Gibson Leaving SEU After Nine Years
August 6, 2012
Former Men's Golf Coach Also Won Three NCCAA Titles at SEU
Gibson was named the 2007 NCCAA Men's Golf National Coach of the Year
LAKELAND--Southeastern Athletics Director, Duane Aagaard, announced the resignation of SEU Sports Information Director, Evan Gibson, Monday afternoon in a release posted on the Fire's athletic website.
Gibson served Southeastern for the past nine years as SID and Assistant Athletic Director. During his time at SEU, Gibson oversaw the Fire’s sports information transition into the NAIA and The Sun Conference while also monitoring the Fire's dual relationship with the NCCAA. He was also instrumental in negotiations with AthleticSite.com, in the re-launching of the university’s athletic website.
While at SEU, Gibson’s everyday responsibilities included; maintaining and updating the Fire’s athletic website, writing and distributing releases to local media outlets, compiling statistics for all nine varsity teams, updating archives, while managing in game statisticians for all home games.
“As a friend I’m excited for Evan and Lindsay, exciting days are ahead of them, however this is a huge loss for our university," said Aagaard. "Evan’s always kept everyone loose with his comedic personality but his greatest contribution was his passion to see our student-athletes grow in their relationship with Christ."
From 2005-2009, Gibson also served Southeastern as the school’s men’s golf coach. During this period, he led the Fire to three NCCAA National Titles while being named the 2007 NCCAA National Coach of the Year after leading the Fire to the school's first ever NCCAA D-I National Championship. The 2007 NCCAA Title is Southeastern's only national championship won on the NCCAA's Division I level.
“I think people forget about what an incredible golf coach Evan was," added Aagaard. "He coach three national championship teams, and to date he is the only coach in the history of the NCCAA to bring a non-scholarship team (D-II) to a scholarship level (D-I) championship and win."
Also under Gibson’s watch, the Fire was named the 2007 Polk County Male Collegiate Team of the Year, by Polk County Sports Marketing group.
In the fall semester of 2008, the Southeastern men’s golf program once again made history by becoming the school’s first program ever to be ranked in the NAIA’s Top 25. The Fire ended the fall semester winning two tournaments and being ranked No. 13th in the country.
"It is a bittersweet day for me and my wife," said Gibson on leaving Southeastern. "Southeastern was a life-changing place for me, it was hear that the Lord really saved my life and made me aware of His loving grace. When I will think back on my time here, I'll always remember all the great people that mentored and challenged me to go further in my walk with Christ."
In 2009, he helped advance Southeastern by developing the Fire Network, which streams live games through the internet to fans within the comfort of their own homes. Over the past three years, the Fire Network aired over 100 home games for baseball, men's basketball and women's basketball, including the baseball team's remarkable 2-1 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers this past year at Joker Marchant Stadium.
He also oversaw the university's intramural program the past six years while being an adjunct professor within the Communication, Religion, and Education Departments.
Gibson arrived at Southeastern as a student in 1997, playing basketball for the Crusaders from 1997-1999. He graduated from Southeastern in May 2001 with a degree in communication. Upon graduation, he was hired by The Ledger where he worked as a writer and copy editor within the newspaper’s sports department for three years.
In 2004, he graduated with a masters degree in Christian Ministries from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
He has been a licensed minister within the Assemblies of God since 2006, and has volunteered his time at Garden Grove Assembly, Harvest Assembly, and First Assembly Ministries of Mulberry over the past 10 years. However, his main focus of ministry has always been at SEU, as he has been a mainstay speaker within the Athletic Department's Leadership Institute while also serving as a team chaplain for the baseball team the past five years.
Gibson and his wife Lindsay plan to relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to be closer to family. The couple recently celebrated their four year anniversary in June.
What Others Are Saying
SEU, as well as myself is going to really miss Evan. He was a person of influence and reasoning for myself since I have been here. He was a person that I really connected with as a close friend and a mentor. It's sad to see him go and words cannot express how myself and the baseball team will miss him. He has touched so many lives here in my program not just from a surface level but deep within these players lives. I feel as though I am truly losing a close friend with him leaving, but at the same time God has opened an amazing door for him, and I am really happy for him and Lindsay. I wish him all the blessings in the world. My family will truly miss them.
Jason Beck, Southeastern Head Baseball Coach
Evan Gibson will be truly missed on the campus of Southeastern University. Not only was he a great leader and a mentor for myself and other athletes, he is a great friend. I know he has impacted the lives of many athletes that have come through the program the past few years, and I know he will continue to do that wherever he goes. He is a true man of God, and I have learned so much from him about being a man of true character and how to really walk in the footsteps of Christ. Evan will be truly missed here at SEU."
Daniel Mims, Southeastern University Baseball Student-Athlete, 2009-2012
