Good to hear that Mike Martinez was named to the 2009 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team. That comes on the heels of Tyler Townsend being named a 1st team All-American last week...good strides for this team....

Rivals.com just ranked TY "Goodbye" Hilton as the nation's #98 ranked player in College Football!

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/photof...?fid=28351

This is what they had to say about TY Hilton:

Quote:Hilton
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PARTICULARS: 5-9/168, Soph.; Miami Springs High
THE BUZZ: Haven’t heard of this guy? Trust us – you will. He was No. 3 in the nation in all-purpose yardage last season (180.3 ypg), when he scored four ways (kickoff return, punt return, run, pass reception); he also tossed a TD pass. He averaged 24.7 yards per catch, on 41 catches last season. We think the receptions total will climb into the high 50s this season for a team that could surprise in the Sun Belt Conference.

Pete Pelegrin of the Miami Herald is saying that Freddy Asprillia might be having a change of heart and staying at FIU... many of us believed that Asprilla transferring was a done deal, but this latest development indicates otherwise... We'll have to see how this one turns out.

Here's the link to Pete's latest blog:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fiusports...shmen.html

In addition, FIU received its first verbal commitment of 2010 as per the blog....

Quote:Add another Northwestern High player to the FIU defense for 2010 when Bulls defensive back Khambrel McGee is expected to join former Bulls and current Panthers Anthony Gaitor and Kenny Dillard. McGee has committed to FIU for the 2010 signing class.

McGee is rated a 3-star cornerback by rivals.com. Khambrel is no relation to 2009 FIU signee and fellow DB Jarrell McGee.

The 2nd part of Pete Pelegrin's, FIU's beat reporter from the Miami Herald, Q&A with FIU Head Coach Mario Cristobal ("MC"):

Quote:CJ: What do you think is the biggest hurdle to winning the Sun Belt Conference?

MC: In 2 years of coaching in the Sun Belt what I have noticed is that the two teams that have won it, Troy and FAU, have been teams that have gotten better as the season went on. Troy suffered an injury at quarterback and still found a way to get better as the season went on. They made some adjustments and have some great players. Both teams showed constant improvement and I think that’s the biggest challenge. Being to able to get through a tough schedule with no bye weeks, going 11 weeks straight, being able to improve and overcome any injuries you may have. The key to every single game in the Sun Belt is about the people in our locker room and not necessarily the people in the other locker room.

Football Fieldhouse Named in Honor of FIU Trustee R. Kirk Landon

FIU has named the new headquarters of its football program after Trustee R. Kirk Landon, in appreciation of his $1 million donation to Golden Panthers football.

The two-story, 50,000-square-foot R. Kirk Landon Football Fieldhouse will open this fall on the west end of FIU stadium.

“This is just the latest example of Mr. Landon’s contributions to FIU and its athletic programs,” said FIU Director of Athletics Pete Garcia. “His leadership and financial support have helped us take FIU to Division I status and build a successful athletics program. We thank him for helping make the fieldhouse a reality.”

The fieldhouse’s highlight is a 14,000-square foot, clear-span weight room that will be used by all FIU student-athletes for strength and conditioning.

The first floor also will house an equipment room, full-service athletic training facility, ticket office, merchandise area and 8,500-square-feet of locker rooms for student-athletes and coaches. The reception area will include an Athletics Hall of Fame.

The fieldhouse’s second floor will include coaches’ offices, a theater-style team meeting room and six breakout rooms overlooking the field. These rooms also open to an outdoor deck that will be used for recruiting and game-day suites.

“Trustee Landon’s ongoing support is crucial as we build our athletics program at FIU,” said FIU President Modesto A. Maidique. “Athletics will be key in helping FIU achieve national prominence.”

Landon is the president of two charitable organizations, the Kirk Foundation and the Kirk A. and Dorothy P. Landon Foundation. He served as CEO of American Bankers Insurance Group until 1995 and chairman of its Board of the Directors until his retirement in 1999.

He is actively involved in community philanthropy and serves on the boards of the Zoological Society of Florida, Arts for Learning and the Community Partnership for the Homeless. Landon's involvement with FIU dates back to the University's earliest days, when he served on the University’s 1972 advisory board and the University Founders Council.

In 2004, Mr. Landon made what was then the single largest donation from an individual in FIU’s history to create the R. Kirk Landon Undergraduate School of Business.

That is gonna be one beautiful, and impressive fieldhouse!!...and attached to the West end of the stadium...

The 3rd part of Pete Pelegrin's, FIU's beat reporter from the Miami Herald, Q&A with FIU Head Coach Mario Cristobal ("MC"):

Quote:Joel: When we get to a bowl game this season, what team would you like to go up against the most?

MC: We want to play anybody, anywhere, anytime. I would like to play a Florida team. I want to keep playing Florida teams. I’d like to play Miami, Florida State, South Florida, Central Florida -- although we are going to be playing them soon. We want to create as many rivalry games as possible for our fan base to enjoy.

(06-15-2009 01:17 PM)FIU Panther Fan Wrote:  The 3rd part of Pete Pelegrin's, FIU's beat reporter from the Miami Herald, Q&A with FIU Head Coach Mario Cristobal ("MC"):

Quote:Joel: When we get to a bowl game this season, what team would you like to go up against the most?

MC: We want to play anybody, anywhere, anytime. I would like to play a Florida team. I want to keep playing Florida teams. I’d like to play Miami, Florida State, South Florida, Central Florida -- although we are going to be playing them soon. We want to create as many rivalry games as possible for our fan base to enjoy.

Yeah, that was my question!! lol Playing UM or FSU in a bowl game would be EPIC!!!

Here are some construction shots (Pt. 1) of FIU's fieldhouse which should be finished in July. To read a tour conducted by FIU's Miami Herald beat reporter, please CLICK ME





FIU AD Pete Garcia




FIU Fieldhouse Facade

(06-19-2009 09:20 AM)FIU Panther Fan Wrote:  Here are some construction shots (Pt. 1) of FIU's fieldhouse which should be finished in July. To read a tour conducted by FIU's Miami Herald beat reporter, please CLICK ME

Fantastic! I wish that the full Sound of the South was going to FIU.... I really wanna see the campus and stadium. And this field house is gonna be the cherry on top! What happened to all the crazy colors that were on the original fieldhouse drawing? Not that i don't like the fiu colors and panther, just thought the crazy colors were kinda cool.

Well be sure to show us more pics as it progresses! GO SBC!

Haha, a interesting fact i found:

"The Cage" is the southernmost NCAA Division I football stadium on the American mainland.

Part 4 of Mario Cristobal's ("MC") Q&A can be found HERE

Quote:FIU Fanatic: Any late additions/substractions from signing class you can talk about? When do you expect signees to report to take classes at FIU?

MC: Everything looks to go according to plan as what we announced on signing day.

They will be here for orientation on Monday, June 22. Most of them, especially the local guys have already had their physicals. They are all graduating from high school this week (MC answered these questions in late May). In the next couple of weeks once they have received full clearance they will be joining us for workouts for the beginning of their summer session as well and officially becoming members of the Panther family.

More of Pete Pelegrin's walk through of our under construction fieldhouse can be found HERE

Quote:OK, let's step into the FIU locker room. Like the weight room, when you first step foot in the locker room, the first thing that hits you is the size of the place. Although the locker room is not as big as the weight room, the locker room is plenty big enough with nearly 5,000 square feet (more than 1/3 the size of the 14,000 square-foot weight room) and there will be 120 locker stalls for 120 players should FIU decide to keep that many players on the team.

Outside of the Fiedhouse


Locker Room


Tunnel Leading to the Stadium


We are at the Stadium

This building is going to be a wonderful tool not only in recruiting but for the game day experience.

Last part of FIU's Head Coach Mario Cristobal's ("MC") Q&A with FIU fans can be found HERE

Quote:BaltimorePanther: What do you think is the biggest challenge in the upcoming season?

MC: We’re not going to surprise anybody, anymore. I think walking into Toledo and North Texas last year and Middle Tennessee coming here I think there was still a sense that, that’s the FIU team that hadn’t been performing well and I think once we left those stadiums and our stadium it woke a lot of people up. And in closing out the year with a victory and playing some tight games also has put the word out there that FIU is on the rise. We like that. I think that’s part of the challenge, but only if you let it be, because that’s something that you can control. You can still prepare at the highest level. I think the biggest challenge is going to be up front.

Last part of Pete Pelegrin's tour of the new FIU Fieldhouse

Coach Cristobal's Office


FIU Football Team Auditorium (125 Capacity)


New End Zone Luxury Boxes


End Zone Patio

A blog about FIU's improved weight training can be found HERE

Quote:While being in his third season has definitely helped Gaitor and other FIU juniors, the Panthers probably benefitted a little from having several NFL players workout in the FIU gym. This summer Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons, Oakland Raiders offensive tackle Mario Henderson, Tennessee Titans linebacker Stephen Tulloch and Timmons Green Bay Packers defensive back Pat Lee have been regulars in the FIU weight room. Would not surprise if the list of NFLers in the FIU weight room increases in the future, especially once the team starts training in their state-of-the-art fieldhouse gym later this summer.

Recruits ready to make mark with FIU football

Quote:''I think it's great that we're a highly-thought-of freshman class,'' said linebacker Markeith Russell, an All-Miami-Dade linebacker at North Miami Beach. ``But I don't believe in all that hype, because hype doesn't mean anything.

``We can't be the greatest class until we prove ourselves on the field.''

Among the freshmen ready to prove themselves: Glades Central offensive lineman Rupert Bryan, whose highlight film shows the 260-pounder running 80 yards to catch an opposing defensive back, who was returning a fumble; former Miami Northwestern linebacker Kenny Dillard, who led Miami-Dade County in tackles last season; and running back Darian Mallary, who at Miami Gulliver led the county in rushing among Class 3A-1A backs.

Marks-Peltz and Sedano Announced as New FIU Football Broadcast Team

Quote:MIAMI – FIU Athletics in conjunction with Atlantic Radio Network and 790 The Ticket announced today that Jeremy Marks-Peltz will return for his second season of play-by-play for FIU football. Joining Marks-Peltz in the booth this season will be Jorge Sedano. 790 The Ticket will be the home of FIU football for the 2009 season which begins September 12 at Alabama.