A sweep in the FGCU Classic on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21, brought the regular season to a close for the Eagles. With the new year ahead, they look to continue this dominance in the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference for the first time under Chelsea Lyles.
She looks to uphold a 33-win streak against conference opponents, the longest active streak in the ASUN Conference. The Eagles’ last loss came against former ASUN Conference member Liberty University on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, in which they suffered a ten-point loss in overtime.
FGCU opens conference play with back-to-back home games. The first is against the Queens Royals on Thursday, Jan. 2. A few days later, they will face the West Georgia Bulldogs, the newest ASUN Conference member, on Saturday, Jan. 4, before playing four games on the road.
A true testament for Lyles will come in the form of an ASUN Conference Championship rematch against the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears. They are ranked second in the preseason coaches and media poll and are set to be the Eagles’ most formidable foe, retaining most of its 2023-24 roster. The Eagles will travel to Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas, on Saturday, Feb 22.
Lyles is a proven winner entering conference play. As head coach, she carries a 9-1 record into the new year. Her two most significant victories came in the Atlantic Slam Tournament against Power-5 Conference opponents Cincinnati and Georgetown, which FGCU won 66-57 and 59-52, respectively. The Eagles’ sole loss came against fellow mid-major Montana State, where they fell 58-49.
The Eagles’ postseason journey begins on Thursday, Jan. 2, against Queens,. Lyles eyes the program’s 12th ASUN Conference title and another trip to the NCAA Tournament.
