Email coach
David Deiros
The founding father and only softball head coach in FGCU history, David Deiros enters his 23rd season at the helm of the Eagles in 2025. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to 18 seasons with a winning record, 10 campaigns with 35+ wins and a win percentage of .636 (781-447-3)
Season 22 was one for the books as the Eagles reached several milestones, 750 wins in program history with a 6-0 shutout of Sacred Heart on March 6th, another ranked win with a 3-1 victory over #16 FSU two days later, the 200th ASUN win with a 4-3 victory at UNF on April 14th, and their third FGCU and ASUN Hall of Fame Inductee, Courtney (Platt) Pohlman (Class of 2011), on May 30th. After finishing fourth in the regular season ASUN standings and earning a first round bye, the Eagles rattled off four straight wins, including two extra-inning walk-offs, to earn their second ASUN Tournament Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. FGCU defeated FAU 3-2 on day two of the Gainesville Regional before being eliminated later that evening by South Alabama. The Eagles finished the season with a 38-21 record, the top RPI in the ASUN, and eight All-ASUN honorees.
In all, FGCU Softball has 33 victories over Power 5 opponents and 11 wins over ranked opponents in the Division I era. During his tenure, Deiros has coached four district All-Academic team members, nineteen (19) All-South Region players, one South Region Player of the Year, three All-Americans (Ashley Cecil, 2005; Carmen Paez, 2007; Cheyenne Jenks, 2009), two top-25 Finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year (Carmen Paez, 2008; Cheyenne Jenks, 2009), a Daktronics National Player of the Year (Carmen Paez, 2007), and the single-season record holder for saves (Taylor Bauman, 2018).
Overall, FGCU is 205-128 (.616) in the ASUN with 13 seasons of double-digit wins. The Eagles have won three regular season championships (2008, 2012, and 2016), the South Division Championship in 2021, and qualified for the ASUN Championships in 10 of their twelve eligible seasons. FGCU owns a 21-16 record in the ASUN Tournament and has earned two championships (2012 and 2024) along with two runner-up finishes and a 3rd place finish. Coach Deiros was selected the ASUN Conference Coach of the Year in 2016 joining several Eagles who have earned the conference’s top honors with five Conference Players of the Year (Carmen Paez, 2008; Cheyenne Jenks, 2009; Courtney Platt, 2011; Chelsea Zgrabik, 2013; Louie Ross, 2016), two Conference Pitchers of the Year (Shelby Morgan, 2012; Riley Randolph, 2016), a Defensive Player of the Year (Reedy Davenport, 2021), and two Conference Freshmen of the Year (Riley Randolph, 2016; Reedy Davenport, 2019). In all, Deiros has coached 17 ASUN All-Academic Team selections, 25 All-Conference First-Team choices, 21 Second-Team picks, 4 Third-Team selections, and 18 All-Freshmen Team honorees. Most importantly, FGCU Softball has four members in the FGCU Hall of Fame and three players in the ASUN Hall of Fame with Carmen (Paez) Jimenez, Cheyenne (Jenks) Novak, and Courtney (Platt) Pohlman in both and Ashley (Cecil) Spencer in the FGCU Hall of Fame.
In 2012, FGCU’s first season of NCAA Division I post-season eligibility, the Eagles won their second ASUN regular season title. Appearing in their first conference tournament, FGCU swept all three opponents to win the title and earn the conference’s NCAA Championship automatic bid. The Eagles traveled to Gainesville for their first NCAA Regional Tournament and proceeded to defeat the #5 Gators in their opening game. The upset win marked the first NCAA Tournament victory by FGCU in any sport in their Division I era.
Deiros guided FGCU through the transition into NCAA Division I and the ASUN Conference in 2008 leading the Eagles to a 48-16 record, conference regular season championship with a 16-6 mark, and a NCAA RPI of 40. The 2009 team led the country in batting average (.351), were second in runs scored per game (7.5), and top five in wins (47). They recorded their second consecutive season with a top-50 RPI (#26), finished #23 in the Ultimate College Softball poll, and received votes in the ESPN NCAA Division I poll. Since their move to Division I, FGCU has earned a top-100 RPI eleven times with three top-50 finishes, the last in 2018 at #39.
FGCU spent its first five seasons (2003-07) at the NCAA Division II level. In their final two seasons at Division II, the Eagles amassed 120 victories, including a school record and NCAA-leading 62 wins in 2007. After finishing just outside the top 25 in 2006, the Eagles spent 11 consecutive weeks the next season in the nation’s top 25 finishing ranked #10 and South Region Finalist. FGCU earned two consecutive NCAA Tournament berths in their only three years of post-season eligibility. During the Blue and Green’s time in Division II, Deiros was a three-time Division I-II All-Independent Coach of the Year by the ICAA and coached two ICAA Pitchers of the Year (Kelly Powe, 2004; Rachael Edinger, 2006), two ICAA Players of the Year (Ashley Cecil, 2005; Jessica Rouse, 2006), an NCAA Golden Spikes Winner (Ashley Cecil, 2005), two NCAA Division II All-Americans (Ashley Cecil, 2005; Carmen Paez, 2007), and the Daktronics National Player of the Year and Division II single-season HR record holder (Carmen Paez, 2007).
A 1989 graduate of the University of South Florida with a BS in Chemistry, Deiros also holds a Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Miami (FL). Besides his head coaching duties at FGCU, Deiros has served as the Department of Athletics’ business manager and as a full-time chemistry instructor in the College of Arts and Sciences. He still teaches a General Chemistry class every fall semester. He was named FGCU’s Administrative and Professional Employee of the Year for the 2002-03 academic year.
One of the most successful high school softball coaches in Southwest Florida, Deiros was the head coach at Lely High School in Naples before starting the program at Gulf Coast High School. In those six seasons, his teams posted a 116-67 record that included one district title, one regional championship, one regional runner-up and one state finalist. He has also coached high school baseball, girls’ basketball and football in Collier County. His teaching experience includes high school chemistry and physics and adjunct chemistry instruction at Edison State College.
A member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, he and his wife Jennifer reside in Naples. Their son, Eric (24), is a graduate of Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.
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