04/27/2026

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida Gulf Coast University’s softball team (19-29, 13-8 ASUN) celebrated Senior Day Sunday at the FGCU Softball Complex with a 6-3 win over Queens University of Charlotte, completing a three-game series sweep.

Prior to the first pitch, the Eagles honored eight seniors — Olivia Black, Emily Chiarella, Grace Taylor, Tiffany Meek, Nikki Gibson, Parris Wiggs, Maddox Thomas, and Sietske Drijvers — with a home plate ceremony featuring framed jerseys.

The energy carried into a pregame line dance party featuring the ‘Cha Cha Slide’ and ‘Cotton-Eyed Joe’ until the PA announcer jokingly told the players it was time for the business of softball. The Eagles responded by jumping to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Senior Nikki Gibson drove an RBI single up the middle scoring Sietske Drijvers, while Sophie Wylie crossed home on a throwing error.

FGCU broke the game open with a four-run second inning. Parris Wiggs and Tiffany Meek sparked the rally with back-to-back singles, eventually scoring on a pair of errors on a ball hit by Olivia Black. K’Mari Williams followed with an RBI infield single to score Black, and Mackenzie Leiti hit an RBI single for a 6-0 cushion.

FGCU head coach Lindsay Fico noted the offensive explosion resulted from the team’s mental preparation.

“I think the reason why we were able to do it is because we talked about it all week,” Fico said. “We knew that it was going to be an emotional weekend… but being able to flip the switch when the game started. More than anything they wanted to win and they wanted to set a tone… to make it really, really hard for Queens to come back.”

The Royals (12-32, 4-17 ASUN) chipped away in the third as Lindsay Henson hit a two-run double. Madison Cantoni narrowed the gap in the fourth with an RBI double, cutting the lead to 6-3 and prompting a pitching change. Reliever Grace Taylor inherited a bases-loaded, no-out jam but escaped unscathed by inducing a 1-2-3 double play.

“I had full trust in my defense behind me,” Taylor said. “I mean, [you can] kind of tell I’m not a huge ‘big strikeout’ pitcher so I produce a lot of ground balls so just being able to trust my teammates behind me. I mean Gibby (Nikki Gibson) and Soph (Sophie Wylie) and the rest of the field have been huge for me this year.”

Taylor (9-9) earned her third win of the weekend, allowing just one hit over four innings of scoreless relief. On Monday, Taylor was named ASUN Pitcher of the Week. She finished the series with six hits allowed over 13 innings of work and just one run, lowering her ERA to 2.40.

Between the lines, her focus remains on mentoring freshmen Julia Bacoulis and Tegan Gabrielse.

“I would say trusting the process,” Taylor said. “College softball is hard. As a freshman you have to learn so many new things as a pitcher. I really think just trusting the process, trusting yourself throughout the whole process is huge.”

The perspective was forged through a four-year partnership with Fico extending back to their time at Mercer.

“Coach Fico has taught me a lot,” Taylor said. “I’ve been with her for four years. She’s taught me way more than this game could have ever taught me. I’m really thankful for her, I’m thankful for all my teammates. They’ve done so much for me for these past four years and even the ones coming in this year.”

For Fico, the group represents a successful merger of Mercer arrivals and David Deiros returners.

“They’re going to be a tough class to replace,” Fico said. “It’s going to be tough to replace eight people in general but when you are able to mesh two really good groups of seniors together, mine from Mercer and then (David Deiros’) that stayed on and returned, it’s hard to put it into words how proud I am of them, how they’ve led on and off the field. Anytime you’ve got that type of leadership, you’re going to miss it. They’re also doing a phenomenal job of leaving a legacy behind them. They’re teaching my young ones what to do, how to do it, how to act, and all of that stuff. I’m thankful for them more than anything. I’m proud of them and we have more softball to play.”

While Sunday celebrated the past, the Eagles’ focus shifts to the postseason. After Saturday’s doubleheader sweep officially locked up a spot in the ASUN Championship, Fico emphasized that making the tournament remains the standard.

“I’m excited. I’ve talked about it. FGCU softball its an expectation for us to make the post season,” Fico said. “We know that we’ve got a talented enough roster. We know that we’ve got the right leadership that we can make a run in the postseason so we’re just happy to be there but not surprised by any means.”

FGCU now travels to DeLand to close the regular season with a three-game series against Graphite Division leader Stetson University, beginning Friday at 3 p.m.

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