FIU Panthers Prowl

Experience on FIU O-Line

It's no secret the FIU offensive line has plenty of experience going into this season with four seniors among the five starters heading into fall camp. That experience has the FIU offensive line among the most seasoned units in college football this coming year.

Phil Steele's College Football Preview recently came out ranking the 124 Division I teams offensive lines by career starts, citing how important it is to have an experienced O-line. FIU is ranked No. 6 out of 124 teams with 103 career starts among its O-linemen.

The four Panthers seniors (Caylin Hauptmann, Giancarlo Revilla, Shae Smith and Rupert Bryan) have started a combined 80 games at FIU and if you include Smith's 15 JUCO starts, then the number rises to 95. Bryan (left) is FIU's active leader in O-line starts with 29. Hauptmann is next with 25 starts.

The other eight starts come from players that will be battling for the open starting right guard job when camp begins in August. Dave Istanich has seven career starts and Jordan White has one career start. However, when spring ball finished in late March, junior David Delsoin emerged as the leading candidate at right guard heading into fall camp. CLICK HERE for the complete O-line rankings from the 124 Division I teams.

*Thanks Roy Viera photo

Headed to the Track National Championship

The FIU women's 4x100 relay team qualified for the 2012 Outdoor Track & Field National Championship today by running their second-best time of the season at the East Regional. The Panthers compete at the national championship beginning June 6 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Here (left to right) is the 4x100 team of T'Keyah Dumoy, Carla-Kay Mills, Lakeisha Kelley and Marissa McElveen along with FIU track coach Eric Campbell. 

FIU vs. Middle Tennessee -- Sun Belt Tournament Live Blog

It's simple math for the Panthers for the remainder of the Sun Belt Tournament. FIU cannot lose any more games and Troy cannot win one more game in order for the Panthers to see Sunday's SBC title game.

First up is Middle Tennessee, who FIU beat 2 out of 3 games this season in Miami. Troy plays Arkansas State following the FIU/MT game. The first pitch for FIU/MT is at 12 p.m. I will be on-line for the live blog at 11:55 a.m.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LIVE BLOG

Where FIU Baseball Stands After Day 2 of SBC Tournament

With its 6-1 loss to Troy in this afternoon's Sun Belt Conference Tournament game, FIU no longer controls its own path to the SBC Championship game on Sunday, but the Panthers are still alive. Here is what needs to happen for FIU to play in Sunday's title game.

FRIDAY

First and foremost, FIU cannot lose another game in the tournament. The Panthers must beat Middle Tennessee on Friday at 12 p.m. Then No. 2 seed Arkansas State has to beat No. 7 Troy on Friday at 4 p.m. One more win by Troy knocks out FIU from the title game.

SATURDAY

Middle Tennessee must beat Troy at 12 p.m. Should the Trojans win here, then FIU's 4 p.m. game against Arkansas State is played for Panther pride. However, if Troy is 1-2 after its game Saturday, then the FIU/ASU game will decide the Pool B champion and a spot in the SBC title game Sunday.

The tiebreakers for the SBC Tournament are in this order: 1) For 2 teams tied, the head-to-head game between them in the tournament is the decider. 2) If it's a 3-way tie then the higher seed moves on. ASU is No. 2 to FIU's No. 3.

I'll be back on the LIVE GAME BLOG on Friday at 12 p.m. for Middle Tennessee vs. FIU. However, if the Panthers are eliminated from the SBC title game, then there will be no live blog for Saturday's game.

FIU vs. Troy -- SBC Tournament Live Blog

FIU takes on Troy in the Panthers first game of the Sun Belt Tournament today at 12 p.m. I'm going to experiment here and bring you a live game blog while watching the game on the Sun Belt video feed. Let's see how this goes. I'll do this as long as FIU has a shot at the championship game on Sunday.

FIU is the home team today. First pitch is at 12 p.m. I'll be on-line at 11:55 a.m.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LIVE BLOG

FIU Baseball Sun Belt Tournament Preview

This photo shows what FIU would like to be doing Sunday afternoon in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Back in 2010 in Murfreesboro, FIU dogpiled after defeating Troy for the 2010 Sun Belt crown.

FIU begins Sun Belt Conference Tournament play against Troy on Thursday at 12 p.m. in Bowling Green. The Panthers, who are in Pool B, will also play Middle Tennessee on Friday (12 p.m.) and Arkansas State on Saturday (4 p.m.). Should FIU win its pool, then the Panthers would play for the Sun Belt championship on Sunday at 2 p.m. against the winner of Pool A.

FIU went 7-2 against its Pool B opponents in the regular season, sweeping three games from Troy and winning 2 of 3 games each from Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State. Although winning 7 of 9 games against these three teams is nice, this is now the postseason and everybody is 0-0. However, let's take a look at the Panthers' season series against each of their opponents in Pool B.

Mike Martinez Among 4 Panthers on All-Sun Belt Team

  

 

FIU career hits leader Mike Martinez and outfielder Jabari Henry were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference first team. Pablo Bermudez and Adam Kirsch were named to the second team.

Martinez is in the midst of a record-breaking season where he has shattered FIU career records for hits, RBI and total bases. Martinez is also the only player in FIU baseball history with at least 300 career hits. Henry leads FIU with 12 home runs and 45 RBI. Bermudez is hitting .315. Kirsch is batting .287 with six home runs and 41 RBI.

CLICK HERE for more details and the rest of the All-SBC teams, plus the SBC Player and Pitcher of the Year.

*Thanks Sam Lewis photos; thanks Richard Lewis photo (counterclockwise from top left: Martinez, Henry, Kirsch, Bermudez)

Greg Ellingson The Buccaneer; Jeremy Patton Promoted

Former FIU receiver Greg Ellingson signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today. Ellingson joins former Panther teammate and current Bucs defensive back Anthony Gaitor in Tampa.

Ellingson (right) has been playing with the New Orleans VooDoo in the Arena Football League. With the VooDoo, Ellingson is fourth on the team with 33 catches for 475 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Bucs signed Ellingson after a recent tryout last week in Tampa. Ellingson becomes the second former Panther to sign an NFL free agent contract this year. Former FIU point guard Nick Taylor, who did not play football at FIU, signed with the Minnesota Vikings after an impressive performance at FIU Pro Day in March.

 

PATTON TO PALM BEACH

Former FIU infielder Jeremy Patton was promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals -- the advanced Class A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. In two games with Palm Beach, Patton is 2 for 8. Patton started the season with the Quad Cities River Bandits (Class A of the Cardinals). 

At FIU, Patton had one of the sweetest left-handed swings and in his two years hit .361 (169 for 468) with 34 doubles, 15 home runs and 98 RBI.

2012 FIU Dazzlers Auditions -- The New National Pastime?

Here is how popular the Dazzlers auditions have become. The 2012 Dazzlers auditions interrupted the radio broadcast of an out-of-town Sun Belt baseball game and had other out-of-town media members following the auditions via Twitter during their respective baseball games.

Earlier this month on Cinco de Mayo, I had the privilege of returning for my third year as a judge at the Dazzlers auditions. I found that this year's auditions took a more in-depth approach or as an out-of-town media member, who was hanging on every Dazzlers audition tweet, said: "Pretty serious stuff, this dance team tryout stuff, huh?" It is and to my surprise the auditions had an NFL Draft feel about them. I'll explain later.

FIU Baseball Sun Belt Tournament Matchups

Thanks to Troy defeating South Alabama tonight, FIU clinched the No. 3 seed at the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament in Bowling Green, Ky.

The Panthers are in Pool B with No. 2 Arkansas State, No. 6 Troy and No. 7 Middle Tennessee. FIU has day one (Wednesday) of the tournament off and does not begin play until Thursday at 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT) against Troy. The rest of the FIU pool play schedule has the Panthers playing Middle Tennessee at 12 p.m. on Friday. FIU plays Arkansas State at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The winner of Pool B plays the winner of Pool A for the championship on Sunday at 2 p.m. CLICK HERE for the Sun Belt Baseball Championship Central page.

Pool A has No. 1 seed Florida Atlantic, No. 4 South Alabama, No. 5 ULM and No. 8 WKU. The good news for the Panthers is they avoid their nemesis Owls until the championship game. 

In another glass is half full scenario: back in 2010 when FAU won the regular season Sun Belt title, FIU won the SBC Tournament. FAU just won the regular season Sun Belt title on Friday....

FIU has played in the Sun Belt Championship game the last two years. Beating Troy for the 2010 SBC crown and losing to UALR last year. With a 12-18 conference record, UALR did not qualify for this year's SBC tournament.  

MR. 300

Congratulations to FIU Hit King Mike Martinez, who became the only player in the 40 years of FIU baseball history with 300 career hits. Martinez singled in the third inning of Friday's game against FAU to give him 300 hits as a Panther.

In the final home series of the season against Middle Tennessee, Martinez became FIU's all-time hits leader passing Bryan Pullin with his 289th career hit. Pullin had 288 hits.

*Thanks Sam Lewis photo (Martinez)

Richard Pitino Story in New York Daily News

A very interesting read of a profile story on FIU basketball coach Richard Pitino in the New York Daily News. Among the items in the story is Pitino talking about the potential of FIU basketball and FIU, the school, in developing a solid basketball program.

The story also talks about Pitino interviewing for three other jobs before being named the FIU coach. Pitino interviewed for the head coaching jobs at Boston, College of Charleston and Iona.

And according to the story, although not official yet, Richard Pitino will take his FIU Panthers to play his father, Rick's Louisville Cardinals on Dec. 19 at Louisville.

CLICK HERE to read the story. 

8 FIU Track Athletes Make NCAA Regional

FIU had eight athletes qualify for the NCAA Track & Field East regional that begins Thursday at North Florida.

Megan Horne (javelin), Raqurra Ishmar (shot put), Benia Gregoire, photo right (hammer), Lakeisha Kelley (400m) and the 4x100m relay team of Marissa McElveen, Kelley, T'Keyah Dumoy and Carla-Kay Mills made the regional. La'Shae White will be an alternate on the 4x100 team.

CLICK HERE for more.

FIU vs. Florida Atlantic (Game 2) -- LIVE BLOG: New Start Time 7:45 p.m.

BOCA RATON -- With the loss last night to Florida Atlantic, FIU no longer has a shot at the No. 2 seed in next week's Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The best the Panthers can do is the No. 3 seed and FIU can clinch that seed with a win tonight against the Owls and a loss by South Alabama to Troy.

The worst FIU can do now is the No. 4 seed because the Panthers won the season series against the teams (Troy, ULM, Middle Tennessee) below South Alabama in the current standings. 

Tonight's first pitch between FIU and FAU will be at 6:30 p.m. I will be right here on-line at 6:25 p.m.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LIVE GAME BLOG

FIU Football Season Opener Game Time; Malik Smith Story

The ACC has set a 7 p.m. kickoff time for the FIU football season opener at Duke on Sept. 1. That makes
three known kickoff times for Panthers' games this season.

The other two kickoff times set are 7:30 p.m. for Arkansas State at FIU on Thursday, Oct. 4 on ESPNU. Don Shula Bowl XI between FIU and Florida Atlantic is at 8 p.m. from FAU Stadium on Friday, Nov. 16 on ESPNU.

SMITH TO SOUTH BEACH

Hoop Dreams magazine recently had a story on new Panthers guard Malik Smith. One reason Smith gave for coming to FIU was coach Richard Pitino's Final Four run with Louisville where Pitino was an assistant coach on his father, Rick's staff. CLICK HERE for the story.

Nine Returning FIU Basketball Players

There will be nine returning Panthers on first-year FIU coach Richard Pitino's roster this fall. Eight of those nine players will be available to play from the opening tip this coming season. Only Lekan Ajayi, a 6-11 center transfer from Wyoming, will have to wait until the 2012 fall semester ends to play due to NCAA transfer rules.

These are the nine returning Panthers: guards Cameron Bell, Deric Hill, Steven Miro, Manny Nunez, Marco Porcher (Fairleigh Dickinson transfer who sat out last season), and Tanner Wozniak; guard/forward Tola Akomolafe and centers Ajayi and Joey De La Rosa.

It will be interesting to see the development of players such as Wozniak and De La Rosa, who are both very promising and each averaged less than eight minutes per game last season. Also the Panthers are expected to get a full season from Akomolafe.

Add these nine players to the six newly signed Panthers (five of which can play this coming season, Cody Mann has to sit out a season due to NCAA transfer rules) and FIU is not as depleted as many thought the Panthers would be. A couple of big reasons have been the ability of Pitino and his staff to keep some good basketball players and sign a talented class in a short period of time.

The five new Panthers eligible to play this fall are: guards Malik Smith and Diamante Lewis; forwards Tymell Murphy and Jerome Frink, and center Ivan Jurkovic.

A look at the roster shows the Panthers will have nine guards (counting Akomolafe as G/F), four forwards (counting Akomolafe and Ajayi as a G/F and F/C, respectively) and three centers (counting Ajayi as a F/C).