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Stetson Hatters Updated 03/15/24

gohatters.com Location: DeLand, Florida Enrollment: 3,000 Cost of Attendance: $76,000 Venue: Edmunds Center Arena Capacity: 5,000 Conference: Atlantic Sun (2nd) Record: 22-12 (11-5) NET Rank: 207 Committee Rank: TBD but probably near bottom Tournament History Appearances: 0 Final Fours: 0 Championships: 0 Win-Loss: 0-0 Most Recent:

Stetson University www.stetson.edu Stetson University is a private university located roughly halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach in a town called DeLand, about 20 miles from the beach. Stetson University was founded in 1883 and was first known as DeLand Academy, after the principal founder of the town, Henry Addison DeLand. Three years later, after a disastrous freeze affecting the citrus industry left DeLand in financial distress, John B. Stetson, who had a winter home in DeLand, became interested in the school and became a major benefactor. At Deland's request, Stetson was made chairman of the Board of Trustees in 1889 and the university was renamed in his honor. Until 1995, Stetson had an affiliation with the Florida Baptist Convention and was considered a Baptist school. John B. Stetson John B. Stetson was born in New Jersey in 1830, the 8th of 12 children. As a youth, John Stetson worked with his father as a hatter until John was diagnosed with tuberculosis and his doctor predicted he had only a short time to live. Given this, he left the hat-making business to explore the American West, afraid this would be his only chance to see it. Because, Baby, he was born to run! (Just like everybody from New Jersey.) There Stetson met drovers, bullwhackers and cowboys. The former hat-maker turned a critical eye to the flea-infested coonskin caps favored by many of the gold seekers, and wondered whether fur-felt would work for a lightweight, all-weather hat suitable for the West. Heading back East, Stetson established the John B. Stetson Company in Philadelphia in 1865 in order to mass-produce a hat like one he had fashioned for himself out of necessity during his lengthy Western expedition. His hat was called a Stetson, because he had his name John B. Stetson Company embossed in gold in every hatband. The Stetson soon became the most well known hat in the West. Near the end of his life, Stetson began donating almost all of his money to charitable organizations. He built grammar and high schools and helped build colleges, including Temple University and Stetson University. He also helped establish the YMCA in Philadelphia. Stetson donated generously to the DeLand Academy in Florida where he had his winter home. It was renamed John B. Stetson University in 1889. If it weren't for John's home in Florida, he probably would have never given any money to DeLand Academy. And perhaps Temple would have benefited more from his donations and perhaps renamed Stetson University. Cowboy hats and Philadelphia could not be any more opposite. The John B. Stetson Company ceased manufacturing in 1970. Stetson resumed manufacturing in the 1980s, but the company went bankrupt in 1986. The factory equipment and the license to manufacture Stetson hats was purchased by Hat Brands. The Hatters and John B. Stetson University fielded the first football team in Florida in 1901. The name "Hatter" was used then and is still in use today. Stetson University s Hatter mascot has taken on a variety of looks over the past 60 years from a 10-gallon hat with big eyes and curled eyelashes to a leprechaun-looking Mad Hatter. There was even a pot-bellied statue that stood on the Hat Rack patio from 1959-67. In 2012, their mascot was given the name "John B." and in 2021 was given a makeover to a more slimmed down, muscular version to compliment Stetson's rebranding efforts. He looks just like the real John B. Stetson. About the Hatters Basketball Team The Stetson Men's Basketball team won their first ASUN Championship and earned their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament by beating #4 Austin Peay, 94-91, on their home court the Edmunds Center (ASUN conference tournament games are played on the floor of the better seed). Stetson finished the regular season in second place to Eastern Kentucky, but Eastern Kentucky lost early in the conference tournament. The Edmunds Center was "packed" as the 2328 fans (note the listed capacity of 5000) brought the energy from before tip-off until they rushed the court at the expiration of the game clock. As a matter of note, Pottsville's Martz Hall capacity is 4000. The Hatters have never made the Tourney, but have appeared in the CBI, NCAA Div II, and NAIA tournaments over there many years never winning more than one game in any tournament. Don t expect anything better this year.