TRENDING NOW: NCAA TRANSFER TRACKER / COLLEGE COACHING TRACKER
The Florida Gulf Coast League (FGCL) will officially open its second season on Thursday. The league’s Opening Ceremonies and initial slate of games were postponed one day, from Wednesday, due to rain and bad weather.
After gaining considerable notoriety during its debut season in 2020, the FGCL has expanded ahead of the second summer season of the league. There are now ten teams in the league who will vie for a championship.
The defending champion Myakka City River Mocs return this year, as do five additional holdover teams. Those franchises include the Manatee Squeeze and Bradenton Slice, as well as the Impact, Lynx, and Pioneers.
Joining the league this summer are four new teams. The Sarasota Circus, Anna Maria Aquanauts, Siesta Key Phinz, and South Bradenton Skeeters make up the list of teams debuting in 2021.
Some last-minute complications caused some changeover in the league’s coaching roster. Former Florida State Seminole stars Ellie Cooper and Carsyn Gordon, as well as former Division I head coach Erica Beach, are all head coaches in the league. Santa Fe College head coach Lindsay Fico and former Arizona pitcher Gina Snyder both also return for their second seasons as FGCL head coaches.
Recent college graduates are also set to gain their first coaching experience in the league. Amber Fiser (Minnesota), Maddi Hackbarth (Arizona State), Shannon Saile (Oklahoma), and Megan Garst (North Alabama) are all serving as assistant coaches for teams in the summer league.
Every Power 5 league is represented in the league, and there is a cap as to how many Power 5 players can be rostered for a single team. The league also includes players from Division II, NAIA, and junior college.
Live streaming of the FGCL is available via a paid subscription through the USSSA organization this season; the league will have live play-by-play announcers on each game stream.
