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Yesterday’s Poll Results
Today’s Poll
🥎 How real is FSU Softball’s 6–0 start?
🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
Happy Thursday, Seminole!
Today’s edition is all about continuity, tests, and tone-setting moments across Florida State athletics from championship staffs being rewarded, to elite softball stepping into a national gauntlet, to football newcomers arriving with leadership on their minds.
Here’s what’s inside:
⚽🧠 Title Winners Keep Winning 🧠⚽
FSU Soccer promotes from within as national-title continuity takes priority, rewarding one of the program’s rising minds.
🏀📍 Momentum Opportunity at Home 📍🏀
Women’s hoops looks to stack confidence and rhythm against Boston College after its most complete performance of the season.
🥎🔥 Clearwater Reality Check 🔥🥎
Undefeated FSU Softball walks straight into one of the toughest early-season slates in the country — four days, four ranked-level tests, national implications.
⚾🔍 Two Days Out: Baseball Takes Shape 🔍⚾
With Opening Day nearly here, rotation roles and lineup leanings are coming into focus and flexibility is the theme.
🏈🧠 Leadership Arrives With the Newcomers 🧠🏈
Tre Wisner and FSU’s latest additions aren’t talking depth charts — they’re talking accountability, versatility, and setting a tone for 2026.
🏈🧲 Recruiting Momentum Keeps Rolling 🧲🏈
A four-star RB locks in an official visit, while a versatile 2028 Florida athlete continues building strong early ties with the Seminoles.
Let’s get into it.
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⚽🧠 FSU Promotes Alex Thompson to Assistant Coach 🧠⚽
A title-winning staff keeps its continuity and rewards internal excellence.
Florida State soccer head coach Brian Pensky announced that Alex Thompson will remain with the program and move into an assistant coach role ahead of the 2026 season.
🔥 Why This Matters
Thompson was a video analyst during FSU’s fifth national championship run in 2025
Led opposition scouting reports and film breakdowns
Helped design individual player development sessions
Now elevated internally rather than replaced externally
🗣️ What Pensky Said
“Alex is a grinder. He’s sharp. He’s humble. He loves our players while holding them to a high standard… Alex has an incredibly bright future.”
🧠 Background Snapshot
2022 Florida State graduate
Six years as a youth soccer director in Tallahassee before joining FSU
England-born, raised in Sarasota
Entering his second season with the Seminoles in 2026
🏀📍 FSU Women’s Hoops Hosts Boston College Thursday Night 📍🏀
A chance to build momentum at home.
Florida State women’s basketball returns to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Thursday night, hosting Boston College Eagles women's basketball in a 6:00 p.m. tip.
📊 Quick Context
Florida State leads the all-time series 20–3
Won 4 of the last 5 meetings
Including a 63–58 win at the 2022 ACC Tournament
🔥 Who to Watch
Solè Williams: 15.0 PPG (team leader)
Jasmine Shavers: 12.5 PPG, ACC-leading shooting volume (44 made threes)
FSU ranks 2nd in the ACC with 8.3 made threes per game
🧠 Last Time Out
FSU is coming off one of its most complete performances of the season:
87–70 win vs. Miami
Tatum Greene: career-high 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting
Season-high 21 assists as a team
10 made three-pointers
📺 How to Watch / Listen
TV: ACC Network Extra
Radio: Seminole Sports Network (96.5 The Spear, SiriusXM app)
🥎🔥 No. 6 FSU Softball Enters the Gauntlet at Clearwater Invitational 🔥🥎
Florida State’s perfect start now meets elite company.
The unbeaten Seminoles (6–0) head to Clearwater this week for one of the toughest early-season tests in college softball at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational.
📅 FSU’s Clearwater Schedule
Thursday (1 p.m., ESPN2): vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders softball (No. 1)
Friday (7 p.m., ESPN+): vs. Florida Atlantic Owls softball (RV)
Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN+): vs. UCLA Bruins softball (No. 7)
Sunday (8 p.m., ESPN): vs. Tennessee Volunteers softball (No. 3)
🧠 Why This Matters
FSU has faced three+ Top-10 teams in Clearwater only once before (2019) — and went 3–0
Seminoles own a 20–9 all-time record in the event (best in the nation)
12 of those wins have come vs. ranked opponents
Undefeated in the tournament three times (2019, 2022, 2025)
🔥 FSU Rolling In
6–0 start, best since 2022
Outscored opponents 44–7
Team batting .361
Pitching staff: 1.32 ERA, three shutouts
Isa Torres (.524) and Marin Heller (.476) leading the offense
Jazzy Francik and Ashtyn Danley remain the ACC’s premier pitching duo
🧠 Big Picture
Clearwater is where national contenders reveal themselves. Florida State has thrived here before and this week will show just how real this 6–0 start truly is.
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⚾🔍 FSU Baseball Two Days Out: Projected Staff & Lineup to Open 2026 🔍⚾
With Opening Day against James Madison arriving Friday night at Dick Howser Stadium, here’s a streamlined snapshot of how Florida State Seminoles baseball is shaping up based on preseason looks.
🔥 Projected Weekend Rotation
Friday: Wes Mendes
Five-pitch mix, improved changeup, added cutter — the upside arm with Opening Day stuff.Saturday: Trey Beard
Consistent, deceptive changeup, four-pitch mix that misses bats.Sunday: Bryson Moore
Spin-heavy arsenal; likely eased in early after past injuries.Midweek: Payton Manca
Earned the role after a strong Cape Cod League run.
Bullpen notes:
Cole Stokes profiles as a 3–4 inning weekend stopper; Cade O’Leary brings sprint-arm juice; Gabe Nard is the ground-ball utility option.
🧤 Projected Defensive Starters
C: Hunter Carns
1B: Myles Bailey
2B: Gabe Fraser
SS: Cal Fisher
3B: Carter McCulley
OF: Chase Williams, Brayden Dowd
RF: Brody DeLamielleure (with John Stuetzer pushing)
DH will rotate early to get at-bats for Eli Putnam, Kelvyn Paulino Jr., and others.
⚡ Early Lineup Lean
Expect Chase Williams to get the first look at leadoff — speed, pressure, and chaos — with Bailey, Carns, and Dowd anchoring the middle. This order could change daily, even up to first pitch.
🧠 Big Picture
The rotation looks defined, the defense leans athletic and steady, and lineup flexibility is the theme. Link Jarrett has options and the answers start arriving Friday night.
🏈🧠 Tre Wisner Arrives Focused on Leadership and FSU’s Newcomers Speak the Same Language 🧠🏈
Florida State’s newest wave of arrivals didn’t just talk depth charts or schemes — they talked leadership, versatility, and ownership. And it started with the most important newcomer in the room.
🔑 Tre Wisner: “I Want to Be a Captain”
Texas transfer Tre Wisner wasn’t interested in dwelling on Gus Malzahn’s retirement or campaigning as the presumed RB1. Instead, his message was clear and consistent:
He came to Florida State Seminoles football to lead
He wants to earn a captaincy, not assume touches
He believes Mike Norvell’s offense “requires leadership from everyone”
Wisner arrives with production (1,700+ rushing yards the last two seasons, 66 career receptions) but what stood out most was intent.
“Time doesn’t wait… why not accomplish something great while you can?”
He openly acknowledged shying away from leadership at Texas and said FSU has pushed him to step fully into that role.
🏃♂️ Mentor Mindset in the RB Room
Wisner didn’t hesitate when asked about Ousmane Kromah:
Praised his curiosity and work ethic
Highlighted pass pro, catching, and defensive recognition
Framed mentorship as part of his responsibility, not competition
It’s notable: Wisner emphasized winning over carries repeatedly.
🧠 Other Newcomers, Same Themes
Rylan Kennedy (Edge/JACK): leaned hard into versatility — edge, coverage, run defense and credited FSU vets for making him feel at home
EJ White (Fr. WR): former QB, praised FSU for authenticity in recruiting and highlighted accountability off the field
Mekhi Jones (DB, Duke transfer): focused on adaptability in Tony White’s defense and competing for any role that puts him on the field
Across the board, the same words kept coming up: leadership, versatility, buy-in.
🧠 Big Picture
Wisner didn’t come to Tallahassee to coast into a final season. He came to set a tone, both for a young RB room and for a program clearly prioritizing accountability and internal leadership in 2026.
👉 Read more for full newcomer quotes and how this leadership-first mindset is shaping spring camp.
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🏈🧲 FSU Locks In Official Visit From Four-Star RB Ty Keys 🧲🏈
Florida State continues to press on the 2027 trail with a major summer visit now set.
Ty Keys, a four-star RB from Mississippi, will take an official visit to Florida State Seminoles football on June 5
Also has OVs scheduled to Mississippi State and Miami; Ole Miss and Alabama remain active
Junior season production: 3,285 rushing yards, 45 TDs (MaxPreps)
🔑 Why FSU Is in This
January Junior Day visit earned an “11 out of 10” from Keys
Strong early relationship with RB coach Kam Martin
Keys praised FSU’s approach to both football and academics
🧠 Quick Context
6’2”, 205 lbs
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 147 overall, No. 10 RB, No. 6 prospect in Mississippi
Interested in playing baseball at the next level, though no reported FSU offer yet
🏈🔍 FSU Building Early Momentum With 2028 ATH Za’Kari Johnson 🔍🏈
One of Florida’s top rising prospects is keeping Florida State firmly in the conversation.
Za’Kari Johnson is ranked No. 32 in Florida in the 2028 class
Played QB, CB, and S at Plantation High School
Visited Tallahassee two weekends ago and is eyeing a return trip
🔥 FSU Connection
Developing a strong bond with safeties coach Evan Cooper
Johnson called the visit “great” and said Cooper is the coach he’s closest with
“He’s great. I love him.”
🧭 Other Schools in the Mix
Auburn Tigers football – heavy push from DB coach Demarcus Van Dyke
Tennessee Volunteers football – has already offered; a dream school
Miami Hurricanes football – frequent contact with Mario Cristobal and Zac Etheridge
🗓️ What’s Next
Johnson plans spring visits to Miami, Tennessee, Maryland, and Missouri, with Florida State clearly positioned to stay central as his recruitment develops.
And that’s a wrap!
Championship programs are rewarding their grinders, elite teams are walking into pressure moments, and the football foundation is being built around something deeper than just talent — ownership.
Clearwater will reveal plenty. Opening Day will answer more. And the leadership pieces are already falling into place.
We’ll be watching it all.
— Chief 🏹
