Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

March is heating up, and so are the Seminoles! 🔥 From Leonard Hamilton’s historic farewell victory to dominant performances across baseball, softball, and beach volleyball, Florida State is making noise across the board. Plus, recruiting is in full swing, with top targets locking in visits and FSU making big impressions.

Here’s what’s inside today’s edition:

🏀 Hamilton’s Last Stand – FSU upsets SMU in his final home game, securing his 200th ACC regular-season win.

⚾ Baseball Remains Perfect – No. 6 Seminoles move to 15-0 with an offensive explosion vs. Lipscomb.

🥎 Softball Bounces Back – No. 8 FSU takes down Oregon State 8-2, setting up a rematch with No. 12 Oregon.

🏐 Beach Volleyball Dominates – The No. 7 Noles go 3-1 at the TCU Invitational, setting up a high-stakes trip to California.

🏈 Recruiting Momentum Builds – FSU lands official visits from 4⭐ DL Carter Luckie & 4⭐ ATH Justin Williams while 3⭐ DL Cameron Brickle picks up an offer.

Let’s break it all down! ⬇️

🏀 Leonard Hamilton Ends Home Career with Milestone Win Over SMU

Florida State sent off legendary head coach Leonard Hamilton in style, taking down SMU 76-69 in his final home game at the Tucker Center. The victory marked Hamilton’s 200th career ACC regular-season win, solidifying his place as the fourth-winningest coach in conference history.

🔥 Key Performers:

• 🏆 Malique Ewin – 26 PTS, 8 REB (Dominant in his return from injury)

• 🎯 Jamir Watkins – 20 PTS, 8 REB (Delivered on Senior Day)

• 💪 FSU Defense – Held SMU to 37% shooting in the second half

FSU never trailed after halftime, closing out the regular season at 17-14 (8-12 ACC). Following the game, former players and teammates joined Hamilton on the court for an emotional farewell ceremony honoring his 23-year tenure.

📅 What’s Next?
Hamilton and the Seminoles now shift focus to the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, where they look to make a deep run.

🔗 More on FSU’s emotional Senior Day win here.

⚾ No. 6 FSU Baseball Clinches Lipscomb Series, Moves to 15-0

Florida State stayed perfect on the season, clinching its fourth straight series with a dominant 11-5 win over Lipscomb on Saturday at Dick Howser Stadium.

🔥 Key Performers:

• 🎯 Wes Mendes (W, 3-0) – 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 11 K (career high)

• 💣 Hunter Carns – 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI

• 🚀 Cal Fisher – 2-for-4, HR (2nd in two days), 2 RBI

• 🔥 Myles Bailey – 4-for-5, RBI (.442 AVG on the season)

• 💪 Drew Faurot – 3-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI

FSU’s offense pounded out 17 hits, including two home runs from freshmen Carns and Fisher. Mendes was electric, striking out 11 batters over 5.1 innings and lowering his ERA to 0.89 through four starts.

⚠️ Weather Update:
Sunday’s series finale was canceled due to expected weather and a travel curfew.

📅 What’s Next?
FSU faces its biggest test yet on Tuesday against No. 7 Florida at Howser Stadium (6:00 PM ET, ACCNX).

🔗 More on FSU Baseball’s dominant start here.

🥎 No. 8 FSU Softball Takes Down Oregon State, Improves to 20-4

Florida State bounced back in a big way at the Jane Sanders Classic, defeating Oregon State 8-2 on Saturday to move to 2-1 in the tournament and 20-4 overall.

🔥 Key Performers:

• 💣 Jaysoni Beachum – 1-for-3, HR (6th of the season)

• 🚀 Kennedy Harp – 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB

• 🎯 Shelby McKenzie – 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, R

• 🔥 Annabelle Widra – SF, RBI

• 🛑 Julia Apsel (W, 7-0) – 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 K

• 🔒 Jazzy Francik (S, 4) – 2.2 IP, 0 baserunners (faced the minimum)

FSU's offense exploded late, scoring five runs in the final two innings to put the game away. Harp’s clutch two-run double in the fourth gave FSU the lead for good, while Francik was lights out in relief, securing her fourth save of the year.

📅 What’s Next?
The Seminoles wrap up the Jane Sanders Classic with a rematch against No. 12 Oregon on Sunday at 5:30 PM ET (Big Ten+).

🔗 More on FSU Softball’s weekend here.

🏐 No. 7 FSU Beach Volleyball Finishes 3-1 at TCU Invitational

Florida State wrapped up a strong weekend in Fort Worth, going 3-1 at the TCU Invitational with wins over No. 12 Florida Atlantic and Boise State. The Seminoles improved to 11-1 on the season, with seniors Makenna Wolfe and Audrey Koenig reaching their 50th career victories.

🔥 Key Results:

🏆 FSU 3, No. 12 FAU 2

• 🏅 Gella Andrew & Maddie Trusty (Court 2) – Sealed the win with a straight-set victory

• 🔥 Kyleene Filimaua & McKenna Flaherty (Court 4) – Won a three-set thriller (20-18 in the final set)

• 🚀 Makenna Wolfe & Myriah Massey (Court 5) – Dominant 21-14, 21-14 win

🏆 FSU 4, Boise State 1

• 🔥 Filimaua & Flaherty (Court 4) – Another straight-set victory

• 💪 Durish & Koenig (Court 1) – 21-15, 21-11 win over Boise’s top duo

• 🏅 Andrew & Trusty (Court 2) – Another dominant performance

📅 What’s Next?
FSU heads to Manhattan Beach, CA for the East vs. West Tournament, facing a loaded slate:
🆚 No. 9 Cal → Friday, 2:30 PM ET
🆚 No. 15 Hawaii → Friday, 6:00 PM ET
🆚 No. 1 UCLA → Saturday, 1:30 PM ET
🆚 No. 2 LMU → Saturday, 4:00 PM ET

🔗 More on FSU Beach Volleyball’s weekend here.

🏈 4⭐ DL Carter Luckie Makes First Visit to FSU, Locks in Official Visit

Florida State continues to make a strong push for four-star defensive lineman Carter Luckie, who made his first-ever visit to Tallahassee over the weekend. Despite never seeing FSU in person before, Luckie included the Seminoles in his top four and has already locked in an official visit for June.

🔥 Key Takeaways from Luckie’s Visit:

• ⭐ FSU made a strong first impression – "The coaching is awesome... everything is clicking together."

• 🏈 New DL coach Terrance Knighton is a major factor – Luckie praised his authenticity and experience.

• 🎯 Mike Norvell made it clear he’s a priority – "He sees me as a leader... someone who can bring a team together."

🚨 Recruitment Outlook:

• 📅 Official Visit Schedule:

  • 🏟 UGA → May 30 - June 1

  • 🌰 Ohio State → June 6-8

  • 🍢 FSU → June 13-15

  • ❓ Nebraska (date TBD)

📊 FSU’s Chance in His Recruitment?
On paper, UGA is the favorite due to deep family ties, but Luckie is keeping an open mind and wants to go through the process fully. One key factor? FSU’s proven track record of developing NFL defensive linemen under Mike Norvell.

🔗 More on Luckie’s visit & recruitment here.

🚀 4⭐ ATH Justin Williams Visits FSU, Locks in Official Visit

One of Florida’s most explosive offensive playmakers, Top-247 ATH Justin Williams, made his first visit to Florida State over the weekend—and it didn’t disappoint.

🔥 Williams’ Take on FSU:

• 🏟 Loved the environment – "Felt like I was already friends with the coaches."

• 📈 FSU is recruiting him daily – Mike Norvell, Gus Malzahn, & WR coach Tim Harris Jr. are all making him a priority.

• 🎯 Malzahn’s offensive vision fits his skill set perfectly:

  • Sweeps, deep balls, and carries out of the backfield.

🚨 Recruitment Outlook:

• 📅 Official Visit to FSU → June 20 (last visit weekend before decisions).

• 👀 Other top schools in the mix: Ole Miss, Kentucky, UCF, and more.

• 🔜 Plans to return for a spring practice (date TBD).

📊 FSU’s Position in His Recruitment?
FSU has put itself in a great spot early, making Williams feel like a top priority. With Malzahn’s offensive creativity, the Seminoles could be the team to beat.

🔗 More on Williams’ visit & recruitment here.

🏈 3⭐ DL Cameron Brickle Picks Up FSU Offer, Sets Return Visit

IMG Academy defensive lineman Cameron Brickle made his first-ever visit to Florida State on Saturday—and left with a committable offer from the Seminoles.

🔥 Brickle’s Take on FSU:

• Loved seeing the program up close – "It was everything I thought it would be."

• Impressed by DL coach Terrance Knighton – "He played and coached at the level we all want to reach."

• Clarified his FSU offer – Knighton didn’t realize Brickle hadn’t been officially offered—FSU made it clear they want him.

🚨 Recruitment Outlook:

• 📅 Return Visit to FSU → March 29 (Unofficial).

• ❓ Official Visit Schedule TBD – FSU strongly in the mix after this visit.

• 👀 Other potential OV destinations: Texas, Penn State, Ohio State.

📊 FSU’s Position in His Recruitment?
Brickle loves what he’s seen so far and says FSU "passes the eye test." His connection with the staff is strong, and the ‘Noles are now in serious contention for one of his official visits.

🔗 More on Brickle’s visit & recruitment here.

And that’s a wrap!

From Hamilton’s legendary farewell to FSU baseball staying undefeated, the Seminoles continue to bring the heat. 🔥 Recruiting is buzzing, softball and beach volleyball are stacking wins, and the Noles are primed for a big week ahead.

👀 Coming Up Next:
🏀 FSU heads to the ACC Tournament – Can they make a deep run?
⚾ Top-10 showdown – No. 6 FSU vs. No. 7 Florida in a rivalry battle.
🏈 Spring practice is on the horizon – Key storylines to watch.

Stay locked in—we’ll have it all covered. Go Noles! 🍢

🔗 Follow along for the latest updates!