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Florida Tech Basketball is Back

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Elena Ciulli | Staff Writer

The Florida Tech women’s and men’s basketball teams are set to open the 2020-21 basketball season, starting off what surely will be an unusual season in program history. 

Photo by Edwin Ariel Valladares from Pexels

The Panthers are one of seven schools from the Sunshine State Conference scheduled to compete. Only a partial schedule has been made available, listing games through March 13. All game dates and times are subject to change. 

The women’s team was the first to hit the hardwood on Feb. 5, starting off with a 64-57 win over Florida Southern. This marked the program’s first game in 339 days.

The team is under the same management as last year. Coach John Reynolds is in command, with Aerial Wilson as assistant coach.

In their opening game, three Panthers scored double figures. First in the list, Severine Uggen with 15 points, followed by newcomers Aiste Vaitekunaite and Zoe Murphy helping the team with 14 and 13 points. The Panthers followed up with two losses and one win.

“Our first game was a bit tough after not playing since March 2020. So, I’m positive that we can do so much better. I think we have a great team this year,” Uggen said. “A good stretch with shooters and inside players, and an overall good team chemistry. I’m very grateful that we get to play again, and I just hope everybody stays safe”. 

Head coach Reynolds said he was satisfied with the team’s performance, regardless of the cold environment of an empty gym. 

“One thing that was a bit weird is playing without fans,” Reynolds said. “Without the fans, and without the buzz in the gym, it’s so different.” 

Florida Tech policy prohibits spectators from attending any sporting events this year, including all basketball games. 

The Lady Panthers’ next game will be Saturday, Feb. 20 against Saint Leo. Live stream will be available.

Testing and Training: Panther Athletes Return to Practice

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Elena Ciulli | Staff Writer

Students have made their way back to campus, among them student athletes looking to get back to training.

The athletic department outlines the strategy for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 to guarantee the safety of student athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers. Florida Tech implemented a sport-specific phased resocialization approach for each team, starting with the arrival of student athletes at the beginning of spring semester. 

The priority was to get student athletes traveling back to campus safe and healthy. In order to be allowed to return to campus, student athletes have been required to submit a negative COVID-19 test. Testing has been double-layered, with follow-up tests acting as the green light for team practices. 

“I have been very impressed with all of the measures that the university has taken as a whole.” Luis Velez, head athletic trainer at Florida Tech, said. 

Once competitions start, athletes and staff will be subjected to different protocols, depending on potential transmission risk factors as outlined by the NCAA. 

The nature of the sport and whether it is played indoors or outdoors are determining factors. Based on these guidelines by the NCAA, as competition approaches athletes and staff will be tested regularly starting the week prior to competition and throughout the season and postseason.

 “I want to also thank Brittany Collins from the Health Center, Krishna Patel from the PRT for their help, our athletic administration, and our athletic training staff for their assistance in creating and implementing our policies,” Velez said. “Our coaches and student athletes have done a great job communicating with me and my staff if any concerns arise.”

Players and coaches are expected to strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols throughout the semester.

John Reynolds, head coach of the women’s basketball team, says that he is following the protocols to a “T.”

“This is the best way to create as safe a practice environment as possible, and I have complete trust in the precautions that we have instituted,” Reynolds said.

Panther athletes work(out) from home

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Elena Ciulli | Staff Writer

From staying ready to quarantine if an athlete tests positive, to getting their workouts through apps, Panther athletes have had to adapt to a “new normal” in the face of COVID-19.

Florida Tech athletes have taken a unique and challenging hit due to COVID-19. Athletes’ daily lives have been drastically changed, with the majority of their time now being spent maintaining fitness levels and skill training. 

To combat this unexpected off-season, athletes are seeking creative new ways to maintain their skills remotely. Sophomore Nolan Penn, a member of the men’s lacrosse team, had to quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

During his time in quarantine, Penn focused on working out in his apartment with training that doesn’t require equipment.

 “Our team got shut down immediately after finding out the first positive case. Quarantine was different for each athlete and it was mainly contained to a few off campus houses,” Penn said. “During our isolation period, my roommate and I have been trying to maintain our shape working out in our apartment as much as we could.”

According to Florida Tech strength and conditioning coach Carl Putman, making sure athletes maintain good physical and mental health is the major goal of their recovery journey. 

“We tried to send creative workouts for the athletes to try at home using regular household items through a training platform on a phone app”, Putman said. 

So what do athletes in quarantine or who tested positive have to do before they return to practice? 

According to Putman, athletic trainers have been implementing “return to play” protocols for athletes coming off quarantine. This is added to lower intensity workouts specially designed for those recovering from COVID-19. 

All of these changes have presented challenges to Panther athletes.

Luis Moriyon Jr., a junior on the baseball team, has experienced some tough moments, but said he has full confidence on the coaching staff. 

“The hardest part was going back to phase one as soon as we found the first positive case in our team. At this point it’s tough to know what would be our next move, but we follow what our coaches say and we trust the process.” Moriyon said.

Moriyon said extra precautions have been taken, such as avoiding sharing equipment with other athletes. 

Putman emphasized that for any athletes exposed to COVID-19, returning to health is most important. He explained that hydration, proper nutrition, and sleep, along with stretching and mobility work, take priority. 

 “Recovery is very important and vital, particularly if our immune system has been busy fighting the virus,” Putman said.

Panthers return to practice, looking toward spring competition

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Elena Ciulli | Staff Writer

Even with competitions postponed, Panthers haven’t lost their heart and athletes are working out on a regular basis. On Sept. 22, athletics at Florida Tech marked the end of their second week of practice in hopes of playing in the spring.

Student-athletes returned to campus to prepare for their respective seasons before the university announced that all fall competition would be put on hold until the spring. Athletic director Pete Mazzone said he agrees with the decision, especially since the NCAA’s sport science group mandates testing of each athlete prior to and after competitions. 

“Once this announcement came out in July, most of the conferences in the NCAA Division II and Division III and many in Division I postponed all fall competitions,” Mazzone said.

NCAA guidelines require testing for all outside competitions at this point during the fall, but not for practices within each institution.

As with almost everything on-campus this semester, practices and training sessions are different than usual. In addition to close supervision, coaches have developed training cohorts for small group practices of ten or fewer individuals.

 According to Billy Mims, head coach of the men’s basketball team, the new COVID-19 protocols are necessary as the health of student athletes, coaches, and staff is a paramount concern to Florida Tech. Coaches and student-athletes are required to wear face masks and adhere to social distancing as part of the university policy.

 “Basketball is an in-your-face contact sport, so the risks are obvious,” added Mims. “Our players are getting used to the new normal of dressing for practice at home instead of in our locker room, using hand sanitizer before starting practice and at breaks during and after, spraying the basketballs with disinfectant before and after practice.”

Dimitris Karademitros, a sophomore majoring in aviation management with flight and member of the rowing team, said the return to practice presented some degree of normalcy. 

“The way that spring semester ended really affected my grades and performances in school. I am so glad we are able to go back to the gym, it seems nothing changed. Apart from the masks, of course,” Karademitros said. 

Training activities include a gradual introduction of physical activity with minimal to no contact, placing an emphasis on technique. Small training cohorts are intended to limit the amount of close contacts. 

“We all need to continue to follow the guidelines that have been put in place by the university, so that we can continue to go to class, go to practices and go to the gym,” Mazzone said. 

No positive test results have occurred since Panthers resumed practice on Sept. 8, according to Mazzone.

Former Panther football players move forward after program cut

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Florida Tech discontinued their football program on May 11 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Division II football program was relatively new. It was established in 2011, competing in the Gulf South Conference. The players, coaching staff, and new recruits were affected in varying ways by the decision to discontinue the sport at Florida Tech.

Each player on the football roster was automatically placed into the transfer portal if they wished to pursue football at a new school. The coaching staff was dismissed, including head coach Steve Englehart, who is now a real estate agent. 

Former quarterback Mike Diliello transferred to Middle Tennessee State University to continue his football career and major in concrete construction management. 

Former quarterback Mike Diliello runs for a first down. Photo | Haydlee Slutzky

“MTSU was the best opportunity for me to play at the highest level. I also transferred here with my good friend from FIT, Sam Tardits.” The Redshirt sophomore set a Florida Tech season record with 11 rushing touchdowns in what became the final football season at the school. 

“Once I heard the news I was speechless. It was the last thing I expected to happen,” was the first reaction from the quarterback after the program was dropped. 

Some former players transferred and decided not to continue playing football. Junior Payton Cleveland transferred to Florida State University, enrolling as a mechanical engineering major.

“I decided to transfer for a few different reasons, a main one being that I was just very upset at the school and the administration,” said Cleveland. “I chose Florida Tech over other schools when being recruited because I felt like I had found a home for the next four to five years.”

Cleveland shared his emotions regarding the discontinuation, saying the news felt “out of the blue.”

 “I no longer felt like they cared about me as a member of the community,” he said. 

Now that Cleveland no longer attends Florida Tech, he chose a path outside of football. 

“Life without football has definitely been very different,” the FSU junior said.

Matt Geiger, a senior and former football player for Florida Tech, decided to stay at Florida Tech. 

“I decided to stay at Florida Tech because I only had a year left and I really enjoy the business school,” said the global management and finance major. “I also received a job offer in Melbourne. After I graduate, I figured it would be better if I just stayed.”

Geiger is also trying to get used to life without the sport during the school year. He said he enjoys the time he has to sleep in and relax more, but misses his teammates. 

“It also helped me stay in shape and now I have to keep myself on a schedule that was given to me before,” Geiger said. 

It has been three months without Panther football in activity. 

Diliello reflected on the overall impact of the team, saying “I miss the guys the most. We had gone through a lot together, and to break up that brotherhood was something we’ll never get back.”

Florida Tech Sports Recap for Nov. 24, 2019

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Football: Overall record: 5-6

The Panthers finish their season strong with a blowout win on their home turf.
Photo // Florida Tech Athletics

Nov. 16 42-3 Win vs Shorter

Volleyball: Overall record: 4-27

The volleyball team ended their season on a 12-game losing streak and placed last in their conference. Photo // Florida Tech Athletics

Nov. 15 0-3 Loss at Saint Leo University
Nov. 16 0-3 Loss at University of Tampa
Nov. 22 0-3 Loss vs Lynn University
Nov. 23 0-3 Loss vs Nova Southeastern University

Men’s Soccer: Overall record: 12-3-1

After losing the second round of the conference playoffs, the Panthers still solidified a spot in the NCAA playoffs and secured a victory in the first round. Photo // Florida Tech Athletics

Nov. 14 1-3 Loss vs Palm Beach Atlantic
Nov. 23 2-1 Win vs University of West Florida

Men’s Basketball: Overall record: 2-3

The Panthers are off to a below-average start early on in their lengthy season. 

Nov. 8 75-92 Loss vs Benedict College
Nov. 9 84-88 Loss at Auburn-Montgomery
Nov. 14 111-71 Win vs Johnson
Nov. 16 81-63 Win vs Puerto Rico-Bayamon 
Nov. 23 70-75 Loss at Saint Leo University

Women’s Basketball: Overall record: 3-3

A .500 start six games into the Panthers season.

Nov. 8 67-75 Loss vs University of West Georgia
Nov. 9 75-73 Win vs Spring Hill College
Nov. 15 80-56 Win vs University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon
Nov. 16 53-75 Loss vs Clayton State University
Nov. 19 71-57 Win at Flagler College
Nov. 23 67-82 Loss at Saint Leo University

NCAA student-athletes can now profit off their fame nationwide

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After the NCAA board of governors passed a law to allow college athletes to profit off their fame in several states such as California, Florida and Colorado, they voted unan- imously on a similar agree- ment nationwide on Oct. 29.

The board has asked the three divisions of the NCAA to create the necessary rules immediately in order to have them in place no later than January of 2021.

Bill Jurgens, Florida Tech’s athletic director, stat- ed that he does not have an opinion at this time, due to this information just being released, and the fact that the NCAA is still looking into this matter.

According to TIME, the NCAA needs to determine how athletes can profit off of their name, likeness and

image, while also maintaining rules regarding amateurism.

Jake Hahn, a junior on the lacrosse team, said he thinks that for these rules to be effec- tive, the NCAA would have to redefine the term of amateur- ism in college sports.

“I think the main thing that categorizes an athlete as a professional is that they get paid to play their sport,” Hahn said.

Hahn then explained that an athlete can’t be both a professional and an amateur at the same time.

He elaborated that the hard thing about allowing student athletes to make money off their name is the fact that once that student starts making money, it’s hard to say if they can still be considered an amateur.

Johnny Poret, a sopho- more on the football team, said he believes that players

should be paid based on the amount of money they bring into the school.

“Big time players bring in big time money for schools because people want to come watch them play,” Poret said. “The more money a player brings in, the more money that player should receive.”

How universities will assist students in profiting off of their name and likeness has not been decided.

Both Hahn and Poret brought up the suggestion of personal jersey sales, or team equipment inside the univer- sity’s bookstore or on their website.

As far as recruiting is concerned, Hahn said he believes that this new rule will potentially have no impact on the smaller Division II and Division III schools, but could have an effect on Division I schools.

Hahn went on to explain that the high quality athletes, such as those who are considered four or five star recruits, won’t have an interest in coming to Florida Tech, as they have the opportunity to

pursue Division I schools. With just a little over a year until this rule will be put in play, much more informa- tion regarding rules and regu- lations from the NCAA itself

are still to come.

Washington Nationals fans flood capital streets

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Fans color the streets red as they gather for the parade.
Crimson // Jesse Villaverde

The Washington Nationals won the World Series for the first time in their franchise’s history on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

In the following days, a parade and rally were held in Washington, D.C., to honor and celebrate their World Series win.

The city was packed with fans waiting for the celebration of the team’s World Series title to occur. Streets were closed to escort the parade and lead them to the Capitol.

A young Nationals fan gets a front-row seat to the celebration.
Crimson // Jesse Villaverde

Fans flooded the sidewalks, cheering for their team. Young children were climbing up trees to get a better view of the parade.

David Milan grew up in Washington and has been a fan since 2005, the same year the Nationals were established.

“I grew up watching the Nationals,” Milan said. “They have not had a lot of luck in their time being in the league. Seeing them win it all was one of the best moments in my life.”

Milan’s girlfriend, Carly O’Neill, has recently become a Nationals fan since they started dating.

“He was on the floor and just so happy after they won,” O’Neill said. “It was a moment he will not forget and it was amazing to see him happy.”

This was the team’s first ever World Series appearance, playing inside Minute Maid Park, where they beat the Houston Astros in a best of seven game series.

The Washington natives were the underdogs in the playoffs, being the last seed in the National League bracket.

According to CBS Sports, the Nationals began their season with a record of 19 wins and 31 losses.

“It was a tough time for me as a fan,” Milan said. “However, I still stood by the Nationals and hoped they could find a way to play better.”

The Nationals, who used to train in Viera, Florida during the spring, would go on to have a record of 74 wins and 39 losses for the rest of the year.

This earned them a spot in the one game elimination wild card game round.

The Nationals now share their current complex with the Houston Astros—the team they beat in the World Series.

“It was shocking, but I believed they would finish strong,” Milan said. “They were fun to watch. Without them, I would not be here. I am excited to be in this environment and celebrate their championship.”

Jumbotrons displayed the Nationals team throughout the capital streets.
Crimson // Kevin Boodoosingh

O’Neill also discussed her first experience watching the Nationals.

“It was really exciting,” O’Neill said. “They reminded me of the team from the movie ‘Moneyball,’ when no one expected the team to win.”

The crowds cheered the loudest when the first-ever draft pick in 2005, Ryan Zimmerman, held up the World Series trophy from the bus.

Zimmerman, a longtime third baseman and first baseman, has been with the Nationals for 15 years.

“Seeing Ryan hold up the trophy was my favorite part because he has played for so long for the Nationals, and now he has his moment,” Joanne Lowry said. Lowry, a fan of the team, is from Harrisburg, Virginia, where the Nationals minor league team is located.

She has seen Zimmerman play since he was first drafted in 2005.

“To see him play for as long as he has, I am happy for him to finally win,” Lowry said. “He has been my favorite player since the Nationals became a team.”

Lowry spoke about what this parade meant to Washington.

“It is exciting, and memorable,” Lowry said. “I am happy to see people come together and be happy to celebrate a moment like this. The city binds together, it means so much to D.C.”

Record participation in homecoming 5k

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People gather, waiting for the 5k to begin. Crimson // Joe Gundzik

Hundreds of runners gathered outside Meg O’Mally’s Irish pub in Downtown Melbourne on Oct. 24, setting a record for the number of participants in Florida Tech’s homecoming 5k.

“We’ve been doing this area, Downtown Melbourne, since 2012,” said Stephanie Bacon, the race director. “I am proud to say that we are going to have probably over 600 runners, which represents the largest race we’ve ever had.”

The route of the race ran through Downtown Melbourne with several turnarounds to minimize the blocked off area.

Bacon said the route has stayed the same through the years, with runners beginning at Waverly Place, moving down Melbourne Avenue, Bignonia Avenue, and them coming back to Waverly.

While a look at Florida Tech’s admission data shows that undergraduate admissions have steadily increased year by year, this does not necessarily mean that student participation has increased overall as the race remains open to the public.

Many non-students and faculty members also participated in the race. Ryan Schwieterman, a non-student participant, said he ran for his team, and that he expected to be exhausted afterward.

Team competitions, although informal, account for some of the increase in participation.

Yet, much of the 5k’s participation comes from members of Brevard County.

“I came here to win,” said Grant Poirier, a Florida Tech student and experienced runner. “I am going to win first 100 place.”

Poirier said he has been running since he could walk.

“Most of it was not of my own free will, but I learned to love it eventually,” Poirier said. “I’ve loved it and hated it for most of my life. Mostly hated it, but still loved it a little bit.”

Poirier went on to say that he ran for three years in middle school and one year in high school.

“After that one year in high school, I realized that running distance in high school was a terrible life decision,” Poirier said. “So I re-evaluated my life and played golf.”

While Poirier has an “unusual” liking for running, others were spotted crossing the finish line with smiles due to personal bests, or looks of fatigue, celebratory highfives with friends, teammates, professors and more.

If anything, Florida Tech’s homecoming 5k showcased all levels of runners, various types of participants, but all united for one fun event.

SOSA hosts first Fall Earth Day

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ASCE and SOSA created a sculpture out of campus waste.
FITV // Quang Dinh

This homecoming, Florida Tech saw dogs on Crawford Green, celebration of the environment, and awareness brought to some of the problems impacting the planet.

The reason: the Student Organization for Sustainability Action held its first Fall Earth Day celebration.

The event was a collaboration between SOSA, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Squamish and RLSC.

Fall Earth Day was held on Wednesday, October 23, on the Crawford Green.

Ken Lindeman, the advisor for SOSA and an ocean engineering and marine sciences professor, has worked with SOSA every year to help them create an engaging week-long celebration of Earth Day in April.

“We have wanted to also do a Fall Earth Day, and there have been some efforts to do that in the past,” Lindeman said. “This year, SOSA, ASCE and other student organizations followed through with a substantive event.”

Allyson McCarron, the vice president of SOSA, discussed the initial idea of collaborating with another organization, ASCE.

“We have a diverse group of people in SOSA in terms of majors and could have done it as a group, but more organizations are getting interested in sustainability and we thought that ASCE would do a great job to help bring our vision to life,” McCarron said.

McCarron said the original idea of Fall Earth Day was born last fall.

“We wanted to increase the importance of Earth Day on campus with the idea that we shouldn’t just have one day in the spring that we celebrate it,” McCarron said.

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22, and both SOSA and ASCE recognize the importance of that day and the message that it presents to people.

For Fall Earth Day, a number of organizations were invited.

McCarron said these organizations included Keep Brevard Beautiful, Facilities, Alumni Affairs, and the CLEO Institute.

The Brevard Zoo has a program known as “Restore Our Shores,” which is a project that focuses on conservation, especially on the shorelines.

The project aims to protect locations such as the Indian River Lagoon and other bodies of water with shorelines.

Oysters and mangroves are examples of some organisms that the Brevard Zoo team helps protect.

The sculpture that was designed from collected trash and waste as a result of campus clean-ups attracted a lot of attention.

McCarron said, “I am very proud of what all of us accomplished and hope that it opened some of the eyes of students on campus.”