Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

TGIF, Seminole!

From Volini’s complete-game dominance against Miami to Woad & Ting’s title hunt on home turf, the Noles are putting the rest of the country on notice. We’ve got elite recruits locking in, spring ball heating up, and new faces joining FSU hoops as the Loucks Era begins to take shape.

Need more?
✅ Beach Volleyball battles Top 20 foes.
✅ James Williams adds 20 pounds of muscle on a mission.
✅ Seven Cloud + Jake Kreul updates = major recruiting momentum.
✅ The Match Up tees off with national title energy.

Strap in. Scroll on. You don’t want to miss this one.👇

⚾ Volini Goes the Distance, Noles Blast Six Homers in Run-Rule Rout of Miami

No. 5 Florida State (19-2, 4-0 ACC) opened its rivalry series with an emphatic statement Thursday night, dismantling Miami 14-1 in just seven innings. The win marks FSU’s fourth run-rule victory of the season—and first road win over the Canes since 2021.

🔥 How It Happened: ✅ Joey Volini – Threw FSU’s first complete game since 2018 (7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 9 K, 79 pitches)
✅ 6 HRs by the Noles – Most in a game this season
✅ Alex Lodise – 4-for-5, 2 HRs, 5 RBI, 3 R
✅ Hunter Carns – 2 HRs, 2 RBI, 2 R
✅ Max Williams – 2-run HR in 1st (team-leading 9th), 3 RBI total
✅ Myles Bailey – 438-foot blast over the batter's eye

🧨 FSU's Offense: 🔹 14 Runs on 14 Hits
🔹 Homered in three different innings
🔹 5-run 4th inning broke the game wide open

📊 By the Numbers: 🔹 FSU has now won 4 straight over Miami
🔹 All-time series in Coral Gables: Now tied 72-72-3
🔹 11 games with a 1st-inning run | 19 games where FSU scored first

📅 Next Up in the Series: 🔹 Friday – 8 PM ET | 📺 ACC Network
🔹 Saturday – 7 PM ET | 📺 ACCNX

🔗 More on FSU’s dominant win & Volini’s complete game here.

⛳ No. 7 FSU Women’s Golf Eyes Fifth Title at Florida State Match Up

The Seminoles return home this weekend for the 12th Annual Florida State Match Up at Seminole Legacy Golf Club—and they’re coming in red-hot.

🔥 Team Momentum: ✅ Winners of 4 straight events (program record)
✅ 9 of last 11 rounds under par
✅ 8 consecutive rounds leading the field

🏆 Star Power: 🔹 Lottie Woad – No. 1-ranked amateur in the world (32 weeks running)
🔹 Mirabel Ting – No. 1-ranked college golfer & No. 3 amateur globally
🔹 Combined: 44 strokes under par in spring events
🔹 4 individual titles between Woad & Ting this spring

📈 Recent Dominance: ✅ 3 straight team wins this spring
✅ Medalist honors in all 3 (Ting: 2, Woad: 1)
✅ 8 top-20 finishes across the squad

📍 FSU’s Lineup: 🔹 Woad, Ting, Williams, Fullbrook, Gazzoli
🔹 Individuals: Cook, Pedrique, Russell

🎯 History at the Match Up: ✅ 4 team titles: 2016, 2017, 2021, 2023
✅ Looking to become first 5-time champion of the event
✅ 5 Seminoles have won individual titles—most of any school

📅 Tournament Schedule: 🔹 March 22-24 | Seminole Legacy Golf Club
🔹 Tee times begin at 8:45 AM Friday & Saturday | 8:00 AM Sunday
🎟️ Admission & parking are free all weekend

🔗 More on FSU’s chase for Match Up No. 5 here.

🏖️ No. 7 FSU Beach Volleyball Heads to Stetson Beach Blast

Florida State is back in action this weekend as the No. 7-ranked Seminoles travel to DeLand, FL, for the Stetson Beach Blast (March 21-22), taking on four opponents over two days—including two Top-20 matchups.

🔥 Weekend Schedule (All Times ET): 📅 Friday, March 21
🔹 🆚 No. 14 Florida Atlantic – 11:30 AM
🔹 🆚 No. 16 Stetson – 2:00 PM

📅 Saturday, March 22
🔹 🆚 Erskine College – 9:15 AM
🔹 🆚 Palm Beach Atlantic – 12:45 PM

📈 Seminoles at a Glance: ✅ 2-2 showing at East vs. West Tournament in California
✅ Wins over No. 7 Cal (3-2) & No. 18 Hawai’i (4-1)
✅ Pushed No. 1 UCLA & No. 2 LMU despite losses

🔍 Match Notes: 🔹 vs. Florida Atlantic: FSU won 3-2 earlier this month in Fort Worth
🔹 vs. Stetson: Noles lead the all-time series 20-0
🔹 vs. Erskine & Palm Beach Atlantic: First-ever matchups

💬 Can the Noles bounce back and sweep the weekend heading into the heart of the season?

🔗 More on FSU Beach Volleyball’s weekend slate here.

🏀 FSU Hoops Adds Gerald Gillion to Coaching Staff

Florida State head coach Luke Loucks has officially added Gerald Gillion to his first-year coaching staff, bringing home a Seminole alum with more than a decade of NCAA experience.

🔥 Gillion’s Coaching Résumé: ✅ Associate Head Coach – Long Island University (2024-25)
✅ Head Coach – Chicago State (2021-24)
✅ Assistant – Samford, Tennessee Tech, South Florida
✅ Director of Ops – FIU (2013-14)
✅ Head Coach – Northeast HS (2008-13)

🎓 Seminole Roots: Gillion is a 2008 FSU grad (Social Science) and now returns to Tallahassee to help guide the program into a new era.

🗣️ Loucks on Gillion’s Addition: 💬 “Gerald brings head coaching experience, recruiting ties, and a love for this university. He’s a great fit for what we’re building.”

🚨 Gillion joins Michael Fly, previously announced, as the first two assistants hired by Loucks.

🔗 More on FSU’s basketball staff additions here.

🌩️ No. 1 JUCO DL Seven Cloud Names FSU a Top School After Visit

Florida State rolled out the Garnet & Gold carpet for Seven Cloud, the No. 1 overall JUCO prospect in the 247Sports Composite, and the impact was immediate.

🔥 Visit Highlights: ✅ Took in first spring practice of 2025
✅ Connected with DL coach Terrance Knighton and DC Tony White
✅ Spoke highly of Coach Mike Norvell, who sees “another Jared Verse or Jermaine Johnson” in him
✅ “FSU and Georgia are probably my top two schools right now.”

📅 What’s Next? 🔜 Official Visit Locked In: June 6–8
🔜 Other OV stops: LSU (6/13), UNC (6/17), Georgia (6/20)
🎯 Plans to commit before the season and enroll in January 2026

🗣️ Cloud on FSU: 💬 “It’s fast-paced, hands-on. Coach T-Knight coaches like he’s playing. It caught my eye.”
💬 “They love my versatility on the D-line. That’s why I’m such a great fit.”

👀 The Seminoles are officially in the thick of it for one of the most disruptive linemen in the country.

🔗 More on Cloud’s recruitment and visit here.

🔥 4⭐ EDGE Jake Kreul: FSU “Exceeded Expectations” on Return Visit

Top-40 national prospect and elite pass-rusher Jake Kreul made his third visit to Tallahassee — and his most impactful yet — as he took in FSU’s spring practice and met the new-look defensive staff in person for the first time.

💬 “It definitely exceeded my expectations. It made a really good impact on me today.”

💥 Why This Visit Mattered: ✅ First time seeing FSU practice under new DC Tony White
✅ Reconnected with Terrance Knighton, Jack Potenza — former Nebraska staff who recruited him heavily
✅ “Felt like FSU added firepower to the staff I already had relationships with.”
✅ Mom is a Florida State alum (‘96) — emotional visit for the family

🚀 The Fit at FSU: Kreul is a dream fit at the JACK position in FSU’s new defensive scheme: 🔹 “Queen chess piece” of the D — edge rush, inside LB, off-ball versatility
🔹 Loves that FSU’s scheme doesn’t “confine” him like a traditional 4-down DE
🔹 "Use your X-factor. My athleticism and versatility are what make me special."

🧠 Relationships Matter: Kreul built trust with White, Knighton, and Potenza through weekly film breakdowns, Zoom sessions, and visits going back to their Nebraska days.
💬 “They were helping me improve my football IQ even before I got on campus.”

🏁 What’s Next? 🔜 Kreul will continue visiting schools this spring to narrow his Top 12 to 4–5 finalists
🔜 Summer official visits coming soon

📊 Rankings (247Sports Composite): 🔹 No. 5 EDGE in 2026
🔹 No. 37 overall nationally
🔹 No. 3 in Florida

🏹 FSU made it clear: Kreul is a top priority, and the Noles are doing everything they can to land a game-changing EDGE for the future.

🔗 More on Kreul’s recruitment here.

💪 “Carnivore Mode”: DE James Williams Bulks Up, Eyes Breakout Year

Florida State defensive end James Williams has undergone a full transformation — and it starts with steak.

The 6-foot-6 edge rusher has packed on 20 pounds of muscle this offseason thanks to the Carnivore Diet, a meat-heavy meal plan that’s helped elevate his body and game. Now up to 265 pounds, Williams says he feels stronger, more explosive, and ready to dominate beyond just pass-rushing.

🔥 Why It Matters: ✅ Up from 245 to 265 lbs in just two months
✅ Pass Rush Productivity: 2nd nationally per PFF (13.8)
✅ 5 sacks in a rotational role last year
✅ Now pushing to be an every-down defender under DC Tony White and position coach Terrance Knighton

🗣️ Coach Knighton:
“James is an every-down player now. If he has the year I expect him to have, he won’t be here longer than a year.”

💥 The bulk-up plan was a team effort: 🥩 Nutrition: Director Jaden Hamil + Williams’ fiancée (a nutritionist)
🏋️‍♂️ Strength: Coach Josh Storms' weight plan
🧃 Fuel: Protein shakes on demand (even when appetite was low)

👀 What’s Next: Williams used to be schemed out against run-heavy teams like Iowa and Rutgers due to size limitations. Now? He says he’s got “more power in my hips and hands” and feels like he can win those matchups physically.

🚨 Pads come on Saturday (Day 3) — and that’s when we’ll see if this Carnivore-fueled rise becomes full-blown FSU dominance.

🔗 More on Williams’ transformation here.

And that’s a wrap!

Between Volini’s clinic on the mound, recruiting fireworks, and top-tier tournaments across the board, there’s never a dull moment in the Garnet & Gold universe.

Whether you’re tracking spring standouts, following March Madness dreams, or planning your visit to the Seminole Legacy Golf Club this weekend — we’re glad you’re riding with us.

💬 Hit the polls. Forward to a fellow Nole. And we’ll see you in the next Brief.

— The Chief Brief Team