It’s a White Out for Coastal Classic on Saturday as Panthers Take on West Florida Argonauts

Rivalry Game is Packed with Activities,
Contests, Military Appreciation and More 

MELBOURNE, Fla. – On Saturday, Florida Tech welcomes rival West Florida to Melbourne for the second edition of the Coastal Classic. Kickoff for the rivalry game is set for 7 p.m. ET.

In the inaugural meeting in 2016, UWF toppled 16th-ranked Florida Tech, 42-39, in the Argonauts’ first ever Gulf South Conference game at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, Florida. This year’s game is trending towards being another thrilling matchup and, just like last year, will be featured by the NCAA as a Division II Football Showcase and will stream live on ESPN3 and the ESPN App.

WHITE OUT
It’s a White Out for the West Florida game. Fans are encouraged to wear white while cheering on the Panthers. Additionally, the first 750 fans will receive a free special edition White Out t-shirt at the gate.

MILITARY APPRECIATION 
Saturday is also FIT’s annual Military Appreciation Game. All retired and active duty military members will receive discounted tickets as a way to honor the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom.

ABOUT FLORIDA TECH
FIT (3-1, 2-0 GSC) heads into the contest with consecutive victories against GSC foes under its belt. The Panthers are 6-1 at home since the start of the 2016 season, 2-0 this season, and are outscoring opponents 244-83 during this time period. Florida Tech ranks fourth in the GSC in scoring offense at 32.8 points per game. FIT’s defense, on the otherhand, is the top scoring unit in the league and only gives up 12.0 points per game. The defense has not allowed points in three of the team’s four games this season.

Quarterback Mark Cato has completed 60.0 percent of his passes and averaging 190.7 yards and one touchdown per game. Antwuan Haynes ranks second in the GSC with 389 rushing yards and has the highest rushing average in the league per attempt, gaining 7.2 yards per carry. Romell Guerrier and Demetrius Frazier are major weapons on the outside, ranking third (69.8) and 10th (51.8) in the league in receiving yards per game, respectively.

Marquise Lewis guides the unit with 27 total tackles and, along with Adonis Davis, is tied for the team-lead with two sacks. Davis also ranks third in the GSC with 5.0 tackles for loss this season. J.T. Hassell and Joe Jackson are tied for second in the league with four pass breakups, apiece.

ABOUT WEST FLORIDA
West Florida (2-1, 0-1 GSC) is coming off a loss to Valdosta State, 30-19, in the Argonauts’ GSC opener last weekend. UWF has leaned on the passing game this season, averaging 229.7 through the air and 86.3 on the ground for a total of 316.0 yards per game. The Argonauts are fifth in the GSC in both scoring offense (30.0) and scoring defense (23.0).

Quarterback Mike Beaudry has completed 54.8 percent of his passes for an average of 211.3 yards and two touchdowns per game. Wide receiver Antoine Griffin, a Cocoa Beach High School product, has amassed 252 yards on 15 receptions, and leads the GSC in receiving yards per game at 84.0. Chris Schwarz is UWF’s top rusher with 142 yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries.

On defense, UWF is led by linebackers Sam Adams and Reggie Barnes and defensive back Josh Marshall, who have racked up 21, 20 and 18 total tackles this season, respectively. Barnes is tied for the team-lead with two sacks, while Marshall has recorded in a team-best two interceptions and one pass breakup.

TICKETS
Football single game tickets for this weekend’s game are still on sale. Tickets cost $16 for adult reserved seating and $14 for senior, child and FIT employee reserved seating. Adult general admission tickets are $12, while senior, child and FIT employee general admission tickets are $6.

For questions regarding tickets, please contact the FIT Ticket Office at 321-674-6228 or e-mail AthleticsTickets@fit.edu.

PETE’S SPIRIT PALOOZA
On Thursday and Friday, make sure you head over to Pete’s Spirit Palooza to enjoy free games, prizes, and food. The Palooza takes place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. outside the Panther Dining Hall on Florida Tech’s campus.

TAILGATING
Tailgating on Florida Tech’s campus begins at 4 p.m. in the parking lots outside the Harris Center for Science and Engineering. The corn-hole tournament will occur from 3 to 6 p.m. and two winners will walk away with a cash prize worth $100, and advance to the finals on Nov. 4.

The Panther Prowl also begins at 4 p.m. and will be led by the Pep Band and Cheerleading squad. There are also shuttles available to transport fans from the tailgating area to the stadium and back.

FAN COMPETITIONS
There are a number of great contests taking place during the football game for fans to win prizes. All winners receive a $25 restaurant gift card to one of Florida Tech’s athletic sponsors. The list of competitions can be found below:

• Hula Hoop Contest.
• Punt, Pass and Kick.
• Oreo Challenge: First person to move the Oreo from their forehead to their mouth without dropping it.
• Most Spirited Contest: Most decked out and spirited fan wins Beats By Dre headphones.