Florida State sports notebook: Summer edition

The spring semester at Florida State University is officially over and the summer recruiting/transfer season has commenced. With the end of the semester it is a good time to assess where a few of your favorite teams currently stand. Let’s take a look at these teams in alphabetical order.

Women’s Basketball

Glass Half Empty

Florida State had a good season last year making the NCAA Tournament and the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. However, FSU couldn’t advance further due to some deficiencies that must be addressed next year.

The first of those deficiencies is an issue that we discussed several times last year. The Seminoles suffered from a lack of size. The staff recognized this and addressed the issue by signing 6’4 Malea Williams (transfer, Cincinnati). Williams’ stats with the Bearcats (8.3pts, 5.9reb) don’t exactly jump off the page but she is a player with the size to defend bigger players down low and if she is doing that it means that Makayla Timpson doesn’t have to and that is an important contribution by itself. In addition, Florida State will welcome back (with open arms) 6’2 forward Mariana Valenzuela who missed the entire season last year with an ACL injury. Valenzuela offers size and versatility (more on that later).

Secondly, Florida State was 15th (dead last) in the ACC last year in scoring defense. However, the Noles were a much more respectable seventh in field goal percentage defense. Why the discrepancy? Florida State plays at a fast pace which gives the opposition more chances to score because the pace creates more possessions. Florida State ranked 20th nationally in pace last year which was second (Oklahoma) among teams that made the NCAA Tournament. Therefore, it could be argued that the struggles on defense were a result of the fast pace. This is undoubtedly at least partly true. However, to get where they want to go next year the Seminoles will absolutely have to be better defensively.

Finally, FSU must improve on the glass next year. Florida State was 13th in the ACC (in conference games) last year in rebounding margin at -5.28. This was due in large part to the lack of size. The Noles are counting on Williams and Valenzuela to help here.

Glass Half Full

Florida State had two main tasks this summer. Firstly, as we have previously discussed the team needed to get bigger.

Secondly (and most importantly), they needed to keep the Big 3 (Ta’Niya Latson, Makayla Timpson and O’Mariah Gordon) in Tallahassee. This was by far the biggest task of the offseason. If any of those three left the reasonable goals for next season would have had to be adjusted (perhaps dramatically) downward.

However, that won’t be necessary and as a result the team is poised for successful season. This roster is talented, versatile, and (on paper) deep. FSU features 12 players on the roster. The Noles have a solid core of 8 to 9 talented players who who (again on paper) seem to complement each other well. The team has two first team all-ACC talents along with a talented, experienced point guard running the show combined with length on the wings and (finally) some representative size down low.

Also, the return of Valenzuela is big not just because of her size but also because she is a true stretch four. Valenzuela shot 40-75 (.533) from deep two years ago. Last year FSU’s top three point shooter was Gordon (.384). Valenzuela’s role will be bigger next year than it was two years ago so her shooting percentage may drop with more volume. However, she is a legitimately skilled shooter so her percentage shouldn’t drop dramatically. Valenzuela will be a threat that opposing defenses must honor and that will provide more space for Timpson down low and will create more driving lanes for Latson and Gordon. On paper the pieces on this team fit together really well.

Additional Thoughts

Florida State has reached 11 straight NCAA Tournaments. However, the Seminoles have lost in the first round in four straight tournaments. The last time FSU won an NCAA tournament game was in 2019 when the Noles took down Bucknell 70-67.

Brooke Wyckoff and her staff have assembled a talented enough roster to compete for a top tier spot in the ACC and potentially for home games in the NCAA Tournament. If the Noles can avoid injury this team could be poised for a breakout year.

Reasonable Goal for the 2024-25 season

Sweet 16.

Soccer

Glass Half Empty

Florida State welcomes 15 new faces to Tallahassee. It can be tough integrating that much talent in one year (for some programs).

The Seminoles could potentially lose up to five players (Jordyn Bugg, Taylor Suarez, Jordynn Dudley, Heather Gilchrist and Giana Riley) for almost the entire non-conference schedule due to being called up for the U20 Women’s World Cup. Those players are part of the group of 24 that has been called into training camp. That roster will be cut to 21 players before the tournament so one or two of them may return to Tallahassee early.

Lastly, FSU lost 11 players from last year’s dominating championship squad. It can be tough losing that much talent in one year (for some programs).

Glass Half Full

I had to write the previous three paragraphs but let’s be honest. Florida State will be the consensus #1 team in the preseason and for good reason. This team is loaded. There is top talent everywhere you look. Head Coach Brian Pensky has done a great job restocking the talent in Tallahassee and it really doesn’t look like the championship level run will end anytime soon.

Pensky has changed many things since he has arrived in Tallahassee however one thing hasn’t changed: FSU still takes their time releasing the schedule. At the time that I am writing this article the schedule is not yet out however using some sleuthing skills we can somewhat construct at least the conference schedule. FSU will play the following games in the conference schedule: Clemson (9/27), at SMU (9/22), Virginia (10/17), at Boston College (10/12), at Wake Forest (10/3), UNC (not sure when), at Miami (10/31), Pitt (10/20), Syracuse (9/19) and at Virginia Tech (10/6). We can discuss this further in the comments but there simply aren’t many losses on that schedule for a team this talented. The toughest games (on paper) are all at home. If I really squint hard maaaaybe Wake could be tricky in Winston-Salem but this schedule really sets up nicely for FSU. The Seminoles are favorites for an undefeated conference record.

Additional Thoughts

Florida State is now the pre-eminent program in women’s college soccer. Even with all of the losses from last year’s roster and the potential absences due to the World Cup, FSU’s roster is brimming with talent. It would take a lot for this team not to have another deep NCAA Tournament run.

Reasonable Goal for the 2024-25 season

National Championship.

Softball

Glass Half Empty

The Seminoles had a tough time replacing Kathryn Sandercock and Mack Leonard in the circle last year. In 2023 the ERA was 1.65 and the batting average against was .192. In 2024 those numbers were 3.73 and .263. We could talk much more about what happened last year but those two numbers really tell the tale about what happened last season. I know that there has been some discussion about the defense but the fielding percentage for 2023 and 2024 was identical at .969.

Florida State will also lose six important players from last year’s Super Regional team.

Glass Half Full

The offense was much improved last year. In 2023 the avg/on-base/slugging numbers were .301/.396/.495. In 2024 they were .332/.419/.574. The Noles have two budding superstars for the next three years on the left side of the infield in Jaysoni Beachum and Isa Torres.

There is reason to believe that the pitching will be better next season. The Seminoles have already added a pair of arms to the rotation through the transfer portal (Julia Apsel – Hofstra and Annabelle Widra – Auburn). They will add to a talented stable of pitchers (Makenna Reid, Ashtyn Danley and Mimi Gooden) already in Tallahassee. Not to mention the addition of freshmen pitcher Jasmine Francik (Florida Gatorade Player of the Year).

Florida State also has players ready to step up to fill the shoes of the graduating seniors at most positions. Second base will be interesting but the Noles have options. We are still in transfer portal season so the roster for next year isn’t fully finalized but based on what they already have the Seminoles seem poised for another impressive season.

Additional Thoughts

The most pivotal series last year was the last one where FSU lost two of three to a mediocre (at best) Syracuse team. If the Seminoles had swept that series or at least won it they probably wouldn’t have been the 15th seed. Therefore, they wouldn’t have had to go to Norman to face the three time (soon to be four time) defending champions in the Super Regional. Florida State would have had a real chance to make the WCWS against almost any other Super Regional opponent.

The Noles were really close last year to another WCWS appearance. They could be even better next year.

Reasonable Goal for the 2024-25 season

Women’s College World Series.

As always, the comments are yours.