Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Monday, Seminoles! It’s portal season and we’ve got more updates coming in today’s edition:

🏀 FSU Women’s Basketball Crushes Drexel in 50-Point Blowout 🏀
The Noles continued their dominance with a 101-51 win, led by Ta’Niya Latson’s third consecutive 30-point game.

🛡️ FSU Hosts Top DT Transfer Lee Hunter for Unofficial Visit 🛡️
The UCF standout made a surprise visit to Tallahassee, with plans to potentially return for an official visit.

🛠️ FSU to Host Experienced SEC OL Transfer Addison Nichols 🛠️
Arkansas starting center Addison Nichols begins his visit to FSU today as the Seminoles look to bolster their offensive line.

🌊 FSU Swimmers and Divers Shine on Global and National Stages 🌊
From breaking national records to top finishes at Winter Nationals, FSU athletes are making waves worldwide.

🏈 FSU QB Signee Kevin Sperry Visits Tallahassee Ahead of Early Enrollment 🏈
The four-star quarterback made his official visit, preparing to enroll and begin his Seminole career in January.

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🏀 FSU Women’s Basketball Crushes Drexel in 50-Point Blowout 🏀

The Florida State women’s basketball team (10-2, 1-0 ACC) delivered a dominant performance, steamrolling Drexel (3-4, 0-0 CAA) with a 101-51 victory at the Donald L. Tucker Center. The Noles showcased suffocating defense and hot shooting, marking their fifth win by 40 or more points this season.

🌟 Star Performers

• Ta'Niya Latson: 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting. Latson secured her third consecutive 30-point game and moved into fourth place in program history with 1,682 career points, surpassing Tia Paschal (1990–93).

• Makayla Timpson: 12 points, 10 rebounds, and her sixth double-double of the season, bringing her career total to 37—just four shy of tying the program record.

• Sydney Bowles: 14 points, hitting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

• O’Mariah Gordon: 12 points, continuing her steady contributions.

🔥 Key Stats

• Shooting Prowess: The Noles shot an impressive 57% (41-of-71) from the field and 50% (11-of-22) from three-point range.

• Defensive Dominance: FSU recorded 16 steals, their second-highest total this season, and held Drexel to 33% shooting and just 22% from beyond the arc.

🎙️ Game Highlights

• Hot Start: FSU stormed out to an 18-6 lead by the first media timeout, thanks to stifling defense and 16 first-quarter points from Latson.

• Second Quarter Lockdown: The Noles allowed only six points in the second quarter, heading into halftime with a commanding 52-25 lead.

• Relentless Finish: Outscoring Drexel 49-26 in the second half, the Noles stayed aggressive on both ends for a 50-point statement win.

The Seminoles continue to dominate behind Latson’s scoring prowess and a well-rounded team effort, solidifying their position as an offensive and defensive powerhouse.

Read more here.

🛡️ FSU Hosts Top DT Transfer Lee Hunter for Unofficial Visit 🛡️

Florida State unexpectedly hosted Lee Hunter, one of the top defensive tackles in the NCAA Transfer Portal, for an unofficial visit on Sunday. The UCF standout stopped by Tallahassee while traveling home to Mobile, Ala., after his graduation. Hunter mentioned that he may return later this week for an official visit.

🌟 Hunter’s Journey

• 2023 Season Highlights (UCF):

  • 69 tackles (most nationally among DTs), including 38 solo stops.

  • 11 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 pass defended in 13 starts.

• Career Totals (38 Games, 23 Starts):

  • 131 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and 1 pass defended.

🔥 Why FSU?
During his stop, Hunter met with several key members of the Seminoles’ coaching staff, including:

• Gus Malzahn: His former head coach at UCF.

  • “Coach Malzahn is a real person. I love him to death,” said Hunter.

• Mike Norvell:

  • “Coach Norvell is a family guy. He wants to coach you hard and see you make it to the next level.”

• Odell Haggins and Terrance Knighton:

  • Hunter praised Knighton as “a great guy” with a strong perspective on the game and a reputation as a developer of talent.

🎯 Recruitment Plans
Hunter confirmed plans for official visits this week, including:

• Texas Tech: Tuesday.

• Texas: Wednesday-Thursday.

• FSU (Tentative Official Visit): Friday.

• USC: Discussions ongoing.

💬 Hunter’s Priorities:
“I just want to feel like I’m at home—surrounded by great men, great people, a place that wants to win, and where I can be successful,” Hunter shared.

🔮 What’s Next?
Hunter’s unofficial visit offered the Seminoles an opportunity to showcase their program and deepen connections built during his high school recruitment. With one season of eligibility left, his decision will provide an immediate boost to the defensive line of his chosen team. A return visit to FSU later this week could position the Seminoles as strong contenders in his recruitment.

Read more here and here.

🛠️ FSU to Host Experienced SEC OL Transfer Addison Nichols 🛠️

Florida State continues to address its offensive line needs through the transfer portal, with Arkansas starting center Addison Nichols set to visit Tallahassee this week. Nichols will arrive tonight ahead of a Monday visit with the Seminoles as they work to bolster their front line for the 2025 season.

🌟 Player Profile

• 2024 Season (Arkansas):

  • Started every game at center for the Razorbacks.

  • Pro Football Focus Grades:

    • Overall: 69.4

    • Pass Blocking: 76.4, showcasing his strength in protecting the quarterback.

• Size: 6-foot-5, 329 pounds.

• High School Ranking:

  • No. 180 overall player and No. 8 interior offensive lineman nationally (2022 class, per 247Sports).

🌍 Career Journey

• Began his collegiate career at Tennessee, serving as a reserve on their offensive line during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, with 128 snaps across those years.

• Transferred to Arkansas for 2024, where he earned the starting center role and gained valuable SEC experience.

🔄 Transfer Details

• Nichols, originally from Norcross, Ga., has two years of eligibility remaining.

• This marks his second visit of the transfer process after recently visiting SMU. He has not announced additional visits at this time.

🔮 What Nichols Brings

• Nichols’ size, experience, and proven pass-blocking ability make him an attractive addition for FSU’s offensive line. The Seminoles are looking to revamp their blocking unit following a challenging 2024 season, and Nichols’ versatility and SEC-tested skills could provide an immediate upgrade.

With no other visits currently scheduled, FSU will look to make a strong impression as they aim to land this talented lineman and further solidify their roster.

Read more here.

🌊 FSU Swimmers and Divers Shine on Global and National Stages 🌊

The Florida State swimming and diving team made waves this week with standout performances across three high-profile meets, breaking records and showcasing their talents on the international and national stages.

🌟 World Aquatics Championships – Budapest, Hungary

• Max Wilson:

  • Set two U.S. Virgin Islands national records:

    • 100m Backstroke: 51.37 seconds

    • 50m Backstroke: 23.81 seconds

• Gloria Muzito:

  • Broke the Uganda national record in the 100m Freestyle with a time of 54.45.

  • Contributed to an African record in the mixed 4x100 medley relay (4:06.20) and two Uganda relay records:

    • Mixed 4x50 Freestyle Relay: 1:36.00

    • Mixed 4x50 Medley Relay: 1:49.23

🏊‍♂️ USA Diving Winter Nationals – Bloomington, Indiana
Six FSU divers competed, with several advancing to finals and earning top finishes:

• Samantha Vear:

  • 7th on 1-meter (471.75 points)

  • 10th on 3-meter (488.20 points)

• Kayleigh Clark:

  • Best team finish with 6th in the 10-meter final (519.60 points)

• Notable Prelim Finishes:

  • Isabel Gregersen: 16th on 10-meter (206.30 points)

  • Noah Turner: 18th on 10-meter (270.90 points)

  • Carlos Vargas: 21st on 10-meter (252.40 points)

  • Hayden Schroeder: 24th on 3-meter (289.35 points), 25th on 1-meter (275.45 points)

🏖️ CSCAA College National Open Water Championship – Miami, Florida
FSU’s women’s team competed in the 5-kilometer event, finishing 9th out of 19 teams:

• Top Performers:

  • Ella Dyjak: 15th overall (1:07:26.92)

  • Gabrielle Goodwin: 31st (1:09:39.67)

  • Maddy Huggins: 68th (1:12:44.53)

  • Cadence Fort: 69th (1:12:56.41)

🔥 Looking Ahead:
As the team gears up for a week-long training trip in South Florida, FSU swimming and diving continues to prove they are a force to be reckoned with on every stage.

Read more here.

🏈 FSU QB Signee Kevin Sperry Visits Tallahassee Ahead of Early Enrollment 🏈

Four-star quarterback signee Kevin Sperry made his official visit to Tallahassee this weekend, using the opportunity to finalize plans and get acquainted with Florida State’s updated offensive vision under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

🌟 A Seamless Transition

• Offensive Clarity:

  • Sperry discussed the offensive system with Malzahn, who assured him it would closely align with what FSU has been running under Mike Norvell.

  • Norvell, who worked under Malzahn in the mid-2000s, has already incorporated elements of Malzahn’s system, making the transition seamless.

  • “There’s gonna be kind of some mix... Coach Norvell’s offense and what [Malzahn] has been doing at UCF are pretty similar already,” Sperry shared.

• Building Connections:

  • The Texas native spent time with Norvell, quarterbacks coach Tony Tokarz, and Malzahn, noting how easy it was to connect with the new coordinator.

  • “Very easy to talk to. Great people. Excited to be here in a couple weeks,” said Sperry.

📚 Academics and Planning

• In addition to football, Sperry used the visit to align his academic course plan as he prepares to enroll at FSU in January.

📏 Player Profile

• Rankings: No. 248 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle (247Sports Composite), with a 0.9113 grade.

• Commitment Timeline: Pledged to FSU on Nov. 21, prior to Malzahn’s hiring.

🔮 What’s Next?
Sperry will return to Tallahassee in late December, eager to begin his journey as a Seminole and help lead a revitalized offense in the seasons ahead.

Read more here.

And that’s a wrap!

From dominant basketball victories to record-breaking performances in swimming and diving, the Seminoles are showcasing excellence across the board. As the transfer portal heats up, key visits like Lee Hunter and Addison Nichols signal that FSU is pulling out all the stops to build back for 2025. And with four-star QB Kevin Sperry set to enroll soon, the future is looking brighter than ever.

As always, we’ll be here to bring you every update, every highlight, and every reason to cheer. Stay tuned, Seminoles fans—big things are on the horizon! Go Noles! 🍢 🏹