Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

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TGIF, Seminole!

Dive into today’s edition for the latest on Florida State athletics and recruiting:

🏀 FSU Women’s Basketball Rallies Past Clemson: Ta’Niya Latson and Makayla Timpson lead the charge as the Seminoles pull off a dominant fourth-quarter surge.

🎾 Men’s Tennis Shines Against Georgia State: The No. 9 Seminoles extend their undefeated streak, sweeping singles and doubles in a 7-0 victory.

🏃‍♂️ Track and Field Prepares for Jimmy Carnes Invite: After stellar ACC weekly honors, FSU’s standout athletes aim for new records in Gainesville.

🏈 Junior Day Recruiting Heats Up: Florida State welcomes elite 2026 prospects, including five-star LB Xavier Griffin and four-star OL Cannon Pickett, in a pivotal weekend.

🏈 Two-Way Star Paris Melvin Garners Attention: The versatile 2026 prospect is a rising star with 26 offers and counting.

🏈 Norvell Hits the Road: FSU’s coaching staff is back in action, locking in visits with top targets Trenton Henderson and Kaiden Hall ahead of Junior Day.

🏀 FSU Women’s Basketball Soars Past Clemson with Fourth-Quarter Surge 🏀

The Florida State women’s basketball team (14-4, 4-2 ACC) powered past Clemson (10-8, 3-4 ACC) with a commanding 82-67 victory at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Thursday. A dominant fourth-quarter effort, where FSU outscored Clemson 26-12, sealed the win for the Seminoles.

🌟 Standout Performers:

• Ta’Niya Latson: Recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 20 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds.

• Makayla Timpson: Secured her 10th double-double of the season, tying Natasha Howard’s program record of 41 career double-doubles, with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks.

• O’Mariah Gordon: Delivered 15 points, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, alongside two blocks, two assists, and two steals.

🌟 Game Highlights:

• First Half: Clemson surged to an early lead, with runs of 6-0 and 7-0 in the first quarter. Despite an 8-0 FSU run in the second, the Seminoles entered halftime trailing 38-34.

• Third Quarter: The momentum shifted as FSU drained five three-pointers, highlighted by Gordon’s hot streak, outscoring Clemson 22-17 to take a 56-55 lead.

• Fourth Quarter: FSU pulled away with a decisive 9-0 run, holding Clemson to just 33% shooting and securing the win.

📅 Up Next:
The Seminoles face in-state rival Miami on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 2:00 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

Read more here

🎾 No. 9 Florida State Men’s Tennis Dominates Georgia State 🎾

The No. 9 Florida State men’s tennis team swept Georgia State 7-0 on Thursday night at the Scott Speicher Memorial Tennis Center, continuing their undefeated start to the season with a perfect 5-0 record.

🌟 Match Highlights:

• Doubles Excellence:

  • Justin Lyons and Azariah Rusher cruised to a 6-0 win on Court 3 for their first victory of the season.

  • Alex Bulte and Youcef Rihane, the reigning ACC Doubles Team of the Week, secured the doubles point with a 6-3 victory on Court 1, maintaining their flawless record.

• Singles Standouts:

  • Jamie Connel: Overcame a first-set loss and a 5-2 deficit in the second to win five straight games, stealing the second set 7-5 before clinching the match in a 10-4 super tiebreaker.

  • Corey Craig: Earned his first career home win with a gritty 6-4, 6-4 victory.

  • Joshua Dous-Karpenschif: Continued his dominant season with a 6-1, 6-4 win, improving to 4-0 in singles play.

🌟 Key Stats:

• FSU has yet to drop a singles match through 30 individual singles matches this season.

• Justin Lyons and freshman Jan Sebesta also added straight-set victories to round out the sweep.

📅 What’s Next:
The Seminoles gear up for a pivotal top-10 showdown against No. 6 Arizona on Saturday at 1:00 PM.

Read more here

🏃‍♂️ FSU Track and Field Gears Up for Jimmy Carnes Invite 🏃‍♀️

The Florida State indoor track and field teams head to Gainesville, Florida, on Friday, January 17, to compete in the Jimmy Carnes Invite, aiming to build on their strong start to the season.

🌟 Recent Highlights:

• ACC Performers of the Week:

  • Kyvon Tatham: Named Field Performer of the Week for his 15.89m (52-1¾) triple jump, the 10th-farthest in program history.

  • Tyler Azcano: Earned Performer of the Week after clocking a collegiate-best 6.60 in the 60m prelims.

  • Micahi Danzy: Took Rookie of the Week honors for his 45.11 split in the 4x400m relay.

• Notable Performances at Clemson Invitational:

  • Cooper Crowell: Opened his season with a third-place finish in the men’s weight throw, marking a lifetime best of 18.38m (60-3¾), the seventh-best in FSU history.

  • Shenese Walker: Dominated the women’s 60m sprint with a collegiate-leading time of 7.20 seconds.

👉 Read more here

🏈 FSU Gears Up for High-Stakes Junior Day Weekend 🏈

Florida State football is set to host one of its most significant recruiting weekends of the year, bringing an impressive group of top targets to campus for their first Junior Day of the 2026 cycle. This pivotal weekend offers the Seminoles an opportunity to establish early momentum with several blue-chip prospects at key positions.

🌟 Key Offensive Targets:

• Cannon Pickett (4-star OL):

  • Late addition to Junior Day but a major target on the offensive line.

  • Developing a connection with new OL coach Herb Hand is critical as Miami and Florida loom as competitors.

• Amari Clemons (4-star RB):

  • A local standout from Marianna, Fla., Clemons is coming off a 1,880-yard, 34-touchdown junior season.

  • FSU is currently the leader in his recruitment, making this weekend crucial to securing his commitment.

• Xavier Tiller (4-star TE, Texas A&M commit):

  • Making his first visit to Tallahassee.

  • Auburn and Florida remain in the mix, but FSU hopes to position itself as a top contender to flip Tiller.

🌟 Defensive Focus:

• Trenton Henderson (4-star Edge):

  • One of FSU’s top priorities, Henderson brings an explosive pass rush and elite production, including 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss as a junior.

  • FSU is well-positioned but must fend off Auburn and other programs for the Pensacola Catholic standout.

• Xavier Griffin (5-star LB, USC commit):

  • A high-profile visitor, Griffin is the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class.

  • FSU will emphasize its new defensive system and coaching staff to impress Griffin and challenge Georgia for his flip.

• James Johnson (4-star DL):

  • A disruptive interior force, Johnson is a key target for a defensive line group with no 2026 commits.

  • FSU is working to gain ground against Florida and Miami in this recruitment.

🌟 Defensive Backs to Watch:

• Samari Matthews (4-star CB):

  • An elite national recruit, Matthews has FSU in his top six.

  • The Seminoles aim to build separation from competitors like Georgia and South Carolina this weekend.

• Kaiden Hall (4-star S):

  • An in-state prospect with impressive size and athleticism, Hall could be a cornerstone for FSU’s secondary.

  • Florida and Georgia are also heavily involved, making this visit critical.

👉 Read more here and here

🏈 Two-Way Star Paris Melvin Jr. Garners National Attention 🏈

As the trend of two-way players gains traction in college football, Cypress (Texas) Cy-Springs standout Paris Melvin Jr. is shaping up to be a game-changer.

Ranked as the No. 10 athlete in the nation and the No. 17 overall prospect in Texas by 247Sports, Melvin’s versatility as a wide receiver, defensive back, and return specialist has placed him in elite company for the 2026 recruiting class.

🌟 Recruitment Heating Up:

Melvin holds 26 offers from top programs, with early interest from schools such as:

• Florida State

• Michigan

• Texas A&M

• Oklahoma

• Florida

• Arizona State

🏈 Offense, Defense, or Both?

Melvin’s skillset has schools open to deploying him on both sides of the ball. While he’s eager to play offense and defense in college, his long-term vision leans toward the NFL as a defensive back.

• Offensive Playmaker: Proven threat as a receiver with game-changing ability in space.

• Defensive Standout: Melvin’s instincts and athleticism make him a natural fit in the secondary.

• Special Teams Weapon: Impactful returner who excels in all three phases of the game.

📅 Junior Days on the Horizon:

As programs vie for Melvin’s attention, the competition to host him during Junior Days is intensifying.

“We’re looking to set up follow-ups with colleges,” Melvin noted, adding that scheduling is a challenge with multiple programs hosting events on the same dates.

👉 Read more here

🏈 Florida State’s Coaching Staff Hits the Road Ahead of Junior Day 🏈

Following a three-day NCAA-mandated dead period, Mike Norvell and the Florida State football staff are back in action, hitting the recruiting trail before this weekend’s highly anticipated Junior Day event.

🌟 Top Prospects on the Radar:

• Trenton Henderson (4⭐ Edge Rusher):

  • Vitals: 6’4”, 225 lbs (Pensacola Catholic).

  • Ranking: No. 22 overall in 2026 class, No. 4 edge rusher nationally, No. 2 player in Florida (On3).

  • 2024 Season Highlights:

    • 50 tackles (18 for loss), 10 sacks, 20 QB hurries, and six pass deflections.

  • FSU Connection: Norvell will visit Henderson today before hosting him at Junior Day on Saturday.

• Kaiden Hall (4⭐ Safety):

  • Vitals: 6’3”, 175 lbs (Pensacola, Fla.).

  • Ranking: No. 24 overall in 2026 class, No. 2 safety nationally, No. 3 player in Florida (On3).

  • FSU Connection: New safeties coach Evan Cooper visited Hall last week, making a strong impression. Hall will attend Junior Day and visit Oklahoma later this month.

🎯 Norvell’s Mission:

• Strengthen relationships with Henderson and Hall during personal visits.

• Capitalize on Junior Day to showcase FSU’s vision for elite talent.

🔜 What’s Next:

With Henderson and Hall both expected in Tallahassee for Junior Day, FSU is set to make a major push for two of Florida’s top 2026 prospects.

👉 Read more here

And that’s a wrap!

As the Seminoles gear up for another action-packed weekend, the momentum across every facet of FSU athletics is undeniable. From hardwood heroics to record-setting recruiting, there’s no slowing down in Tallahassee. Stay locked in for updates, because at FSU, the best is always yet to come.

📧 Catch you tomorrow, Chief!