal Incentives and Winners and don't forget to renew your tickets!

FAU Basketball Squads Open Conference Play; Wrap up Non-Conference
As the calendar turns to 2019, that signals the start of C-USA play for the FAU men's and women's basketball teams. Head coach Dusty May and the men's team are off to their best start since joining the Division I ranks and ended non-conference action with a big road win over Big Ten foe, Illinois, 73-71. The Owls split their first conference weekend and scored a road win over Middle Tennessee for the first time since 2017, and then came home to defeat Old Dominion to remain undefeated at the Burrow before a loss to Charlotte closed the weekend. The Owls scored 80 points against ODU, who entered the game as the nation's No. 5 defense, and forced the Monarchs into 14 turnovers. The FAU women's team, under the direction of second-year head coach Jim Jabir, is one of the youngest teams in the country with eight newcomers and a total of nine underclassmen. The Owls played a tough non-conference slate and played then-No. 22 Michigan State close on the road before hosting two of the top teams in the league in defending regular-season champion UAB and C-USA and NCAA Tournament regular Middle Tennessee to open league play. There are still plenty of opportunities to see both teams at home throughout the conference slate. For more information on tickets call our ticket office at 1-866-FAU-OWLS.

Diamond Owls Set to Open Spring Slates
Baseball and softball seasons are on the way. The FAU baseball team will play 33 games at FAU Baseball Stadium, a place where they sported a 23-6 overall record a year ago, including winning 14 of 15 games against non-conference foes. FAU opens the season with a series against Cincinnati (Feb. 15-17). The Owls will also welcome premium matchups with in-state foes Miami (March 27), Florida Gulf Coast (April 30) and UCF (May 14). The reigning C-USA regular season champion FAU softball team opens the spring season Feb. 8 with the annual "First Pitch Classic" which will bring the likes of Georgia, St. John's and Virginia to Boca Raton. Purdue and Notre Dame will also make trips to Paradise during the non-conference slate. Make sure you are in the stands by purchasing season tickets. For ticket information call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or get information online HERE.

FAU Student Athletes Excel in the Classroom
FAU student-athletes continue to excel both on their playing fields and in the classroom. On the heels of a successful fall competition slate, student-athletes closed the semester strong in the classroom, recording their seventh consecutive semester with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA with a combined 3.031 GPA. In total, nearly 60 percent (58.56 percent) of FAU student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA during the fall semester, a number that is up from 57.60 percent in the fall of 2017 and 56.05 percent in 2016. Of FAU's 432 student-athletes, there were also 15 perfect 4.0 GPAs. [ Full Story]

Student Athlete Feature:
Kelsey Witkay from the swimming and diving team had the experience of a lifetime when she studied abroad in South Africa last summer. Read all about her adventures abroad. [ Full Story]

Owl Roll Call
-Several of FAU's NFL Owls are participating in the NFL playoffs and some completed their seasons at the conclusion of the regular season. Greg "Buddy" Howell (Houston Texans) and Cre'von LeBlanc (Philadelphia Eagles) led their respective teams in wild card round matchups, while Trey Hendrickson's team (New Orleans Saints) reached the NFC Championship game where they will take on the Rams for a spot in the Super Bowl.  [ Full Story]

-Head baseball coach John McCormack will be inducted in the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in March. Coach McCormack is one of seven inductees. [ Full Story]

-FAU senior pitcher Zach Schneider was named a preseason Second Team All-American by College Baseball. [ Full Story]

-The FAU volleyball team continues to gain accolades as the Owls led the nation in assists and kills.  [ Full Story]

-The FAU swimming and diving teams celebrated their eight seniors on Senior Day against NJIT and NYU. [ Full Story]

Upcoming Events
Jan. 23 – FAU Softball 2018 Ring Ceremony at MBB game vs FIU – 7 pm
Jan. 31 – FAU Military Appreciation Night/Brew Night at MBB game vs. Louisiana Tech  - 7 pm
Feb. 6 – FAU Football National Signing Day Event  - 6 pm
Feb. 11 – FAU Line Drive Baseball Luncheon – 11:30 am
Feb. 14 – FAU Valentine's Day Dinner at the Burrow – 5:30 pm

We hope you to see you around campus as we continue #WinningInParadise in 2019!

Brian White
Vice President and Director of Athletics
Go Owls!

Upcoming Events

Florida Atlantic University Athletics

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