Florida Poly names ‘local legend’ as first head softball coach

Skip to content Mike Settle has been named Florida Polytechnic University’s inaugural head softball coach, bringing decades of coaching experience and strong Polk County ties to Florida Poly Athletics. Florida Poly names ‘local legend’ as first head softball coach April 29, 2026 Florida Polytechnic University has named Mike Settle as its inaugural head softball coach, adding a veteran leader with deep Polk County roots to the University’s new Florida Poly Athletics program. Settle joins Florida Poly after a long and successful coaching career at Lake Wales High School, where he spent 20 years coaching multiple sports and served as head softball coach for the last 11 years, building a record of 186-106. “It is a fantastic opportunity to build a program from the ground up,” Settle said. “I’m lucky to be able to get up every day and do something that I love, coaching.” Recruiting student-athletes who can succeed both on the field and in the classroom is a top priority for Settle. At Florida Poly, that means competing at a university exclusively dedicated to STEM education, balancing athletics with a rigorous curriculum. “I want our players to graduate with a great degree and use softball to help them pay for it,” he said. “I love to win, but at the end of the day, if we can get these young ladies an opportunity to be successful in life, that’s what’s most important.” Derek Lower, Florida Poly’s athletic director, said Settle’s background, local ties and recruiting network make him a strong fit to lead the University’s first softball program. “When I called Mike’s references, ‘local legend’ was one of the main themes I heard. You can’t talk about softball in Polk County and not mention his name,” Lower said. “He hit the ground running and already has a list of recruits and commits who are ready to come in August.” Florida Poly Softball is scheduled to begin competition next spring as part of the University’s new athletics program, which launches this fall with baseball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball. 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Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises. Presenter Profile Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience. Dr. Lily Li is a Professor of Physics at Florida Polytechnic University, where she specializes in materials science, analytical imaging, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical devices. Prior to joining Florida Poly in 2025, she spent 11 years at SUNY Potsdam, where she advanced to Full Professor and developed a 3-2 Engineering dual-degree program with Clarkson University. Her work emphasizes experiential learning and research-driven education to prepare students for careers in STEM fields.