Since the rebirth of athletics at Florida SouthWestern State College in 2015, FSW has again won championship titles, developed award-winning student-athletes and academic leaders, and rekindled its team spirit. Soon, there will be another facility on the Lee campus for student-athlete training and development, and for the school and community to cheer on the Bucs.
FSW is currently constructing a state-of-the-art baseball/softball complex on the Fort Myers campus. The Buccaneers’ previous home field, located at the former Boston Red Sox spring training facility/City of Palms Park in downtown Fort Myers, is permanently closed as redevelopment is planned.
“Having a facility right on campus will be a huge advantage for our program. Many of our student-athletes want to get extra work in and building a facility right in their backyard will not only help with time management but will allow our student-athletes to get to work on the little things at times that are convenient to them around their busy schedules. I'm also excited about the easy access to the FSW students, faculty, staff, and community to be able to create a true home-field advantage and atmosphere,” said Robert Iamurri, FSW Softball Head Coach.
The FSW baseball and softball teams receive national recognition within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and players are named NJCAA All-Americans and added to Academic All-Conference teams. The student-athletes prove they’re equally successful on the field and in the classroom. After graduation, many players move on to NCAA Division I athletic programs, and numerous baseball players have been in the Major League Baseball draft. In back-to-back seasons, FSW Softball Head Coach Robert Iamurri and the women’s softball team captured the pinnacle of collegiate sports: a national championship.
FSW’s new ballpark, to be completed in two phases, begins with two playing fields, scoreboards, turf, and dugouts for Phase I. Completion date is expected to be January 2023—just in time for seasonal play, with the remaining phase to begin within two years. Phase II will include lighting, grandstand seating, and other amenities.
This new complex will be another impressive facility for the Southwest Florida community, as FSW is already home to two of the best venues in the region with Suncoast Credit Union Arena and Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.
Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and most affordable institution of higher education with annual, average full-time tuition at $3,400. Serving nearly 20,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally ranked, career-focused academic programs with two and four-year degrees and professional certifications.
The FSW Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and a direct support organization for FSW, is working with individuals and companies to support the new long-term, athletic facility project on campus. All contributions, large and small, help FSW provide the necessary resources their talented and successful programs need to continue their tradition of excellence.
In addition, contributors help FSW continue to change student lives by providing the access, opportunities, and tools needed for future success and employment.
To learn more about the new ballpark complex or to support the project, please contact Matt Karastamatis at 239.489.9283 or matthew.karastamatis@fsw.edu. To learn more about FSW visit www.FSW.edu and to learn about the FSW Foundation visit https://foundation.fsw.edu/ or call 239.489.9210.