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🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Tuesday, Seminole!

Another action-packed week in Seminole sports, and there’s no shortage of storylines! From dominant wins on the court and field to key NFL Combine performances and major recruiting battles, we’ve got you covered. FSU Baseball remains undefeated, Beach Volleyball is off to a hot start, and football recruiting is heating up with top prospects eyeing Tallahassee.

🔥 In This Edition:

• 🏐 FSU Beach Volleyball Starts 5-0 – A thrilling win over No. 8 LSU highlights a dominant opening weekend.

• 🏀 FSU Falls to UNC – Despite a strong showing from Jamir Watkins, the ‘Noles drop a tough battle to the Tar Heels.

• ⚾ FSU Baseball Heads to Jacksonville – The undefeated ‘Noles hit the road for a midweek showdown.

• 🏈 Three Seminoles at the NFL Combine – Joshua Farmer, Azareye’h Thomas, and Ryan Fitzgerald take center stage in Indy.

• 🏈 Spring Practice Schedule Announced – The countdown to the 2025 season begins.

• 🏈 Recruiting Buzz – 2026 QB Bowe Bentley and EDGE Trenton Henderson have their eyes on Florida State.

Let’s dive into all the latest FSU news! 🔥

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🏐 No. 6 FSU Beach Volleyball Opens Season 5-0 with Freshman Impact

Florida State (5-0) kicked off the 2025 season with a dominant performance at the Beach Burg Invitational, notching five wins—including a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 8 LSU.

Weekend Results:

• ✅ FSU 4, North Alabama 1

• ✅ FSU 3, No. 8 LSU 2

• ✅ FSU 5, Spring Hill 0

• ✅ FSU 5, Florida Gulf Coast 0

• ✅ FSU 4, Southern Miss 1

Star Wars Celebration & Clutch Performances

The defining moment came in a decisive third set against LSU, where Alexis Durish & Audrey Koenig sealed the duel with three straight aces—each punctuated by their signature Droideka-inspired Star Wars celebration.

🔥 Koenig & Durish vs. LSU: 21-19, 18-21, 15-11 (match-clinching win)

Freshmen Making an Impact

This year’s team is FSU’s youngest roster under Head Coach Brooke Niles, featuring seven freshmen who logged wins this weekend.

Notable Freshman Performances:

• 🏆 Combined 19-4 record across the weekend

• 🌟 Seven freshmen earned their first career wins

• 🔥 Strong debuts from Gella Andrew, Myriah Massey, Bailey Higgins, Jordan Boulware, and Kenzie Hultquist

Niles praised her young squad:
“We really competed hard despite the cold weather. It was great to see so many players get their first collegiate wins. We have a great base to build on for the rest of the season.”

What’s Next?

🏠 Home Opener – Seminole Beach Bash
🔥 Matchups: Georgia State, Houston Christian, Cal State Bakersfield
📅 Next Weekend in Tallahassee

🔗 More on FSU’s dominant start and upcoming home matches here

🏀 Florida State Falls to North Carolina, 96-85

Florida State (16-12, 7-10 ACC) battled but couldn't overcome North Carolina (18-11, 11-6 ACC), falling 96-85 at the Donald L. Tucker Center. The game saw seven ties and four lead changes, with FSU cutting the Tar Heels' lead to six multiple times in the second half but unable to regain control.

Key Performances:

• ⭐ Jamir Watkins – 26 PTS, 7-12 FG, 9-10 FT, 2 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK

• 🔥 Jerry Deng – Season-high 16 PTS, 4-6 3PT, 6-8 FG

• 📈 Alier Maluk – Career-high 7 PTS, 2-2 FG, 3-3 FT

Game Breakdown:

• 1st Half: FSU led by four at one point but entered halftime trailing.

• 2nd Half: The Seminoles fought back multiple times but couldn’t close the gap beyond six points.

• Shooting Efficiency: FSU shot 55.2% from the field and 50% from three (10-20), tying their season-high for made three-pointers in an ACC game.

Notable Streaks & Stats:

• 🔥 Watkins has scored 20+ points in back-to-back games and hit a three in 18 straight contests.

• 🎯 Deng delivered a strong inside-out game, scoring inside and hitting four threes.

• 🔥 FSU’s 85 points mark their third 85+ point game in ACC play this season.

• 🛡️ The Seminoles held UNC to just two steals and only nine points off turnovers.

Coach’s Take:

“We did play really good defense. They made some great plays, but I thought we contested well during critical parts of the game.” – Head Coach Leonard Hamilton

What’s Next?

🏀 FSU vs. No. 3 Duke
📅 Saturday, 7:00 PM ET
📍 Cameron Indoor Stadium

🔗 More on FSU’s performance and upcoming showdown vs. Duke here

⚾ No. 7 Florida State Baseball Hits the Road to Face Jacksonville

Florida State (7-0) continues its strong start to the season with a midweek road matchup against Jacksonville (3-4) on Tuesday at John Sessions Stadium. The Seminoles enter the game undefeated and ranked No. 7 in the D1Baseball Top 25.

Key Storylines:

• 🚀 FSU’s Hot Start: The ‘Noles are one of 14 remaining undefeated teams in Division I baseball.

• 🔥 Weekend Sweep: FSU is coming off a dominant series vs. Penn, outscoring the Quakers 38-8 over three games.

• 🏆 National Rankings: Ranked as high as No. 4 (College Baseball Central), FSU has climbed multiple major polls.

• 🎯 Pitching Dominance: The Seminoles boast the No. 3 ERA in the country (1.35) and No. 4 WHIP (1.00).

FSU Leaders to Watch:

• 🎯 Jamie Arnold (LHP): No. 1 in ERA (0.00) & K-BB ratio (16 K-0 BB).

• 💪 Wes Mendes (LHP): 2-0, 16 Ks in 10.1 IP.

• 🔥 Gage Harrelson (OF): .433 AVG, 12 R, 5 SB.

• 💣 Drew Faurot (INF): 3 HR, 11 RBI.

• ⚾ Alex Lodise (INF): 3 HR, 12 H.

Matchup Preview:

• FSU vs. Jacksonville
  📅 Tuesday, 6:00 PM ET
  📍 John Sessions Stadium
  📺 Watch: ESPN+
  🎧 Listen: WFLA 100.7 FM | FSU Gameday App

Series History: FSU leads 135-42 all-time vs. Jacksonville and has won seven of the last eight meetings.

What’s Next?

🔥 FSU returns home to host Georgetown for a weekend series starting Friday, Feb. 28 at 5:00 PM ET.

🔗 More on FSU Baseball’s hot start and upcoming matchups here

🏈 Three Seminoles Set for 2025 NFL Combine

Florida State will be represented by three players at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis: Joshua Farmer (DT), Azareye’h Thomas (CB), and Ryan Fitzgerald (K).

Combine Schedule & Coverage:

📅 Feb. 27 - March 2
📍 Lucas Oil Stadium | NFL Network
🕒 Live coverage begins at 3 PM ET daily

FSU Participants & Draft Outlook:

• 🏈 Joshua Farmer (DT) – 6’3”, 314 lbs

  • 🔥 Projected: Late 1st - 2nd Round Pick

  • Strengths: Powerful hands, versatile in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, disruptive force inside.

  • NFL.com Grade: 6.14 (“Good backup with potential to develop into a starter”)

• 🔒 Azareye’h Thomas (CB) – 6’1”, 191 lbs

  • 🔥 Projected: Fringe 1st Rounder

  • Strengths: Excellent length, strong press-man coverage, improving ball skills.

  • NFL.com Grade: 6.38 (“Will eventually be a plus starter”)

• 🏹 Ryan Fitzgerald (K) – 5’10”, 195 lbs

  • Strengths: Consistent long-range accuracy, solid field goal mechanics.

  • NFL.com Grade: 5.60 (“Candidate for bottom of roster or practice squad”)

What’s Next?

• 🏋️‍♂️ Drills: 40-yard dash, vertical jump, bench press & position-specific workouts.

• 🎯 Pro Day: FSU’s Pro Day will give additional exposure to NFL scouts.

• 🔥 Draft Projections: Thomas & Farmer are expected to be early-round picks, while Fitzgerald looks to boost his stock.

🔗 More on FSU’s NFL Combine participants and their draft outlook here

🏈 Florida State Gears Up for Spring Practice

Florida State is set to begin spring practice on March 19, kicking off a crucial stretch of development ahead of the 2025 season. The Seminoles will hold 15 practices over the next month, concluding on April 21. Unlike past years, there will be no spring game due to ongoing stadium renovations.

Spring Practice Schedule:

📅 March 19, 20, 22 (morning), 25, 27
📅 April 1, 3, 5 (morning), 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21

What to Watch:

• 🏈 New Faces, New Roles: With major coaching staff changes and new transfers, FSU will be integrating fresh talent into key positions.

• 🔥 Position Battles: Quarterback, offensive line, and secondary rotations will be under the spotlight.

• 🚀 Recruiting Impact: Many top prospects are expected to visit during open practices.

🔗 More on FSU’s spring practice schedule and key storylines here

🏈 2026 QB Bowe Bentley Sets Visit to Florida State

One of the fastest-rising quarterbacks in the 2026 class, Bowe Bentley (Celina, TX), has added Florida State to his spring visit schedule. The Top-200 recruit will be in Tallahassee on March 22 as he evaluates his options before setting official visits.

Bentley’s Spring Visit Schedule:

📍 March 8 – Oklahoma
📍 March 15 – LSU
📍 March 19 – Ohio State
📍 March 22 – Florida State
📍 March 29 – Georgia Tech

Recruiting Profile:

• ⭐ 6'2", 200 lbs | No. 181 overall, No. 11 QB (247Sports)

• 🏆 Led Celina to a Texas state championship in 2023

• 🎯 Performed well at the Navy All-American Bowl

🔗 More on Bentley’s recruitment and what his FSU visit means here

🏈 2026 EDGE Trenton Henderson Narrows Recruitment

One of the nation’s top defensive prospects, Trenton Henderson (Pensacola, FL – Catholic), has trimmed his list of schools as he nears a commitment. The Top-15 national prospect and No. 12 overall player in the 2026 class has Florida State among his finalists.

Henderson’s Final 10 Schools:

🏆 Alabama – "One of my favorite visits so far, full of genuine people."
🐯 Auburn – "Love the direction of the program and how they prioritize me."
🐊 Florida – "I already feel like I fit in with the team and staff."
🍢 Florida State – "First school to recruit me, and they've been all-in since day one. Love the family vibe."
🦴 Georgia – "Love their NFL production and how I’d be used in their system."
🐯 LSU – "Amazing environment, lots of energy, and great player development."
〽️ Michigan – "Always develops top-tier defensive linemen."
🤘 Texas – "Great development program that produces NFL talent yearly."
✌️ USC – "Immediate connection with Coach Nua and potential for early playing time."
⚓ Vanderbilt – "Coach Haye has prioritized me since day one, and I like the early playing time opportunity."

🔥 FSU was Henderson’s first offer, and the Seminoles have remained a top contender throughout his recruitment.

📅 What’s Next?

• Henderson is expected to take official visits this summer before making a decision.

• Florida State will look to capitalize on its early connection and strong defensive development under Adam Fuller.

🔗 More on Henderson’s recruitment and FSU’s push to land the elite pass rusher here

And that’s a wrap!

That’s a wrap on another loaded edition of The Chief Brief! With FSU teams rolling, top recruits narrowing their choices, and future ‘Noles shining on the national stage, there’s plenty to keep an eye on.

Stay locked in for more updates, and as always—Go Noles! 🍢🔥