Florida Poly and Auburndale Finalize Sports Facility Deal

The school and the city of Auburndale have inked a three‑year athletics facilities agreement, giving Florida Polytechnic University dedicated home venues for its newly launched sports program. The pact was approved by the Auburndale City Commission on Monday, July 20, and officially ushers in a partnership that will serve multiple teams and events.

Around the same time, Florida Poly announced the hiring of Nikki Jessee as women’s basketball head coach, underscoring the university’s rapid push to establish a full athletics department. With soccer squads slated to kick off their inaugural seasons in August, the new facilities become the first true home courts for any of the school’s teams.

Under the deal, the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex will act as the central hub, hosting men’s and women’s soccer practices, home games, baseball activities, and cross‑country training. The Auburndale Softball Complex will provide softball practice space, while the Auburndale Community Center will house men’s and women’s basketball workouts.

Key Venue Details

• Lake Myrtle Sports Complex: Soccer, baseball, cross‑country, and game hosting with locker rooms and pregame field access.
• Auburndale Softball Complex: Dedicated softball practice area.
• Auburndale Community Center: Basketball practice facilities for both men’s and women’s teams.

Derek Lower, the university’s athletic director, highlighted the impact in a press release: “We are absolutely thrilled to establish home venues for our athletes as we launch our athletics program… having access to quality facilities and dedicated locker room space gives our players a true home environment from day one.”

Bryan Brooks, Florida Poly’s vice president of student affairs, added that “This partnership creates an important foundation for student life as we launch Florida Poly Athletics… working directly with Auburndale will help us build a vibrant athletics culture that benefits our students and strengthens connections throughout our region.”

The arrangement also supplies athletics storage space and game‑day amenities, supporting the university’s growing sports initiatives. Priority scheduling and facility access—including locker rooms at the Lake Myrtle soccer stadium and pregame field access—ensure the program can operate smoothly as it expands.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Auburndale, Florida Polytechnic come to terms, add venues for sports