Pi Kappa Alpha at the University of Florida

who gave the University of Florida its Gator mascot, the young man who wrote Florida’s third quarter song, “We Are The Boys From Old Florida” Robert Swanson, and the Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken Colonel Harland Sanders, just to name a few. We are looking for top students – Scholars, Leaders, Athletes, and Gentleman—to fill our ranks. If the challenge of being a part of a winning organization is appealing, then Pi Kappa Alpha may be the fraternity for you. Our chapter has produced over 3,439 initiates that have shaped this University’s history as well as the commercial, political, and social history of Florida and the United States. As a result, this makes us the largest Pike Chapter in total initiates and one of the largest Fraternity Chapters in the United States.


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Here’s our story:

It started on a clear cool November night in 1904 when Coach Marvin O. Bridges, the man who established Florida as a Southern Football Powerhouse, gathered with a few select young men to form Alpha Eta. From that point on Alpha Eta continued to produce men that would shape this University’s history and today includes over 3,439 initiates. As a result, this makes us the largest Pike Chapter and one of the largest Fraternity Chapters in the United States. Our Alumni have impacted the commercial, political, and social history of the State of Florida for over 100 years.

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Here are some of our notable Florida Pike Brothers:

-Brother Neal “Bo Gator” Storter’s (AH, 1911) family founded Everglades City, Florida and he is credited for giving the football team its name and mascot “The Gators”. He was Captain of the Florida Football Team at the time.

-Brother Robert Swanson (AH, ’16) wrote the fight song “We Are The Boys From Old Florida” that we sing at every home football game.

-Carl Brumbaugh (AH, 1927)- Gator Quarterback and Halfback. UF Athletic Hall Of Fame. Member of the 1928 Gators' "Phantom Four" that set a new single-season National Scoring Record off 336 points and an 8-1 Record. Brumbaugh played professionally for the Chicago Bears and was a member of two of the Bears' NFL championship teams. QB in Bears victory over NY in NFL’S First Championship Game in 1933.

-Billy Dial: (AH,1929) Founder of SunTrust Bank. Also known for bringing I-4 through downtown Orlando, in opposition to original plans which called for the new interstate to bypass the metropolitan area completely. This in turn influenced Walt Disney to build his new theme park in the area.

-E. Dixie Beggs(AH, 1930)- Created the Florida Statues (Codification of State Laws) UF Student Body President, Designated Distinguished Alumnus, University of Florida, 1963, Order of the West Range Inductee.

-James Atkins(AH, 1931) Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice, Last Justice selected by popular election.

-Al Rogero- (AH, 1931)- Starting Gators Quarterback, Starting Gators Baseball Pitcher.

-Joe Hall (AH 1931)- Olympic Track Athlete in the Decathlon
Clark Goff (AH, 1940)- Gators Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers 5th round draft pick

-Ken MacLean (AH ’44) still holds the record for the longest touchdown run against Georgia. He also founded Florida State’s Pike Chapter.

-Thom Rumberger (AH,1960) founder of the Rumberger Kirk Law firm and Chief Councel for the Everglades Foundation

-Dick Tomlinson (AH, 1964)- Star Basketball Player. Lead Gators to 18-7 Record. Averaged more points and rebounds in his career than players such as Al Horford or Joakim Noah.

-Colonel Harland Sanders (AH, 1965) -Founder of the “Kentucky Fried Chicken” restaurant chain.

-Guy Dennis (AH, 1966)- All American and Pro Lineman. 1967 All SEC Team, 1968 All SEC Most Outstanding Lineman Award, 1968 All American by being the Highest Grading Lineman in Gator History at the time. Drafted By Cincinnati Bengals, 5th Round of NFL Draft

-Charlie Owens ( AH, 1968)- #1 Tennis Player at UF as a Freshman

-Greg Hilley (AH, 1968) 23-1 Gators Tennis Record

-Paul Linetta (AH, 1968) Tennis Finalist in SEC Finals

-John Darr (AH, 1969) Golf Team, Was named to NCAA All-American Team

-Bart O’Brian (AH, 1977) O’Brian Estate Winery

-Jim Stubbers (AH, 1978) Gators Right Offensive Guard, All-SEC Honors

-Terry Anton (AH,1979) Golf All-SEC Honors, took UF to NCAA Championship

-Ernie Cox (AH, 1981)- At UF, Ernie was President of Florida Blue Key, President of Pi Kappa Alpha, a Student Senator and was named to the UF Hall of Fame.He is now President of Family Lands Remembered LLC, a leading firm in the field of innovative conservation and sustainable development, with projects such as the new City of Babcock Ranch and Preserve

-Hjalma Johnson, President of the University of Florida Gator Boosters, Inc. Lead the 1.5 Billion dollar capital campaign. Banker and Order of West Range Inductee

-Tom Christ (AH,1981,) Gator Basketball Team, Starting Guard

-David Huskey (AH, 1981) Kicker for Gator Football Team

-Harvey Oyer (AH, 1986) 1986-1987 SEC Champion Indoor/Outdoor Men’s Track Team

-G.A. Mangus (AH, 1987) Gator Quarterback

-Owen Bartruff (AH, 1988) Gator Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers Signee

-Dan Kane (AH, 1988) Heavyweight Armature World Kickboxing Champion

-Brian Fox (AH, 1988)-College Football Freshman of the Year, Gator Quarterback

1988-1992: Gator Linebackers Matt Hurbanis, Jason Wozniak, Andy Kissenbirth , Defensive Tackle-Rod Whited, Long Snapper-Richard Hornsby, and more

-Brady Ackerman (AH, 1987) Running back at the University of Florida and lettered in two seasons. Brady was a member of the first SEC Championship team in 1991. He currently hosts the top A.M. show, The Morning Drive, from 7-10am on ESPN Radio.

-Scott Hagedorn (AH, 1988) 2008 New Yorks 40 under 40. Oversees all of OMD's East Coast business, which represents the bulk of the agency’s $10.8 billion in billings in the United States.

-CJ Evans (AH, 1989) Mens Cross Country and Indoor/Outdoor Track team. Academic All SEC

-Adam Levine (AH, 1989) “Sixthman” Founder. Multi-millionare. His "affinity travel" business reached #87 on Inc Magazine's 2011 Inc 500 list of fastest-growing businesses. Atlanta Entrepreneur of the Year.
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Interesting Facts:

-Last year Alpha Eta donated more than $20,000 to charity and volunteered nearly 9,000 hours
-We have held all major campus positions including Student Body President, IFC President, and
Florida Blue Key President.
-Florida Pikes also include SunTrust Bank Founder Billy Dial, “Sixthman” founder Andy
Levine, BartO’Brien of O’Brien Estate Winery, Charlie Gray of Gray Robinson Law Firm,
Bill Akerman of Akerman Senterfitt Law Firm, Thom Rumberger of Rumberger Kirk Law
Firm, and James Atkins Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
-Pi Kappa Alpha was founded in 1868 at the University of Virginia
-Pike has grown to include 220 Chapters and over 250,000 lifetime initiates
-Famous Pikes from other chapters include: Country Music Phenomenon Tim McGraw,
Jeremy Piven of HBO’s Entourtage, ESPN Anchor Scott Van Pelt, The Founder of
Chick-Fil-A Samuel Truett Cathy , and many more.
-Playboy’s 25 Anniversary was hosted at the Pike Mansion in the 1979
-Total Gator Football Team Members to date: 633
-Steve Spurrier Pledged Alpha Eta in 1965 but was never Initiated
-Florida Pikes have initiated many “All Americans” in Football, Golf, Tennis, Baseball, and Basketball
-We have members in the University Hall Of Fame as well
-Some University Professors are Pikes
-Many Academic All-SEC Athletes
-Robert Adger Smythe Awards: In 1979, ‘80, ‘81, ‘82, ‘83, ’93, ‘97 (7 total)
-1980’s Florida Pike Chapter averaged over 200 men.