New Athletic Director Colin Hargis Shares His Plans For Success
By Gary Israel
Colin Hargis
Colin Hargis has been named as Florida Gulf Coast University’s new director of athletics. Hargis has two decades of experience as a Division I administrator, including 15 years at North Carolina State University. He signed a three-year contract this past March and will become the third athletic director in FGCU’s 27-year history.
The 41-year-old native of Voorheesville, New York is a graduate of Wingate University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management from NC State.
Hargis began his professional career at NC State in ticket operations for five years, followed by a five-year stint at the University of South Florida in Tampa from 2009-14, where he rose to associate athletics director for ticket sales and operations. Under his leadership, USF generated more than $6 million in annual sales revenue and increased its season ticket base by more than 30% for women’s basketball, softball and men’s soccer.
In 2014, Hargis returned to NC State, working his way from associate athletics director for ticket sales and operations to senior associate athletics director for external relations, developing expertise that will be applied in his new role at FGCU.
Hargis said he is excited to be starting at the beginning of the academic year because he will experience the entire slate of the school’s 15 Division I sports programs.
“When you look at the success FGCU has had athletically – 17 years of Division I, 100-plus titles – it is obvious you can win here, you can recruit here, you can bring student athletes here, and you can be successful,” Hargis said. “It’s a really short but rich history. The great opportunity is that we are at a different starting point, and we get to be a part of creating the ‘blueprint’ for the future instead of rebranding.”
When asked if he’s encountered any hidden surprises since accepting the new position, Hargis said he had found no “skeletons.” He has done his research, and the transparency of the process left nothing in doubt, he added.
What most surprised and impressed Hargis about FGCU was the energy on campus and the energy of the surrounding communities. “We have to find creative ways to harness that energy,” he said.
Hargis explained that his No. 1 goal for the department is “to put us on a path to sustained success!” That includes generating the resources to support FGCU’s student athletes – from scholarships, mental health resources and nutrition support to improving the facilities and infrastructure.
“How do we capitalize on the changes to college athletics, and how does FGCU Athletics become the best version of ourselves?” he asked. “We need to generate resources, engage with the community and engage with the rest of the campus community.”
According to Hargis, one of the first steps is to grow the Eagles Club (the athletic booster organization) to 1,000 members and beyond.
“We need to grow the ties between the university and the community by creating a stronger connection between the FGCU athletic program and the surrounding communities,” Hargis said. He said it boils down to “telling our story.”
Another advantage that Hargis sees for FGCU is the annual influx of winter residents who migrate to Southwest Florida from November through April, which coincides with the bulk of FGCU’s primary athletic seasons, including men’s and women’s basketball.
“Many of these people come from areas of the country that are driven by college athletics,” he said. “That’s a perfect opportunity for us to become, maybe not their No. 1 team, but their ‘hometown’ team when they’re in Southwest Florida”
Hargis and his wife Katie have two young sons – Jacob, 12, and Mason, 8 – so he is very much in tune with younger families. He wants FGCU to appeal to younger families like his own, and attract them to athletic events, of which there are more than 100 each year.
“How do we make it so that kids want to come out to our events? Because if the kids want to be here, the parents – and maybe grandparents – will follow,” Hargis said. “They may not be our season ticket holders right away, but if we get them to realize that FGCU is a fun entertainment option in our area, then we can really start growing.”
If the Eagles can tell a compelling story, local children will look up to FGCU’s athletes and want to attend the university and possibly play on its athletic teams one day, Hargis said.
There will also be efforts to improve the fan experience. This year, there will be daytime basketball games to offer variety and more men’s/women’s team double-headers, not just at 7 p.m.
“We need to work hard to consistently create the environment that we witnessed at last season’s FAU men’s basketball game,” said Hargis. “We need to be striving to sellout Alico Arena and to attract the attention of more people in the area. We are going to be pushing those high visibility games and give the fans the best show and atmosphere that we can, because once you see what we can offer, you will want to come back.”
Coming into FGCU with a fresh set of eyes, Hargis has yet to experience a game day in Alico Arena, and he is excited to see how it is currently operating. He has many questions yet to be answered.
“How are we engaging the kids and the community?” he asks. “How do we incentivize you? How do we get you to come to our events, and what are our opportunities to grow? What is our value proposition?”
Hargis’ past career experience at NC State was all about growing fan engagement. He carries those lessons with him as he begins his journey at FGCU.
Hargis wants people to know “it’s a huge opportunity to come out to your hometown university and support young men and women who are furthering their educational career by using sports as a medium. And if you do attend one of our 15 collegiate sports, you will be able to interact with some very special young people who are champions on and off the field, athletically and academically, who give back countless hours to the community.”
For anyone who hasn’t yet attended an athletic event at FGCU, the new athletic director invites you to “give us a shot.”
FGCU Basketball kicks off 2024-25 season
The men’s FGCU basketball team, under the leadership of third-year Head Coach Pat Chambers, takes the court on Nov. 13 in their home opener against St. Bonaventure of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Chambers promises an up-tempo style of play, keying off point guard Rahmir Barno and ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Keeshawn Kellman. The Eagles return six players from last season while adding four transfers and four freshmen to this year’s roster. The team’s preseason ranking is fourth in the ASUN.
“With eight new players, our goal is to integrate them into our FGCU culture of hard work and winning,” Chambers said.
Let’s sell out Alico Arena for opening night (Nov. 13) and for homecoming on Feb. 1! FGCU fans hope that the third time’s a charm for Coach Chambers.
Karl Smesko begins his 22nd year as head coach of the No. 1 ranked FGCU women’s basketball team. The Lady Eagles take the court in their home opener on Nov. 17 against the New Jersey Institute of Technology, of the Atlantic East Conference. The team returns nine players from last season, including Dolly Cairns (Preseason All-Conference), Skyler Gill (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year) and Emani Jefferson (Preseason Player of the Year.)
Smesko explained one of his strategies for preparation: “We always have a really strong non-conference schedule. We want to challenge ourselves. We want to learn what we have to get better at.” Let’s sell out the home opener on Nov. 17 and Azul’s Birthday, Jan. 25! #Go Eagles
