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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Saturday, Seminole!

Here’s what we’ve got on deck:

🥎 Softball explodes in the Tallahassee Regional opener, steamrolling Robert Morris 10–1 to extend their regional-opening streak to 12 straight

⚾ Baseball falters in Game 2 vs. UNC, but sends three stars to the Dick Howser Trophy semifinals and eyes a bounce-back in today’s finale

🏌️‍♀️ FSU Women’s Golf weathers brutal winds at NCAAs, with Mirabel Ting and Lottie Woad keeping the championship chase alive

⛳ Luke Clanton named a Haskins Award finalist, capping off a historic season as FSU eyes a national title push

🏃‍♀️ Track & Field qualifies 10 for ACC Finals, with multiple personal bests and finals fireworks ahead today

🌍 Trey Jones & Matt Whall selected for the Arnold Palmer Cup, coaching a loaded FSU group on the global stage

🏈 Two 5-stars — WR Calvin Russell & EDGE Tristian Givens — lock in official visits for June, setting the tone for a massive summer recruiting push

Let’s get into it. 👇

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🥎 FSU Blasts Robert Morris 10–1 to Open Regional Play 🥎

Florida State Softball wasted no time.

The fifth-seeded Noles cruised past Robert Morris 10–1 (5 inn.) in the Tallahassee Regional opener on Friday — their 12th straight regional-opening win dating back to 2013.

💥 Isa Torres set the tone with a leadoff triple + heads-up run to score
🔥 Jaysoni Beachum led the way with 3 RBI and a pair of hits
⚡ Jahni Kerr, Katie Dack, and Shelby McKenzie all sparked a 6-run 3rd inning
🎯 Widra (3 IP, 2 H, 2 K) and Apsel (2 IP, 3 K) combined to shut the door

Torres, Kerr, and Beachum all recorded multi-hit games as FSU improved to 47–9 and advanced to face USF in Saturday’s semifinal at 1 PM.

The Noles have allowed just two earned runs in their last four games — and look every bit ready for another deep run.

⚾ Noles Fall to UNC 11–1 in Game 2 at Howser ⚾

Friday night didn’t go as planned.

No. 2 Florida State dropped Game 2 to No. 4 North Carolina, 11–1 in seven innings — marking just the Noles’ third series loss of the season.

📈 FSU (36–13, 16–10 ACC) managed 7 hits from 7 different players, including:
• Myles Bailey – RBI double
• Alex Lodise – 1 run, 16-game on-base streak
• Cal Fisher – 1 hit, extending his hit streak to 16 games

🎯 Joey Volini (8–4) took the loss after allowing 5 runs over 3.2 IP with 6 strikeouts.

UNC pulled away with a 3-run 4th, 2 in the 6th, and capped things with a 3-run homer in the 7th for the run-rule finish.

📺 Up Next: Saturday at 2 PM (ACC Network Extra)
• Armed Forces Day – Flyover at 1:55 PM + first 400 fans get free T-shirts
🎟️ Tickets here | Free for students

Still time to salvage the finale — and head into the postseason on a high note.

🏌️‍♀️ Ting, Woad Steady as FSU Battles Windy First Round at NCAAs 🏌️‍♀️

Tough conditions made for a tight leaderboard — but the Noles are still in striking range.

No. 2 Florida State finished +7 on Day 1 of the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa, tied for 16th in the team standings after a gusty afternoon wave that pushed most top-ranked teams over par.

🌪️ Only Vanderbilt (-6) and Oklahoma State (-4) finished under par, while FSU joins Stanford, Arkansas, and South Carolina among top teams above the cut line.

🔥 Mirabel Ting birdied her final two holes to finish at -2 (70), tied for 10th individually. It marked her 7th under-par round in her last 8 and 22nd even-par-or-better round in 23 tries this season.

⚖️ Lottie Woad carded even par (72), tied for 27th. She led the team with five birdies, including three straight after the turn and five pars to close.

📆 Format:
• Top 15 teams advance after Sunday
• Top 8 after Monday move to match play
• Championship set for Wednesday

🗓️ Round 2 tees off Saturday at 9:52 AM ET, with FSU playing alongside Oregon and Texas.

Coach Amy Bond: “The afternoon was hard… but we salvaged the round. Tomorrow, we have to capitalize when conditions ease up.”

⛳ Luke Clanton Named Finalist for 2024–25 Fred Haskins Award ⛳

Luke Clanton is up for college golf’s top honor.

The FSU junior was named one of 10 finalists for the Fred Haskins Award, presented annually to the nation’s top male collegiate golfer. The award is voted on by college golfers, coaches, media, and past winners — and its legacy includes names like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Justin Thomas.

🔥 Clanton’s 2024–25 Season Highlights:
• 4 wins, including a 15-under title at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional (new course record)
• Top-15 finishes in all 9 starts this season
• 69.11 scoring average — best in program history
• Earned his PGA TOUR card via PGA TOUR U’s Accelerated Program
• Back-to-back PGA TOUR top-10s as an amateur (first to do so since 1957)

🗳️ Voting runs through May 26
🏆 Haskins Award winner announced at season’s end
🏌️ Clanton will also be in Fort Worth on May 19 for the Ben Hogan Award banquet

The next stop: NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, May 23–28 — with Clanton leading a red-hot FSU squad chasing a title.

⚾ Three Noles Named Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalists ⚾

Florida State leads the ACC with three semifinalists for the 2025 Dick Howser Trophy, awarded annually to the top collegiate baseball player in the country.

👏 Jamie Arnold, Alex Lodise, and Joey Volini made the cut — placing FSU among just four programs nationwide with three selections.

🔴 Jamie Arnold (LHP, Jr.)
• 2.59 ERA | 90 K | 6.14 H/9 | 1.03 WHIP
• 12.27 K/9 (22nd nationally)
• 6–2 record across 66.0 IP
• 2x semifinalist + Golden Spikes & Pitcher of the Year watchlists

🟡 Alex Lodise (SS, Jr.)
• .427 AVG (5th nationally) | 17 HR | 63 RBI | 1.77 H/G (3rd)
• .784 SLG | .484 OBP | 85 hits, 16 doubles, 54 runs
• Midseason National Player of the Year (Baseball America, PG)

⚪ Joey Volini (LHP, R-Jr.)
• 8–3 | 3.18 ERA | 85 K | 2 CGs (10th nationally)
• 70.2 IP | 4.25 K/BB ratio (5th in ACC)
• Midseason ACC Pitcher of the Year + multiple All-American honors

🏆 It marks FSU’s first national semifinalist recognition of 2025, as the No. 2-ranked Noles (36–13) wrap the regular season Saturday vs. No. 4 UNC.

🏃‍♀️ 10 Noles Advance to Finals on Day 2 of ACC T&F Championships 🏃‍♂️

Florida State Track & Field is gearing up for a massive Saturday finale in Winston-Salem after 10 athletes advanced to event finals on Friday at the ACC Outdoor Championships.

🌪️ 100m Firepower:
• Women’s 100m: 3 finalists — Shenese Walker (1st, 11.20), Lucy May Sleeman (6th, 11.39), Joella Lloyd (7th, 11.40)
• Men’s 100m: 3 finalists — Tyler Azcano (2nd, PB 10.27), Neo Mosebi (3rd, 10.29), Jaiden Rollins (6th, PB 10.44)

⚡ Other Notables:
• Kaelyaah Liburd – 2nd-fastest in women’s 400m (51.73), 3rd-fastest in FSU history
• 110m Hurdles: Andre Korbmacher (1st, 13.52), Tyson Williams (2nd, 13.54) — top 2 seeds

🥉 Scoring Highlights:
• Brooke Mullins – 4th in 3,000m steeplechase (10:02.88)
• Emily Brown – 5th in steeplechase (10:05.64, PB, 8th-best in FSU history)
• Curtis Williams – 5th in triple jump (7.36m)
• Kyvon Tatham – 6th in triple jump (7.30m)

📊 Team Standings After Day 2:
Both the FSU men and women sit in 10th with 9 points.

📅 Saturday’s Schedule:
FSU will compete in 17 finals, including both 4x100 and 4x400 relays, beginning with men’s discus at 2:00 PM.

Plenty of points are still on the table — and the Noles are positioned to surge.

⛳ FSU’s Trey Jones, Matt Whall Named to Arnold Palmer Cup Coaching Staff ⛳

Florida State’s golf dominance just earned another honor — this time, on the global stage.

Head coach Trey Jones and associate head coach Matt Whall were selected to the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup coaching staff, set for June 5–7 at Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina.

🏆 Jones will coach Team USA, while Whall will assist Team International, which includes three FSU stars:
• Tyler Weaver (Men)
• Mirabel Ting & Lottie Woad (Women)

📈 Coaching Résumé Highlights:
• Jones (22nd year): 4 team wins in 2025, NCAA Tallahassee Regional champs, coach of 7 previous Palmer Cup players
• Whall (1st year as associate HC): Led FSU Women to 7 wins in last 8 starts, first-ever ACC title, and NCAA Lexington Regional win

🏌️‍♂️ The Arnold Palmer Cup is the only major golf competition where men and women compete side-by-side in team match play, following a Ryder Cup format.

📊 USA leads the all-time series 15–12–1

Two elite coaches, three elite Noles, and one international stage — just another week for FSU Golf.

🏈 5⭐ WR Calvin Russell Locks In Official Visit with FSU 🏈

Big-time target, big-time visit.

Calvin Russell, a newly minted 5-star wideout from Miami Northwestern, has scheduled an official visit to Florida State for June 15–17, per Noles247. The 6’5” playmaker is ranked No. 21 overall and the No. 3 WR in the country by 247Sports.

🔥 2024 Stats (MaxPreps):
• 39 receptions | 704 yards | 13 TDs
• 18.05 yards per catch

🏀 Also a standout on the hardwood, Russell averages 15.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and over 2 steals per game.

🧠 Scouting Comparison: Tee Higgins
Russell boasts elite size (6'5", 6'10" wingspan), red-zone dominance, and rare body control for his frame. He’s a multi-sport weapon with upside to become a true mismatch nightmare at the Power 4 level.

🗣️ This visit marks Russell’s first time back in Tallahassee in over a year, with new WR coach Tim Harris Jr. now leading the charge to keep FSU in contention.

🚨 Competition: LSU, Georgia, Miami, Florida, Syracuse

Landing Russell would be a statement — and the Noles are swinging big.

🛡️ 5⭐ EDGE Tristian Givens Sets FSU Official Visit for June 6 🛡️

Florida State is in the mix for one of the nation’s top edge rushers.

Tristian Givens, the No. 23 overall player and No. 3 EDGE in the 2026 class (247Sports), will officially visit FSU the weekend of June 6, per Noles247.

💥 2024 Stats:
• 29 tackles for loss
• 12 sacks

The Columbus (GA) Carver product last visited FSU on April 5 and was also on campus in January and for a game visit in 2023. The Noles offered him in April of last year and have been consistent ever since.

🚨 Competing programs:
• Texas A&M (considered the current favorite)
• Tennessee (OV set for weekend after FSU)
• USC

🧠 Scouting Snapshot (Andrew Ivins):
• Explosive off the line with natural closing burst
• Transitions from speed to power with ease
• Still raw, but dripping with NFL Draft-type upside
• Measured around 6'4" with a multi-sport background

No Crystal Ball picks are in yet — but landing a June OV sets FSU up to stay in the race down the stretch.

And that’s a wrap!

From dominant softball wins to high-stakes baseball showdowns, this weekend is peak Garnet & Gold.

And with two 5-stars locked in, golf legends stacking accolades, and Track & Field set for a Saturday sprint — it’s a good time to remind everyone: FSU’s not just in the mix — we’re setting the pace.

See you at Howser. See you at JoAnne Graf.
And as always — Go Noles. 🔱