🏹 March 30th - The Chief Brief 🏹

Softball Walks It Off, Hoops Lands a Stud, and Pads Poppin’

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The Chief
March 30, 2025

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🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Sunday, Seminole!

Saturday brought heat on the field, in the sand, and across the NCAA stage.

🏈 Football’s first spring scrimmage had pads poppin’ and culture shiftin’ — Malzahn’s physicality and White’s intensity are setting the tone.
🏀 Luke Loucks secured his first commitment as FSU’s head coach, locking in sharp-shooting guard Kobe Magee.
🥎 Softball walked it off again to stay undefeated in ACC play — and Isa Torres is writing her own chapter in Wolfpack heartbreak.
⚾️ Weather delayed baseball’s bounce-back bid — FSU and Notre Dame will now play two on Sunday.
🏖️ Beach Volleyball finished Death Volley with a strong win over No. 9 Long Beach State to close the weekend 2–2.
🏊‍♂️ Men’s Swimming & Diving delivered four more top-16 finishes on Day 3 of NCAAs — and Arkhangelskiy continues to dazzle.

The standard is rising across every corner of the program — and the spring surge is just getting started. 🍢

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🔥 Pads Poppin’, Culture Shiftin’: Inside FSU’s First Spring Scrimmage

After Saturday’s first full-pads scrimmage, the identity shift under Florida State’s new coordinators is starting to take form. From the sideline demeanor to the sound of the hits, this version of the Seminoles looks sounds a whole lot meaner, faster, and tougher.

🧠 Malzahn’s Message: “This is real football.”

The veteran offensive coordinator called all 100 plays on Saturday — 60 were runs — setting the expectation for a physical, run-heavy identity.

“My job is identifying our strengths and building around them,” Malzahn said.

He’s praised players like center Luke Petitbon, QB Tommy Castellanos (off to a strong start), and RBs Sam Singleton and Roydell Williams. Freshman QB Kevin Sperry showed flashes, too, connecting with Elijah Moore for a long touchdown.

⚡ What’s new in the offense?
Malzahn is introducing a faster tempo, but it’s still early days for installation. The offense is still adjusting — even down to details like how fast players hand the ball to refs. But the identity is clear: play fast, be physical, and run the ball down your throat.

🛡️ Tony White’s Defense Answers the Call

The defense gave up a big play in the scrimmage… but then flipped the script. Linebacker Elijah Herring tracked down the ball-carrier, saving a TD — and one play later, Earl Little Jr. snagged a pick-six.

That moment wasn’t luck — it was the product of culture change and accountability.

“I want to see the attitude of: ‘Yo, what’s next?’ Nothing fazes us,” White said.

Saturday also gave White his first full “game day” trial: headset communication, sideline corrections, substitutions — all under real-time pressure. And he liked what he saw.

💥 Scrimmage Standouts:

  • 🧠 Petitbon (OC): Malzahn’s rare individual shoutout

  • 🧃 Juice Cryer: Sideline-to-sideline instincts

  • 🧱 DL rotation: Tae Diggs, Deante McCray, Darrell Jackson, and KJ Sampson all flashed

  • 🧲 Secondary: Little Jr., Ja’Bril Rawls, Cai Bates, Quindarrius Jones, Smoke White — all made noise

  • 🏈 Picks: Ethan Pritchard and Little Jr. both had pick-sixes

🧪 White called it “a lab” — rotating players, tweaking alignments, running ‘Dominant Contact’ and ‘Nole Speed’ periods at every practice.

This isn’t the 2024 team. That’s the whole point.

📉 After a tough red-zone day Thursday, the defense bounced back with big stops and turnovers Saturday. That kind of response — and accountability — just hasn’t been there in recent years.

🤝 Mutual Respect
What’s maybe most encouraging? The respect between Malzahn and White — and the way they sharpen each other.

“He’s one of the best in the country,” White said.
“It’s a challenge every day,” Malzahn said of White’s unit.

🧱 Bottom Line:
No predictions. But it’s loud and clear — Florida State’s coordinators are raising the standard. This team is getting coached hard. And they’re starting to respond.

👉 More insights, names to know, and what’s next from scrimmage No. 1 here and here.

🏀 First Pledge of the Loucks Era: Kobe Magee Commits to Florida State

Luke Loucks didn’t waste time landing his first building block. Drexel junior guard Kobe Magee has officially committed to Florida State, choosing the Noles over Wake Forest after back-to-back ACC visits this week.

📝 Why it Matters:
Magee becomes the first commit of the Loucks era, and a foundational piece for a program entering a new chapter.

📍 The Pitch:
Magee said he was looking to be “the main guy” at his next stop — and Loucks delivered.

"It was a unique situation… I wanted to be the main guy — and that’s what they were offering."

Magee also credited assistant Michael Fly for building a strong connection during the visit, and noted the “NBA mindset” Loucks is bringing to Tallahassee.

"It means a lot, especially coming from him — a former Florida State alum, a guy from the NBA who knows what he’s looking for."

🎯 The Fit:
Magee brings proven scoring ability, size, and elite shooting to FSU’s backcourt:

  • 📏 6’6”, 205 lbs

  • 🧨 14.0 PPG | 5.6 RPG | 2.0 APG | 43.9% 3PT

  • 🪄 Started all 33 games for Drexel in 2024

He called FSU a “unique opportunity” — one he couldn’t pass up.

"Everybody on that staff is new. It’s a challenge I’m willing to accept. That’s what I live for."

🔥 Bottom Line:
Loucks just landed a tough, skilled, experienced guard who believes in the vision — and wants to win. First domino down. 🍢

🥎 Walk It Off, Again: Noles Clinch Series Over NC State in Extra Innings

Still perfect in the ACC. Still clutch in the late innings. No. 8 Florida State Softball (32–5, 8–0) walked it off in the 8th inning to beat NC State 5–4 on Saturday and lock up the series win — staying undefeated in conference play and pushing their win streak to 12.

💥 Familiar Hero, Familiar Result
Isa Torres — who hit a walk-off HR vs. NC State in 2023 — did it again. This time with a bases-loaded single over the left fielder's head in extras to seal the win.

🧨 How It Happened:

  • NC State struck first (1–0), but the Noles answered immediately:

    • Torres: Bunt single, then scored on Beachum’s RBI double

    • Katie Dack: RBI single sneaks into shallow RF

  • In the 3rd:

    • Dack blasted a 2-run HR — her 4th in 7 games — to push it to 4–1

  • Wolfpack rallied late with 3 in the 6th to tie it 4–4

🌀 In the Circle:

  • Makenna Reid → Ashtyn Danley → Jazzy Francik → Julia Apsel

  • Apsel tossed a clean top of the 8th to move to 11–0 on the year

📈 Streak Watch:

  • Jahni Kerr extended her hit streak to 11 games

  • Dack is 🔥 at the plate — power surge continues

🎯 Next Up: The Noles go for the sweep on Sunday at Noon (ACCNX)

⚾ FSU Baseball Doubleheader Moved to Sunday

Due to inclement weather in South Bend, Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader between No. 4 Florida State and Notre Dame has been postponed to Sunday.

🗓️ Updated Schedule:

  • 📍 Location: Frank Eck Stadium (South Bend, IN)

  • ⏰ Game 1: Sunday at 10:00 AM ET

  • ⏰ Game 2: ~45 minutes after Game 1 ends

📺 Watch: Both games live on ACCNX via your TV provider or ESPN+
🎧 Listen: WFLA 100.7 FM | FSU Gameday App | Seminoles.com
📊 Live Stats: FSU.Statbroadcast.com

☔ Mother Nature may have pushed things back — but the Noles will be ready to bounce back Sunday morning.

🏖️ Beach Noles Close Death Volley with Ranked Win Over No. 9 LBSU

Florida State wrapped up its Baton Rouge business with a bounce-back win. No. 7 FSU Beach Volleyball (20–5) capped the Death Volley Invitational with a strong 3–1 victory over No. 9 Long Beach State on Saturday — improving to 2–2 on the weekend and 7–5 all-time vs. the Beach.

🔥 Match Highlights:

  • ❌ Court 5: LBSU struck first via retirement

  • ✅ Court 3: Sassack/Higgins evened it up (21–17, 21–16)

  • ✅ Court 1: Durish/Koenig locked in the lead (22–20, 21–14)

  • ✅ Court 2: Andrew/Trusty sealed the deal in straight sets (21–11, 21–15)

📈 FSU has now won 3 of the last 4 meetings vs. Long Beach State.

🗓️ Next Up: Unconquered Invitational (Home)
📍 JoAnne Graf Field - Tallahassee

  • Friday: vs. Texas (12:45 PM) + LSU (4:30 PM)

  • Saturday: vs. USF (9:00 AM), FAU (11:30 AM), South Carolina (3:15 PM)

📊 Live stats available at Seminoles.com

🏊‍♂️ Four Top-16 Finishes Power Noles on Day 3 of NCAAs

Florida State Men’s Swimming & Diving kept the fire lit on Friday at the NCAA Championships in Federal Way, notching four top-16 finishes and piling up valuable team points heading into the final stretch.

🔥 Day 3 Highlights:

  • 🥉 400 Medley Relay (13th – 3:02.77)
    Max Wilson, Tommaso Baravelli, Michel Arkhangelskiy & Mason Herbet came up big again — FSU has now placed in all four relays so far this week.

  • 💪 Michel Arkhangelskiy
    • 14th in 100 Fly (44.77)
    • 16th in 100 Back (45.05)
    The freshman continues to put together an electric debut on the national stage.

  • 💥 Max Wilson — 15th in 100 Back (45.04)

  • 🚀 Additional Performances:
    • Logan Robinson: 37th in 100 Fly (45.89 PB)
    • Mason Herbet: 29th in 100 Back (45.73)
    • Tommaso Baravelli: 26th in 100 Breast (51.87)

🗣️ Coach Neal Studd:
"It was another great day… really good to get individual points on the board, and the boys crushed it in another relay."

And that’s a wrap!

From full-pads fire to extra-inning drama and recruiting wins, the Seminoles are making noise across every corner of campus.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more spring updates, standout performances, and all the action from a loaded Sunday slate.

Until then — stay sharp, stay loud, and Go ‘Noles 🍢

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