Brian Olmo

PantherNOW • 13th December 2024

Goodbye PantherNOW: The flame burns on - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
December 13, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief 


It’s time to say goodbye. 


I’ve been a member of PantherNOW for three years, and I can safely say that working for the student paper has not only been a blast, but has made me a much better person. 


My love for student journalism started all the way back in middle school when I was doing TV broadcasting and only grew as time went on. The idea of creating something out of nothing and showing it to people and them likin...

PantherNOW • 4th December 2024

Who’s next? Looking at all possible Football coach options - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
December 4, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief 


Coach Mike MacIntyre is out. 


After three consecutive 4-8 seasons, FIU Athletics is moving in a different direction. The team experienced a mass exodus of players entering the transfer portal and is looking to rebuild completely from scratch.


Here are some of the rumored candidates:


Willie Simons


Simons is the running back coach for Duke and had a very successful tenure with Texas A&M. Multiple championships and...

PantherNOW • 23rd November 2024

EXCLUSIVE: Reggie Peterson speaks with PantherNOW on MacIntyre allegations, FIU administration responds - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
November 23, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


Former football team captain Reggie Peterson made allegations of verbal abuse, deception and possible assault against Head Coach Mike MacIntyre in a post on X on Thursday, Nov. 21.



Peterson had retired from the team before the start of the 2024 season, citing politics as one of the main factors. 


Multiple former players have since spoken out, replying to Peterson’s post with their own stories and experiences. 


Pan...

PantherNOW • 21st November 2024

FIU alum killed by private school bus identified as 22-year-old Anjali Persaud - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
November 21, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


Police have identified the victim of the bus collision on Nov. 20, 2024 as 22-year-old FIU alum Anjali Persaud.


The collision happened on Southwest 109th Avenue and Second Street — just three minutes away from MMC. The bus was turning right onto Third Street before making a fatal impact with Persaud. No stop sign is present for northbound traffic.


Persaud was transported to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital before succumbin...

PantherNOW • 9th November 2024

ADVANCES: Men's soccer soars above FAU, moves on to AAC Semi-Finals - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
November 9, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


The FIU men’s soccer team advances past No. 4 seed FAU on Friday, Nov. 9, off a stellar defensive performance and a game-winning goal in the 10th minute by senior and team captain Eduardo Mustre in Boca Raton, Florida.


The Panthers were able to keep the Owls – who profiled as the highest scoring team in the conference with 31 goals this season – to zero goals and just six shots.


Historically, the Panthers have performed...

PantherNOW • 6th November 2024

Tournament Preview: Is this the year for women's soccer? - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
November 6, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


One year ago, the FIU women’s soccer team’s season ended with more questions than answers.   


A middle-of-the-pack finish and an immediate bow out of the tournament in its first game against Sam Houston left some wondering if things would be any different next year. Can this group of talent really take it all the way?


This season has had all the answers.


If the Panthers were once the flustered, new transfer with thei...

PantherNOW • 4th November 2024

DeSantis hosts press conference at FIU on Amendment 3 before Election Day - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
November 4, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a roundtable press conference encouraging people to vote against Amendment 3 in the Graham Center Ballroom on Nov. 4, 2024.


DeSantis emphasized early on in the conference that once the amendment is passed, it won’t be easy to overturn. 


“The way I view it is like a constitutional amendment is permanent… You can’t change a constitutional amendment through normal legislation… If you aren...

PantherNOW • 22nd October 2024

Football goes up against Sam Houston Bearkats on Vice Night - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
October 22, 2024
Adrian Benitez | Staff Writer


The FIU football team returns to Pitbull Stadium to take on the Sam Houston Bearkats on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 in Miami. 


The Panthers will wear their 2024 FIU Vice uniforms in the contest. The uniforms, inspired in design and name by the Miami Vice TV show, were revealed to the public back on Oct. 3.


In their previous game, the Panthers lost to a UTEP Miners team with an 0-6 record, a loss that compounds on an already...

PantherNOW • 8th October 2024

Football goes on the road for a midweek showdown against Liberty - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
October 8, 2024
Adrian Benitez | Staff Writer


The FIU football team is traveling up the east coast to face the Liberty Flames on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.


In their previous game, the Panthers beat the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 17-10 in a vital win that improved the team’s record to 2-3 and kept their bowl hopes from slipping further. Despite this, the Liberty game presents a much bigger challenge.


The Liberty Flames are a perf...

PantherNOW • 8th October 2024

Breaking: FIU shuts down campuses from 5 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday ahead of Hurricane Milton - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
October 8, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


FIU has announced in an email that all campuses will be closed starting 5 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday in anticipation of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. Classes, including online, have been canceled as well.


Milton strengthened from a Category 2 to a Category 5 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida’s west coast as a Category 3 on Wednesday.


The university states in the email to “look for an announcement by Wednesday...

PantherNOW • 28th September 2024

Football opens Conference USA play against Louisiana Tech - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
September 28, 2024
Adrian Benitez | Staff Writer


The FIU football team is playing the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Saturday, Sep. 28, 2024, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.


The Panthers come into the game at 1-3 after a disastrous loss to the FCS Monmouth Hawks last Saturday, Sep. 21, 2024. The game marked Monmouth’s first win against an FBS opponent in program history and FIU’s first loss to an FCS team since 2020.


Entering conference play in desperate need of a momentu...

PantherNOW • 15th September 2024

Men's soccer scrapes by UCF, 4-3 - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
September 15, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


Men’s soccer took down the #10 UCF Knights 4-3 in a thrilling back-and-forth match on Wednesday, Sep. 11, 2024 at Leyva Family Field at the FIU Soccer Stadium.


The match started with an FIU goal by senior Bernardo Monteiro. UCF quickly retaliated, rattling off two goals of its own to put the Knights up 2-1 heading into the break. The second goal was a penalty shot by junior Clarence Awoudor.


Heading out of the brea...

PantherNOW • 5th September 2024

Reggie Peterson retires from football - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
September 5, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief 


FIU football linebacker Reginald Peterson announced via Instagram on Sep. 4 that he will be stepping away from football.



“What was once a passion has turned into a job that I no longer find joy in,” Peterson wrote. 


“Additionally, I feel that I am not suited for the politics that accompany the sport.”


Peterson then writes that he’s focusing on getting his Master’s degree and pursuing a career in sports psychology...

PantherNOW • 8th August 2024

Pitbull FIU partnership summarized - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
August 8, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


On Aug. 6, American rapper Armando Christian Perez, known as Pitbull, held a press conference in Tamiami Hall on Modesto Maidique Campus to announce an extensive collaboration with FIU Athletics.


Here are the details we know so far.


Athletic Director Scott Carr announced during the press conference that the football stadium will be officially renamed to the Pitbull Stadium as part of a five-year deal. The rapper will pa...

PantherNOW • 6th August 2024

Pitbull announces partnership with FIU - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
August 6, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


American rapper Armando Perez, professionally known as Pitbull or “Mr. Worldwide”, announced a special collaboration between himself and FIU Athletics at a press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 6.


The Football Stadium will be renamed to the “Pitbull Stadium” as part of a 10-year, multi-million dollar deal. This makes it the world’s first-ever athletics venue with an artist owning the naming rights.


A Pitbull concert at the...

PantherNOW • 25th July 2024

Police Chief Casas returns from leave - PantherNOW

Posted By: Brian Olmo
July 25, 2024
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief


FIU Police Department Chief Alexander Casas returned to duty on July 1 after being placed on leave by the university back in May. 


PantherNOW obtained a memo sent out to FIUPD staff from James Mesidor, the acting chief during the leave, announcing Casas’s return. The memo was later confirmed in a phone call to FIUPD.


Details surrounding Casas’s leave are still unknown. Allegations that Casas was groping staff members while...

PantherNOW • 23rd May 2024

FIU PD Chief Alexander Casas placed on leave

FIU Police Department Chief Alexander Casas has been placed on leave as announced in a statement released by the university.

“James Mesidor has been appointed acting chief of FIUPD while Chief Casas is on leave.”

“FIU does not comment on personnel matters; therefore, no further details are available at this time regarding Chief Casas.”

Casas’s leave comes after claims of him groping staff members while posing for pictures surfaced.

PantherNOW reached out to FIU Media Relations for comment an

PantherNOW • 12th May 2024

Building for the future: a summary of upcoming FIU construction projects

Recently, several major construction projects have been proposed to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

Each building aims to fulfill a current need for the FIU student body, such as adding more dining options or creating more student housing.

Here are a few of the key things FIU is working on for the future that students should be on the lookout for.

Aerial view for potential Aquatics Center building in between GC and AHC. | Photo from presentation given by John Cal.

During a March 7 a

PantherNOW • 9th May 2024

FIU student Matteo Falcinelli hogtied by police

An FIU graduate student was hogtied by North Miami Beach police in February, as shown by body camera footage.

Matteo Falcinelli, a 26-year-old Italian student currently pursuing his master’s, was arrested outside of Dean’s Gold strip club – only seven minutes away from the Biscayne Bay Campus.

Arrest reports indicate that Falcinelli spent $500 at the club and asked for his money back. After refusing to leave the property and “intentionally touching” two off-duty police officers, Falcinelli was

PantherNOW • 24th April 2024

Tournament time: No. 2 seed beach volleyball take on No. 7 seed Missouri State

The FIU beach volleyball team enters the Conference USA Tournament the two seed and are set to face off against the seven-seed Missouri State Bears on Thursday, April 25 at the Youngsville Sports Complex in Sugar Beach, Louisiana.

In their last tournament run in 2023, FIU fell to the FAU Sandy Owls in the championship match 3-0.

Finishing the 2024-25 season with five straight wins, the Panthers have been rolling opponents.

They dominated the FAU Burrow Beach Bash off performances from duo jun

PantherNOW • 24th April 2024

Breaking: Arturo Dean transfers to Oklahoma State

After two seasons with FIU, point guard Arturo Dean announced via X on Wednesday, April 24 that he intends to transfer to Oklahoma State to play under new head coach Steve Lutz.

Dean was the Panthers’ leading scorer, averaging 13.4 points per game on 41.9% shooting from the field. He also finished the 2023-24 season as the NCAA leader in steals, averaging 3.4 steals per game in 31 games.

Dean received interest from multiple programs, including the Memphis Tigers coached by Penny Hardaway.

Okl

PantherNOW • 23rd April 2024

Can softball gain momentum against Stetson?

The FIU softball team will fight to stay in the win column against the Stetson Hatters on Wednesday, April 24 in DeLand, Florida.

It’s been a rough stretch for the Panthers. The team was in the midst of a six-game losing streak until they snatched a narrow 7-6 win in the final game of their series against Jax State.

FIU sits near the bottom of Conference USA with a 5-13 record.

Stetson isn’t looking too hot itself, with the team in a three-way tie for dead last in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

PantherNOW • 14th April 2024

Keeping the flame alive: my promise to

Before PantherNOW, I had no idea if I was cut out to be a leader.

I transferred to FIU in the spring of 2022. I was coming off a semester filled with personal issues. Everyone had an opinion as to what I should do with my life and a fog of indecisiveness clouded my mind.

I felt lost and I didn’t know what to do.

Then I remembered how much I enjoyed journalism and it so happened that a position for sports writer was open at PantherNOW.

Two years later, I can safely say that was one of the bes

PantherNOW • 12th April 2024

Softball prepares for slugfest against New Mexico State

The FIU softball team will go blow-for-blow against the New Mexico State Aggies in a three-game series starting on Friday, April 12, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

In their last series against UTEP, the Panthers won two of three games. They closed out the series with a tough 3-5 loss after going to eight innings, but FIU still secured its first conference series win of the season.

FIU currently sits seventh in Conference USA standings with a 4-8 record. The Aggies are the fourth-best team with a 7