Athletics
The athletic teams at Florida Tech are known as the Panthers. The school fields 22 sports, 11 each for men and women, at the NCAA Division II level and is a member of the Sunshine State Conference. The sports include: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's crew, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, men's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track & field, and women's volleyball.
The university has recently embarked on an expansion of the athletic program, adding men's and women's track & field in Spring 2011. Followed by men's and women's swimming & diving teams in Fall 2011 and men's lacrosse in Spring 2012. It was announced by President Catanese in May 2010, that FIT was going to begin a football program and plans to hold its inaugural season in 2013. The school is negotiating with local secondary schools to use one of the local school's football stadium. The school is exploring options to play in the NAIA or NCAA Division II as an independent team, or join the DII Gulf South Conference as an affiliate member for football because the Sunshine State Conference is one without football.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield attended Florida Tech and set the home run record in 1987 as a first baseman. His number (3) was retired in 2006.
Florida Tech won the NCAA Division II National Championship in Men's soccer in 1988 and again in 1991.
Florida Tech's Daniela Iacobelli won the National NCAA Division II Woman's Golf Championship in 2007.
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