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Yesterday’s Poll Results
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🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
TGIF, Seminole!
A loaded edition as Florida State stacks wins, tests itself against the nation’s best, and officially turns the page to spring and Opening Day energy across multiple sports.
Here’s what’s inside today:
🏀 FSU Women’s Hoops Builds Momentum 🏀
A wire-to-wire win at home sets up a massive top-10 road test as the Seminoles continue to find balance on both ends.
🥎 Softball Proves It Belongs on the Biggest Stage 🥎
A one-run loss to No. 1 Texas Tech reveals far more positives than negatives — and confirms FSU is squarely in the national title conversation.
⚾ Baseball’s Leadership & Opening Weekend Arrive ⚾
Captains are named, the rotation is set, and Dick Howser Stadium opens its gates for another highly anticipated season.
🥍 Lacrosse Opens ACC Play Out West 🥍
A fast start meets its first conference measuring stick as the Seminoles take their momentum to California.
🏃♀️ Track & Field Chases National Marks 🏃♂️
A split-squad weekend closes the indoor regular season with records, rankings, and postseason positioning on the line.
🏈 Football Front Office & Recruiting Reset 🏈
From a key scouting hire to where FSU’s assistants landed nationally on the trail, the program’s next phase is coming into focus.
Let’s get into it.
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🏀🔥 FSU Women’s Hoops Take Care of Business vs. Boston College 🔥🏀
Florida State women’s basketball led wire-to-wire Thursday night, pulling away for an 85–76 home win over Boston College.
🔥 Who Led the Way
Solè Williams: 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting (6th 20+ point game this season)
Jasmine Shavers: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 threes (47 made threes on the year)
Amaya Bonner: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists on 5-of-8 shooting
Pania Davis: 11 points
🛡️ Defensive Tone
9 blocks — most by an FSU team in an ACC game this season
Tatum Greene: 4 blocks (career high), plus 7 points and 7 rebounds
⏱️ How It Played Out
Opened with a quick shooting burst and a 23–15 first-quarter lead
13–0 run early in the second quarter built separation
Maintained control throughout, never trailing
📍 Up Next
FSU heads on the road for a top-10 test against No. 9 Louisville on Sunday at 6 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center.
🥎💔 FSU Softball Pushes No. 1 Texas Tech to the Brink in Clearwater 💔🥎
Florida State went toe-to-toe with the nation’s top team Thursday afternoon but came up just short in a 3–2 loss to No. 1 Texas Tech in its Clearwater opener.
🔥 How It Unfolded
FSU struck first: Ashtyn Danley reached on an infield single, then freshman Anna Hinde doubled to right-center to make it 1–0
Bella Dimitrijevic impressed in the circle: 3 IP, 1 H, 3 Ks in her second career start
Texas Tech plated three in the fifth, but the Noles answered
Jaysoni Beachum crushed a two-out RBI double in the sixth to pull FSU within one
In the seventh, Hayley Griggs missed the game-tying homer by inches before Texas Tech escaped
📊 Notable Trends
FSU starters: 27 IP, 1 ER, 10 H, 29 Ks, 8 BB
First time Texas Tech trailed all season
Beachum has reached base in six straight games
Danley has reached base in six straight games
🧠 Big Picture
A one-run loss to the top-ranked team confirmed what the numbers already suggested; Florida State belongs squarely in the national title conversation.
📍 Up Next
FSU continues Clearwater play Friday night vs. FAU at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
⚾🧢 FSU Baseball Names 2026 Team Captains 🧢⚾
Leadership is set as Florida State opens the season with a veteran-led clubhouse.
Florida State Seminoles baseball head coach Link Jarrett announced that Ben Barrett, Cal Fisher, and Myles Bailey have been voted team captains for the 2026 season.
🔥 Why These Three
Ben Barrett (RHP, Sr.) – Fourth year in the program, trusted bullpen arm, strong academic leader (3.459 GPA)
Cal Fisher (INF, Jr.) – Everyday starter in 2025, Regional All-Team selection, steady two-way presence
Myles Bailey (1B, So.) – Freshman All-American, team-leading 19 HR in 2025, Tallahassee native
🗣️ Jarrett on the Moment
“The locker room speaks, and we listen… These three represent work ethic, character, and production.”
🧠 Big Picture
All three captains are homegrown Seminoles who’ve already helped deliver back-to-back Super Regional appearances. Stability, accountability, and continuity are baked in as the season begins.
📍 Up Next
FSU opens the 2026 season this weekend vs. James Madison Dukes baseball at Dick Howser Stadium.
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⚾📅 Opening Weekend Set: No. 16 FSU Baseball vs. James Madison 📅⚾
Baseball is officially back in Tallahassee.
The Florida State Seminoles baseball open the 2026 season with a three-game home series against the James Madison Dukes baseball at Dick Howser Stadium from Feb. 13–15.
🗓️ Weekend Schedule
Friday (Opening Day) – 6:00 p.m. ET
Saturday – 2:00 p.m. ET
Sunday – 1:00 p.m. ET
📺📻 How to Follow
Watch: ACC Network Extra (all three games)
Listen: Seminole Sports Network
FSU Students: Free with FSUID (RF gate at Haggard Plaza)
🎉 Opening Weekend Extras
Friday: Schedule magnet (first 1,000 fans), Marching Chiefs pregame, Double Spear It Rewards
Saturday: Military Saturday presented by VyStar
Sunday: Sunday Funday — kids run the bases, youth free admission, Mardi Gras beads
⚾ Probable Starters
Friday: Wes Mendes (FSU) vs. Griffin Polley (JMU)
Saturday: Trey Beard (FSU debut) vs. Tyler Muscar
Sunday: Bryson Moore (FSU debut) vs. Patrick Bauer
🧠 Big Picture
FSU enters 2026 ranked No. 16 nationally, fresh off back-to-back Super Regional appearances, and has never lost to James Madison (9–0 all-time) including season-opening sweeps in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
🥍✈️ FSU Lacrosse Heads West to Open ACC Play ✈️🥍
Conference season begins with momentum.
Florida State (2–0) travels west this weekend to open ACC play against California Golden Bears women's lacrosse on Friday before closing the trip against UC Davis Aggies women's lacrosse on Sunday.
📅 Weekend Schedule
Friday: at California — 6:00 p.m. ET (ACCNX)
Sunday: at UC Davis — 2:00 p.m. ET (YouTube)
🔥 Fast Start, Both Ends
30 goals scored through two games
Just 8 goals allowed (4.0 per game)
No. 6 scoring defense, No. 9 scoring margin nationally
ACC-best .636 team save percentage
⭐ Early Standouts
Lola Mancuso: 7 goals (5 vs. Kennesaw State)
Brynn Perkins (Fr.): 5 goals, coming off a hat trick
13 different Seminoles have scored already
Catrina Tobin: .625 save percentage, 5 saves per game
🧠 Big Picture
This trip opens Florida State’s 10-game ACC slate and offers an early measuring stick as the Seminoles test a fast, balanced attack against West Coast competition.
🏃♂️🏟️ FSU Track & Field Closes Indoor Regular Season on Two Fronts 🏟️🏃♀️
A split-squad weekend with national implications.
The Florida State Seminoles track and field will wrap up the indoor regular season by sending contingents to the Valentine Invitational in Boston and the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, with both meets running Friday–Saturday.
📅 Meet Times
Clemson (Tiger Paw): Friday start — 11:00 a.m.
Boston (Valentine): Friday start — 4:20 p.m.
📈 Where FSU Stands
Women remain No. 11 nationally in the latest USTFCCCA TFRI rankings
Multiple Seminoles ranked Top 16 nationally in their events
⭐ Headliners to Watch
Shenese Walker: NCAA-leading 7.09 in the 60m (program & ACC record; 5th-fastest in the world this season)
Kaelyaah Liburd: Program record 51.68 in the 400; final regular-season tune-up in Clemson
Suus Altorf & Bieke Schipperen: Elite distance duo heading to Boston; Schipperen also part of a DMR ranked 5th nationally
Micahi Danzy: Set to debut in the men’s 400 after anchoring a top-10 all-time 4x400 relay
🧠 Big Picture
This weekend is the final tune-up before postseason meets. With records falling and national rankings in play, Florida State has momentum, and meaningful data, heading into championship season.
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🏈🧠 FSU Adds Mitch Ciombor as Director of High School Scouting 🧠🏈
Florida State continues to reshape its front office with a familiar name returning to Tallahassee.
Florida State has hired Mitch Ciombor as Director of High School Scouting, bringing him back to the program after a two-year stop at Duke Blue Devils football.
🔁 Why This Move Fits
Ciombor worked at Duke as Coordinator of High School Recruiting
Reunites with John Garrett, now FSU’s general manager
Previously on staff at Florida State Seminoles football from 2022–2024 as a player personnel and recruiting assistant
🎓 Background Snapshot
Florida State alumnus
B.S. in Hospitality Management (2022)
Master’s in Athletic Coaching (2024)
🧠 Big Picture
This is another continuity-driven hire as FSU modernizes its personnel operation. With Garrett overseeing the front office and Ciombor back in the building, Florida State is clearly emphasizing structure, evaluation, and long-term high school recruiting alignment heading into future cycles.
🏈📊 Where FSU’s Assistants Landed in the 247Sports Recruiter Rankings 📊🏈
With the 2026 cycle officially in the books, 247Sports finalized its Recruiter Rankings — a metric that tracks how individual assistants performed on the trail.
Here’s how Florida State Seminoles football assistants stacked up:
🔥 Top Performers
Tim Harris Jr. (OC / WR)
Overall: No. 31 | ACC: No. 6
6 commits, headlined by multiple four-star wide receivers
Terrance Knighton (DL)
Overall: No. 32 | ACC: No. 7
8 commits, including four four-star defensive linemen/edges
🧱 Solid Middle Tier
Herb Hand (OL)
Overall: No. 83 | ACC: No. 13
7 offensive line commits
John Papuchis (LB, departed)
Overall: No. 92 | ACC: No. 16
Led by four-star LB Izayia Williams
🧩 Smaller Position Rooms / Secondary Roles
Evan Cooper (Safeties)
Overall: No. 126 | ACC: No. 24
Chris Thomsen (TE)
Overall: No. 194 | ACC: No. 33
Patrick Surtain Sr. (CB, departed)
Overall: No. 207 | ACC: No. 35
📉 Departed Staff, Limited Cycles
David Johnson (RB, departed): Overall No. 346
Tony Tokarz (QB, departed): Overall No. 350
Tony White (DC): Overall No. 387
Gus Malzahn (OC, departed): Overall No. 525
🧠 Big Picture
FSU’s recruiting strength in the 2026 class clearly ran through wide receivers and defensive line, with Harris and Knighton carrying the load. With major staff turnover now complete, these rankings also serve as a clean line of demarcation heading into a very different-looking recruiting operation for future cycles.
And that’s a wrap!
Appreciate you starting your day with The Chief Brief.
This is the stretch where momentum becomes identity; opening weekends, conference play, and early results that quietly shape the entire spring.
More coming soon.
More context as it matters.
— Chief 🏹
