Yesterday’s Poll Results
Today’s Poll
Do you think Ta’Niya Latson stays or leaves?
🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
TGIF Seminole!
Spring in Tallahassee is turning into a record-breaking, recruiting-heating, diamond-shining kind of week. From NCAA Championships to MLB debuts, beach volleyball battles to massive video board upgrades at The Doak — every corner of Seminole Nation is buzzing.
Here’s what we’ve got lined up for you:
🏊 School records are falling at the NCAA Swim Championships
🏃♂️ FSU Track opens the Terry Long Relays with all-time performances
🏖 Beach Volleyball faces FOUR Top-10 opponents in Baton Rouge
🎾 Women’s Tennis welcomes powerhouses Stanford & Cal to Tally
🏟️ Doak Campbell’s new video boards = BIG glow-up
🏀 Basketball recruiting under Luke Loucks kicks off
🚑 Spring football injuries = depth tests and summer returns
🚨 Ta’Niya Latson enters the portal (but leaves the door open)
⚾️ MLB Opening Day = Six Noles on rosters (and one HUGE debut)
Whether you're courtside, poolside, or in the batter’s box — the Garnet & Gold is showing out on every stage.
Let’s dive in. 🍢🔥
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🏊♂️ Record-Breaking Night at NCAAs: Noles Smash 200 Free Relay Mark
The Noles are making serious waves in Washington. 🌊 No. 19 FSU Men’s Swimming & Diving delivered a statement Thursday at the NCAA Championships, setting two new school records and securing a 12th-place finish in the 200 free relay.
🔥 Key Highlights:
💥 200 Free Relay — New program record (1:15.57)
Michel Arkhangelskiy, Mason Herbet, Max Wilson, and Sam Bork earned Second Team All-America honors.⚡ Arkhangelskiy (Leadoff): 18.82 — Breaks FSU record in the 50 Free
➤ Becomes the first Seminole ever to go sub-19.🗣 Coach Neal Studd:
“They are really turning heads… Michel going under 19 is really special.”🏁 FSU now holds the school record in all five relays this season.
🧪 Also in action:
Logan Robinson: PR in 200 IM (1:43.95)
Mason Herbet: 1:44.80 in the 200 IM
Max Wilson: 19.59 in the 50 Free
📅 Next up Friday:
100 fly, 100 breast, 100 back + 400 medley relay
📺 Finals stream live on ESPN+ at 9 PM ET
🔥 Terry Long Relays Open with All-Time Performances
Day 1 of the Terry Long FSU Relays saw the Noles come out firing, with multiple wins and three top-10 program marks etched into the record books.
🏅 Top Highlights:
💪 Curtis Williams took gold in the long jump with a personal best 7.96m (26-1 ½) — tied for 8th-best in FSU history
💣 Austin Kleinman added another all-time mark (details TBA)
🌪 Madison McGloin landed at 9th all-time in the hammer throw (51.74m / 169-9)
👟 Other Winners:
🏃♂️ Lucas Bouqout — 1st in men’s 5K (14:20.00 PB)
🥈 Kaden Levings — 2nd in 5K (14:26.61)
🏃♀️ Dani Thompson — 1st in women’s 5K (18:04.66)
⚡ Women’s 4x100m Relay (Sleeman, Tyson, Green, Soremi) — 1st in 45.12
📅 Day 2 begins Friday at 1:15 PM with the women’s discus.
🏟 Coach Long to be honored at 1:50 PM on the infield. Admission is free!
🏖 Beach Noles Head to Baton Rouge for Top-10 Showdowns
The sand’s about to get serious. No. 7 Florida State Beach Volleyball is set for a massive weekend at the Death Volley Tournament, facing four top-10 squads in Baton Rouge.
🔥 The Matchups:
Friday (Triple-Header):
🆚 No. 1 UCLA (10:15 AM ET)
🆚 No. 4 USC (3:15 PM ET)
🆚 No. 5 Stanford (7:00 PM ET)
Saturday:
🆚 No. 9 Long Beach State (12:45 PM ET)
🎯 What to Watch:
The Noles are 🔥 after sweeping all 4 matches in DeLand last weekend — including two ranked wins.
🏐 Audrey Koenig & Alexis Durish are dominating as FSU’s top pair — 4 straight wins last weekend, all in straight sets.
🧱 FSU gets a shot at revenge vs. UCLA and Stanford, both of whom won tight matches in last year’s Baton Rouge showdown.
📈 Series Notes:
UCLA leads series (including a win earlier this year)
USC leads all-time 21–5
Stanford and FSU tied 1–1
FSU leads Long Beach State series 6–5
🎾 Women’s Tennis Hosts No. 17 Cal & No. 28 Stanford at Home
Big-time West Coast matchups are coming to Tallahassee. No. 65 Florida State Women’s Tennis hosts two top-30 squads this weekend at the Scott Speicher Memorial Tennis Center:
📅 Match Schedule:
Friday (4 PM) – 🆚 No. 17 California (Paint it Pink Day 🎀)
Sunday (12 PM) – 🆚 No. 28 Stanford (USTA League Day 🎾)
🔥 The Noles are riding momentum after a pair of ranked road wins over No. 50 Miami and No. 62 SMU.
🎯 Standouts to Watch:
Eva Shaw & Maria Juliana Parra Romero – Ranked No. 89 in doubles, coming off a dominant 6–2 win over Miami’s No. 25 duo.
Laura Putz – 4–0 last week with clutch wins in singles and doubles, including the match-clincher vs. SMU.
📍 Stanford and Cal are making rare visits to Tallahassee — it’s Stanford’s first-ever trip to Speicher and Cal’s first since 1997.
📺 Doak Campbell Stadium Getting Massive Video Board Upgrade
The Doak is going digital — in a big way. As part of the stadium’s ongoing renovation, Florida State is overhauling its entire video display setup, partnering with industry leader Formetco to install cutting-edge video boards that will elevate the gameday atmosphere for Nole fans across the venue.
🚧 What’s Coming:
✅ All 11 ribbon boards replaced (spanning 1,270+ feet)
📐 New north scoreboard: 57’ x 120’
📐 New south scoreboard: 35’ x 75’
🖥 Ultra high-res displays = crisper replays, dynamic content, and bigger moments
🔧 Part of a larger renovation plan, this upgrade ensures Doak Campbell remains one of the premier venues in college football — blending tradition with top-tier tech.
🏀 Recruit Watch: First Visitors of the Luke Loucks Era Arrive
It’s go-time for Florida State Men’s Hoops under new head coach Luke Loucks — and the first wave of high-priority visitors is hitting Tallahassee.
🔁 Thursday: Kobe Magee (Drexel Transfer)
📏 6’6” | 🏀 14.0 PPG | 🎯 43.9% from three
A seasoned combo guard and Drexel’s leading scorer last season, Magee averaged 33.6 minutes and brings a deep stroke + steady rebounding (5.6 RPG).
🔄 Recently visited Wake Forest, more interest pouring in.
🔁 Friday: Lajae Jones (St. Bonaventure Transfer)
📏 6’7” | 🏀 11.1 PPG | 🧱 5.7 RPG | 🛡 1.5 SPG
The Jacksonville native started 32 of 33 games last season. Big-bodied wing with toughness and defensive upside. FSU is his first confirmed visit.
🔁 Tuesday, April 1: Joshua Lewis (2024 4⭐ SF, Tampa Blake)
Lewis is a top Florida high school talent, previously committed to USF and Iowa. With both programs undergoing coaching changes, he’s now eyeing the Noles for his official visit.
🧲 Momentum Watch: Loucks is hitting the trail fast — and these first impressions could shape the core of his first roster.
🚑 Spring Injury Report: Key Noles Out for Rest of Camp
Florida State will be without several key players for the remainder of spring camp as the Noles continue installing new schemes on both sides of the ball.
📋 Out for the rest of spring:
🧱 DL Daniel Lyons – Projected impact player up front
🛡 LB Caleb LaVallee – Transfer LB had been limited throughout spring
🧠 IOL Jacob Rizy – Depth piece pushing for snaps on the interior
⚠️ Other Noles dealing with injuries:
🔒 CB Edwin Joseph
🧱 DL Jayson Jenkins (transfer)
🧠 S Conrad Hussey (limited)
🧠 S Shyheim Brown (limited)
🧑🎤 WR Lawayne McCoy (expected out/very limited)
🗣️ Mike Norvell: “Nothing that’s going to affect the fall… but you want everybody to get reps.”
📈 The silver lining? Coaches say all remain fully engaged in learning the new systems — and the expectation is a full return by summer.
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🚨 Transfer Watch: Ta'Niya Latson to Explore Portal
In a stunning development, junior guard Ta'Niya Latson is entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, per ESPN. She’s expected to test the waters but hasn’t ruled out a return to FSU.
🔥 The résumé:
🏀 Nation’s leading scorer: 25.2 PPG
👑 Fastest to 2,000 points in FSU history
📈 Single-season program record: 731 points
🏆 AP All-American + 3x All-ACC honoree
If Latson departs, it marks a massive shift — FSU would lose its top three scorers from a 24-win, record-breaking campaign (58+ PPG combined).
⚾️ From Tallahassee to The Show: 6 Noles on MLB Opening Day Rosters
It’s Opening Day across Major League Baseball — and six former Florida State standouts are on rosters to start the 2025 season. Let’s go around the horn:
🌟 MLB Debut: Cam Smith – 3B/RF, Astros
Just 284 days after his final game in Garnet & Gold, Smith is making his big-league debut for Houston.
🚀 Spring stats: .342 AVG | .711 SLG | 38 ABs
💣 7 HR in 32 minor league games last season
📈 First-round rise — and now, the big stage.
🔥 Tyler Holton – LHP, Tigers
Entering Year 4 with an elite bullpen résumé:
📊 2.19 ERA across 188.2 career innings
🧊 Sub-2.20 ERA in each of the last 2 seasons
One of the most reliable arms in baseball.
💰 Cal Raleigh – C, Mariners
Seattle’s backstop just inked a $105M extension through 2030.
💣 34 HR | 100 RBI in 2024
⚾️ 93 career homers, .740 OPS — a cornerstone behind the plate.
🧱 Cole Sands – RHP, Twins
Breakout 2024 campaign:
🧮 62 relief apps | 3.28 ERA | 9–1 record
🎯 Elevated cutter + splitter combo makes him a key bullpen weapon.
🧨 Luke Weaver – RHP, Yankees
From journeyman to Bronx closer:
🔥 2.89 ERA in 84 IP last year
🧠 Locked down playoff games — and now enters 2025 as a trusted arm in the Yanks’ pen.
🛡 Taylor Walls – INF, Rays
Battled injury in 2024 (hip surgery), but looks sharp again:
📈 .286 AVG | .904 OPS this spring
⚾️ Versatile switch-hitter heading into Year 5 with Tampa.
🧠 Manager Kevin Cash – Rays
The FSU alum and 2x AL Manager of the Year enters his 11th season at the helm.
👔 Career winning %: .540
🧭 Still one of the sharpest minds in baseball.
And that’s a wrap!
Thanks for riding with us through another loaded edition — whether it's gold medals, game-changers, or gridiron upgrades, Seminole Nation is showing out coast to coast.
🎯 Don’t forget: – Follow the Noles across all sports
– Keep an eye on transfer news 👀
– And get your rally gear ready — the spring surge is just getting started.
We’ll see you next time for more fire from Florida State. Until then…
Go Noles. Stay Gold. 🍢
