In partnership with

Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Tuesday, Seminole!

A massive week is ahead for Florida State Athletics! FSU Baseball faces its first true test, the ACC Tournament tips off, and Luke Loucks officially takes over in Tallahassee with a clear vision for the future. Plus, big-time performances in golf, diving, and recruiting are making waves. Let’s dive in! ⬇️

⛳ No. 20 FSU Men’s Golf Leads Seminole Intercollegiate After 36 Holes
The Seminoles hold a five-stroke lead heading into the final round, with Luke Clanton leading the field at 10-under after firing a career-low 64 in Round 1. Can FSU close out the title on Tuesday?

⚾ No. 5 FSU Baseball Faces First Major Test vs. No. 7 Florida
The undefeated Seminoles (15-0) take on the rival Gators in a top-10 showdown. How good is this team really? We start finding out tonight at Dick Howser Stadium.

🏀 FSU Heads to Charlotte for ACC Tournament First-Round Matchup vs. Syracuse
The No. 11 seed ‘Noles take on No. 14 seed Syracuse in their postseason opener. A win sets up a rematch with No. 6 SMU in Round 2.

⛳ FSU’s Luke Clanton Named to Fred Haskins Award Watch List
The top-ranked amateur in the world is in the running for college golf’s most prestigious award after a dominant start to 2025.

🏊‍♀️ FSU’s Samantha Vear Qualifies for NCAA Championships
Vear punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships in the 1-meter springboard, marking her third career nationals appearance.

🏀 Jamir Watkins Earns All-ACC Second Team Honors
FSU’s leading scorer (18.5 PPG) lands on the All-ACC Second Team after a standout season. Next up? The ACC Tournament.

🏀 Luke Loucks Lays Out Vision for FSU Basketball, Starts Roster-Building Process
The new head coach made it clear: he’s here to win. Loucks outlined his five core values and is already working the transfer portal to build his first roster.

🏈 FSU Adds Dual-Threat QB Gavin Markey to 2025 Roster
A late but intriguing addition, Markey is a dynamic runner (1,660 yards, 24 TDs) who fits Gus Malzahn’s system perfectly.

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

⛳ No. 20 FSU Men’s Golf Leads Seminole Intercollegiate After 36 Holes

Florida State men’s golf took control of the Seminole Intercollegiate on Monday, firing a 16-under 544 through 36 holes at Glen Arven Country Club. The Seminoles lead the field heading into Tuesday’s final round.

🔥 Leaderboard Standings (After Round 2):
🥇 1st – Florida State (-16, 544)
🥈 2nd – Georgia Southern (-11, 549)
🥉 3rd – West Virginia (-4, 556)

🏆 Key Performers:

⭐ Luke Clanton (-10, 130) – Leads the field! 🔥 Shot a career-low 64 in Round 1 and followed with a 66.
⭐ Jack Bigham (-3, 137) – 68 in Round 1, 69 in Round 2, currently tied for 6th place.
⭐ Wilmer Edero (-5, 135) – Career-best 66 in Round 1, followed by 69, tied for 3rd place.
⭐ Michael Mays (-2, 138) – Shot 70-68, tied for 10th place.

💬 Coach Trey Jones on FSU’s Performance:
"The guys battled through tough conditions and put together two really strong rounds. Now it’s about closing it out tomorrow."

⏳ What’s Next?
➡️ Final Round begins Tuesday at 8:45 AM ET as FSU looks to secure the team title.

🔗 More on FSU Men’s Golf’s strong showing here.

⚾ No. 5 FSU Baseball Faces First Major Test vs. No. 7 Florida

Florida State (15-0) puts its perfect record on the line Tuesday night at Dick Howser Stadium as the Seminoles take on No. 7 Florida (15-2) in the first of three meetings this season. FSU is one of just two undefeated teams left in college baseball, but the Gators will provide their biggest test yet.

🔥 Key Storylines:
✅ Unbeaten Streak – FSU has never trailed through a full inning this season.
✅ Pitching Dominance – The ‘Noles rank 5th nationally in ERA (2.45), led by their three-headed monster of lefty starters.
✅ Elite Defense – One of the best defensive teams in the country, with standout play across the infield and outfield.

💣 FSU’s Top Performers:
⭐ Myles Bailey (.432 AVG, .537 OBP, .727 SLG%) – Freshman phenom leading the offense.
⭐ Alex Lodise (.444 AVG, 4 HR) – Riding a 14-game hitting streak.
⭐ Max Williams (5 HR) – Team leader in homers.
⭐ Evan Chrest (2.87 ERA, 15.2 IP) – Gets the start against UF, his first matchup vs. the Gators.

💬 Coach Link Jarrett on FSU’s Start:
"We know we’re good, but now we find out how good. This is the start of a tough 10-week stretch."

📊 How This Year’s Team Compares to 2024:
🔹 Batting: Slightly lower AVG (.345 vs. .376), but more discipline at the plate (+39 BB/K differential).
🔹 Pitching: Lower ERA (2.45 vs. 2.93), fewer walks, and stronger starting rotation.
🔹 Defense: Arguably FSU’s best defensive unit in years.

⏳ What’s Next?
🏟️ FSU vs. No. 7 Florida
🕕 Tuesday, 6:00 PM ET
📍 Dick Howser Stadium
📺 Watch: ACCNX

🔗 More on FSU’s first major test here.

🏀 FSU Heads to Charlotte for ACC Tournament First-Round Matchup vs. Syracuse

Florida State (17-14, 8-12 ACC) begins its ACC Tournament run Tuesday night as the No. 11 seed, taking on No. 14 seed Syracuse (10-21, 4-16 ACC) at 7:00 PM ET in Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.

🔥 Key Storylines:
✅ Recent Success vs. Syracuse – FSU won their only regular-season meeting in dominant fashion, 90-74 (Jan. 4).
✅ Leonard Hamilton's Milestone Win – Saturday’s 76-69 win over SMU marked Hamilton’s 200th ACC regular-season victory, making him just the fourth coach in ACC history to reach the milestone.
✅ Potential Rematch with SMU – If the ‘Noles take care of business, they’ll face No. 6 seed SMU in the second round Wednesday night (9:30 PM ET).

💪 Last Time vs. Syracuse:
🏆 FSU 90, Syracuse 74 (Jan. 4)
⭐ Malique Ewin – 26 PTS (Career-High)
⭐ Jamir Watkins – 20 PTS, 8 REB

💬 Leonard Hamilton Joins ACC Coaching Royalty:
With 200 career ACC wins, Hamilton stands alongside Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Dean Smith (UNC), and Roy Williams (UNC) as one of just four coaches to reach this historic mark.

⏳ What’s Next?
🏟️ FSU vs. Syracuse
🕖 Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET
📍 Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
📺 Watch: ACC Network

🔗 More on FSU’s ACC Tournament opener here.

⛳ FSU’s Luke Clanton Named to Fred Haskins Award Watch List

Florida State junior Luke Clanton has been named to the 2024-25 Fred Haskins Award First Spring Watch List, recognizing the nation’s top collegiate golfers.

🔥 Clanton’s Standout Season So Far:
🏆 Won the Watersound Invitational (10-under) in his first 2025 start.
⭐ ACC Golfer of the Month after leading FSU to a team victory.
🎯 Defeated No. 2-ranked amateur Jackson Koivun in match play at the East Lake Cup.
🏌️‍♂️ Made the cut in 2 of 4 PGA TOUR events, finishing Top 25 at the Farmers Insurance Open & Cognizant Classic.

📅 What’s Next?
The Haskins Award, college golf’s most prestigious honor, will narrow its list to 15 golfers on April 14 before naming a final Top 10 on May 16 for voting.

🏌️‍♂️ Clanton & No. 20 FSU are currently hosting the Seminole Intercollegiate (March 10-11).

🔗 More on Clanton’s Haskins Award campaign here.

🏊‍♀️ FSU’s Samantha Vear Qualifies for NCAA Championships

Graduate student Samantha Vear secured her third career NCAA Championships berth, finishing 8th in the 1-meter springboard at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in Auburn, Alabama. She becomes FSU’s seventh NCAA qualifier after the women’s team saw six swimmers selected last week.

🔥 Top FSU Performers:
🏆 Samantha Vear – 8th place (584.30 pts) ✅ Qualifies for NCAAs
💪 Evelyn Hall – 15th place (510.30 pts) Finalist
💪 John Bessire – 18th place (632.20 pts) Men’s 3-meter finalist

📅 What’s Next?
🔹 Tuesday, March 11 – Women’s 3-meter (12 PM ET) & Men’s Platform (4:30 PM ET)
🔹 Wednesday, March 12 – Women’s Platform (12 PM ET)

Live results available at DiveMeets.com.

🔗 More on FSU Diving’s NCAA push here.

🏀 Jamir Watkins Earns All-ACC Second Team Honors

Florida State senior Jamir Watkins has been named to the All-ACC Second Team, capping off a standout season as the Seminoles’ leading scorer.

🔥 Watkins’ Season Stats:
✅ 18.5 PPG (4th in ACC)
✅ 5.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.2 SPG
✅ 19 games with double-digit scoring in ACC play

Watkins started all 31 games for the Seminoles this season and played a crucial role in FSU’s 76-69 win over SMU to close the regular season.

📅 What’s Next?
🏆 ACC Tournament – First Round
🆚 No. 11 FSU vs. No. 14 Syracuse
📍 Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C.
🕖 Tuesday, March 11 | 7 PM ET
📺 ACC Network

🔗 More on Watkins’ All-ACC season here.

🏀 Luke Loucks Lays Out Vision for FSU Basketball, Starts Roster-Building Process

After being formally introduced as Florida State’s new men’s basketball head coach, Luke Loucks wasted no time making it clear: he’s here to win—and he’s already getting to work on assembling his first roster.

🔥 Loucks’ Press Conference Takeaways

🗣 "It's good to be home." – Loucks, a former FSU standout, spoke about his deep ties to Florida State, meeting his wife on campus, and returning to a place that shaped his life and career.

🏀 The 5 Core Standards of His Program:
1️⃣ Be on time & be present – "Respect people's time. Be where your feet are."
2️⃣ Put the team first – "We play a team sport. You have to sacrifice for the team."
3️⃣ Have a competitive spirit – "I want the most competitive kids in college basketball."
4️⃣ Do your job – "Know your role, expectations, and execute."
5️⃣ Find joy – "Basketball is a child’s game. If you can’t enjoy it, there’s a problem."

💡 His Mentality:
🔹 "I want that bar high." – Loucks didn’t shy away from expectations, saying, “I’m coming here to win. If anyone doesn’t like that, I don’t want to work with you.”
🔹 "I'm hopeful this is my last job." – Loucks emphasized that he isn’t using FSU as a stepping stone—he wants to build a long-term winner in Tallahassee.

📈 Building the Future – Roster Construction Begins

🚀 Portal Priority – Loucks understands FSU must use the transfer portal aggressively in Year 1, calling it "a must" to compete at a high level.

🔍 NBA-Level Scouting – Loucks is tapping into his deep NBA connections to scout potential transfer targets before they even hit the Portal.

💰 Smart Recruiting Strategy – Instead of chasing the most expensive recruits, he plans to:
✅ Prioritize Florida high school talent
✅ Find under-the-radar gems
✅ Utilize international recruiting
✅ Develop players into NBA-level talent

🛠️ What’s Next?
🔹 Evaluating FSU’s current roster at the ACC Tournament
🔹 Assembling a coaching staff
🔹 Scouting potential transfer portal additions

💬 Loucks on Player Development:
"That is my skill. We are going to develop you to make way more money than what you'll make with us or anywhere else."

📅 More on Loucks’ vision and roster-building plans here and here

🏈 FSU Adds Dual-Threat QB Gavin Markey to 2025 Roster

Florida State is bolstering its quarterback depth with a late addition, as 2025 QB Gavin Markey announced his commitment to the Seminoles on Monday.

🔥 Why Markey Chose FSU

💬 "I really love the offense—it’s a great fit for me!" – Markey on his decision after meeting with QB coach Tony Tokarz, OC Gus Malzahn, and HC Mike Norvell.

📊 Markey’s 2024 Stats (Jefferson, GA):
🔹 Passing: 1,547 yards, 16 TD, 9 INT (54% completion)
🔹 Rushing: 224 carries, 1,660 yards, 24 TD (Dual-threat weapon)

📏 Measurables:
✅ 6’2”, 235 lbs
✅ 4.6-second 40-yard dash
✅ 9.75” hand size, 76” wingspan

🚨 Impact on FSU’s 2025 Roster

🔹 Markey joins the Seminoles in late May and will count toward the new 105-player roster limit under recent NCAA rule changes.
🔹 His skill set fits well in Malzahn’s offense, adding versatility to the QB room.

📅 More on Markey’s commitment and what it means for FSU here.

And that’s a wrap!

🔥 FSU is making headlines across the board! Can the basketball team go on a run? Will baseball stay undefeated? And how will Loucks shape the future of FSU hoops?

📬 Stay locked in—this is going to be a massive week for the ‘Noles!