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Michael Pyle donned the Blue & Gold for the men’s basketball team from 2004-06, piecing together one of the more impressive stints at Embry-Riddle. Pyle is one of 34 Eagles to reach the 1,000-point plateau, doing so in just two seasons. He was highly regarded within the program as well, being named team captain for the electric 31-3 2006 squad that was ranked No. 1 in the nation at one point.
Now helping to lead local Brown & Brown Insurance, Pyle led the Eagles to a 57-11 record over his two seasons, garnering All-America status twice, along with being named the 2005 Sun Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2005 and Player of the Year in 2006. Along with his 1,060 points, Pyle finished ranked in the top-10 in ERAU career field goal percentage (57%) and rebounding average (8.0 rpg), and put together an impressive 22 career double-doubles.
Pyle graduated from ERAU in 2006, and along with his senior vice president role at Brown & Brown, is still very active in the local community. He spearheaded the Volusia County Bourbon Society, which has donated more than $100,000 to local charities in the area.
“I believe, very strongly, that Michael Pyle has separated himself as just one of our many great players. Having coached for 44 years in collegiate basketball, and fortunate for 36 years at ERAU – very seldom do you have a player who is truly the very top player in the conference – Player of the Year, First Team All-American, win a conference regular season and tournament championships, and lead your team to be the No. 1 ranked team in the entire country. To me, these accomplishments are, without a doubt, Hall of Fame-induction level.”
Steve Ridder
Embry-Riddle Men’s Basketball Head Coach, 1989-Present
“Mike recognized the importance of being part of a program bigger than himself and was willing to sacrifice individual accolades for team success. As a newcomer (in 2005), Mike was thrust into a leadership role during the season, then became an established leader. What makes a Hall of Famer from the basketball program is someone who not only leads his team in statistical categories, but leads his team to wins.”
Austin Brownlee
Embry-Riddle Men’s Basketball, 1995-99
“Since Michael graduated with a degree in Business Administration, I followed his success in business and in the community. I saw that Michael translated his aggressive and positive style of competition in the business world to achieve success. This is a characteristic of ERAU athletes who obtain their degrees and apply them to their chosen careers. It is always a formula for success. Michael is also a “family man,” and this is also an important consideration, in that this demonstrates that he is grounded in the tradition of commitment to providing for his wife, Stacy, and their children.”
Chris Bonner
Embry-Riddle Associate Professor
“Michael exemplified the values of a true team player. Though statistics on taking charges aren’t officially recorded, his willingness to put the team first was evident in every game. He was selfless, often passing up personal glory for the team’s success, aligning perfectly with why he chose Embry-Riddle: pursuing a national championship and top-quality education.”
Jamie Joss
Florida Tech Director of Athletics
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