Recruiting
Florida State: 2026 Recruiting Class
- QUARTERBACK: 4 star Jaden O’Neal (OK)
- WIDE RECEIVER: 3 star Jonah “JP” Winston (AL)
- WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Efrem White (FL)
- WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Brandon Bennett (FL)
- WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Devin Carter (GA)
- WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Jasen Lopez (FL)
- TIGHT END: 4 star Xaiver Tiller (GA)
- OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Da’Ron Parks (FL)
- OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Mike Ionata (FL)
- OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jakobe Green (FL)
- OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Luke Francis (London, UK)
- DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Earnest Rankins (GA)
- DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Tico Crittendon (GA)
- DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Wihtlley Cadeau (GA)
- LINEBACKER: 4 star Izayia Williams (FL)
- LINEBACKER: 3 star Karon Maycock (FL)
- LINEBACKER: 3 star Noah LaValle (GA)
- DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star Chauncey Kennon (FL)
- DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Darryl Bell III (FL)
- DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Tedarius Hughes (FL)
- DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Jay Timmons (PA)
- DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star Sean Johnson (MD)
- ATHLETE: 4 star Darryon Williams (FL)
Football
Florida State shot up in the rankings during its bye but, after taking down Kent State 66-10, slid back one spot in the AP Top 25 to No. 8:
The Seminoles return back to action this week on Friday, facing off against the Virginia Cavaliers on the road. FanDuel currently has FSU as a 6.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 57.5.
Jordan Silversmith offered his three thoughts on FSU’s win:
FSU’s homegrown pass-catchers, as Curt Weiler observed, got their chance
to shine in Saturday’s win:
What do the stats look like for Florida State after three games? We’ve got you covered:
Soccer
Florida State kept its unbeaten streak going with a last-second equalizer on the road vs. NC State, earning a draw:
Florida State basically dominated this game, applying almost all of the pressure. However, the Noles were only able to produce four shots on goal. This has been a recurring problem. FSU has not been able to generate enough good chances. Also, when the chances are there, the Seminoles have not been clinical enough in front of goal. It is never good to be wasteful but it is an even bigger problem if there aren’t a ton of chances being created in the first place.
To be clear, the offense isn’t exactly punchless. Before this game, Massey ranked FSU as the best offense in the nation. So why the nitpicking? It is not because the Noles have been bad. The issue is that it doesn’t seem that FSU is close to maximizing their talent. Based on their talent a good case can be made that the Noles have the best roster in the nation player for player. However, they seem to still be a good distance away from reaching their ceiling. Therefore, it can be a bit frustrating watching this team as they scratch out close wins (or draws) against teams that they should probably be handling much easier based on the talent difference.
All Sports
No. 16 FSU women’s golf finished in sixth place in the team standings at the Schooner Fall Classic at the Belmar Golf Club, with sophomore Sophia Fullbrook carding a final round 69 and finishing in a tie for 13th place in the individual standings:
Fullbrook finished as Florida State’s team leader for the second consecutive event, as she finished with an under par tournament score (-2, 208) for the first time in her collegiate career.
Florida State improved its team standing in the final round by two positions as Amy Bond’s group played their best round of the 54-hole championship. Three Seminole players – Fullbrook, Haruhi Nakatani, and Freya Russell – finished with under par scores of 69 during the final round. Their play helped the Seminoles finish the tournament with a 3-under par team score in the final round. Florida State totaled nine of 15 individual scores at par or better during the three-round tournament.
Oklahoma State, which finished under par in each of its three rounds in the tournament, won the team championship with an 18-under par total of 822 on the par 70 course. Gracie McGovern of TCU and Sydney Givens of Georgia finished tied for first place in the individual standings with identical scores of 9 under par 201.
“We played the second-best round of the day despite the worst weather of the weekend,” said Bond. “We were pulled off the course for about 40 minutes during the third round but the girls continued to play with great attitudes. We finished really well on our last five holes which is a tribute to them and their great attitudes.”
Fullbrook led the Seminoles with scores of 69-70-69 for her three-round total of 2-under par 210. She totaled eight birdies during the tournament. Fullbrook was never more than one stroke over par during any point in the event and was under par for 26 of the 54 holes played over the weekend.
Fullbrook has now earned two top 13 individual finishes (tied for 13th at the Schooner and tied for ninth at the season-opening Folds of Honor Collegiate) to begin her sophomore season.
Freshman Haruhi Nakatani carded a 1 under par 69 in the final round and finished with a three-round total of even par 210. She carded scores of 70-71-69. She carded seven birdies including three each in the second and third rounds. Nakatani was under par on 32 of her final 36 holes of the championship and was never more than 1 stroke over par during the event.
Sophomore Freya Russell also carded a 69 in Sunday’s final round. She totaled four birdies in the final round and totaled 10 birdies on her 54 holes played. Russell carded career-best scores for a single round (69), for 36-holes (143), for a three-round tournament score (212), and for a three-round tournament score vs. par (+2), and earned her best career finish (tied for 30th) this weekend.
Sophomore Alexandra Gazzoli carded a 70 in the final round and finished in a tie for 21st place with a three-round total of even par 210. Sophomore Elin Pudas Remler, who carded a 68 in the second round of Saturday, finished with a three-round total of 214.
Florida State plays its third of four fall matches at the Jim West Challenge (Oct. 19-20) at the Kissing Tree Golf Club in Denton, Texas.
No. 15 Florida State men’s golf finished the Olympia Fields Country Club Fighting Illini Invitational on Sunday tied for sixth place by shooting 4-over 284:
In a field that featured 14 teams either ranked or receiving votes, the 15th-ranked Seminoles shot 4-over 284 on Sunday and finished the tournament tied for sixth place at 7-over, 847 along with No. 18 Georgia Tech. FSU finished ahead of three ranked teams including No. 2 Arizona State, No. 11 Alabama and No. 16 Texas A&M.
After shooting 66 on Saturday, Carson Brewer led the Noles with a round of 1-under, 69 to close the tournament. Brewer earned his fourth-career top 10 finish, tying for sixth at 2-under, 208.
Jack Whaley and Tyler Weaver finished the day even-par, 70. Whaley earned his first top 10 finish in the Garnet and Golf, tying for ninth place at 1-under, 209. Weaver followed tied for 24th at 2-over, 212.
Patrick McCann finished tied for 50th at 8-over, 218.
Florida State men’s tennis will send four Seminoles to the 2025 ITA Men’s All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, beginning on Monday:
FSU will have three players represented in the singles championship and one pair represented in the double’s championship. Corey Craig, Luis Felipe Miguel, and Gabriele Brancatelli will begin in the qualifying round of the singles tournament with 64 players. Erik Schiessl and Felipe Miguel will compete in the qualifying round of the doubles tournament with 32 pairings.
The eight main draw quarterfinalists and two feed-in consolation finalists will qualify for the NCAA Singles Championship, while the four main draw semifinalists will qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championship. The NCAA Individual Championships have been moved from the spring to the fall as of 2024-25.
Craig, who was named the 2024 ITA Most Improved Player, reached the quarterfinals of last year’s championships with a top-15 matchup against Princeton’s Paul Inchauspe. The two players traded games back and forth in the first set. Inchauspe pulled away in the set tiebreaker.
Craig had overcome five different set deficits and dropped just one second set the entire fall campaign. He won six consecutive games to seal his spot in the quarterfinals of the singles championship. Craig secured the highest-ranked victory of his fall career and notched his sixth consecutive three-set victory.
Felipe Miguel enters his first championship as a Seminole after transferring from the University of Tulsa with a 16-12 doubles record during his junior season, while Schiessl returns for his second year after having an exceptional run in the 2024 ITA All-American Championship. The Nuremberg, Germany native collected double victories with alum Joshua Dous Karpenschif against Wichita State, UCLA, and Texas Tech.
Florida State volleyball (6-3) wrapped up non-conference play with a sweep of Georgia Southern:
Set one was tight from start to finish, but the Eagles took advantage of some errors from the Seminoles to take a 13-9 lead. FSU stormed back with a stuff from Iane Henke and Delaney Ewing, and back-to-back aces tied up the set at 13. The teams traded points with neither team separating themselves until an ace from Georgia Southern gave them a two-point lead at 21-19. An error and a kill from Henke tied the set at 21. The Eagles scored the next two points for a 23-21 lead, but the Noles responded and scored five out of the final six points to take the opening set.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 9-6 lead in set two, but it was all Noles from that point on as the Noles went on a 13-3 run to take control of the set and cruise to a 25-17 victory.
The Noles had to work for the sweep as the teams traded points throughout the first half of the set. The Eagles took a 19-16 lead, but the Seminoles were not going to be denied as they rattled off six out of the next seven points to take a 22-20 lead. Georgia Southern tied it up at 22, but a kill from Filimaua and back-to-back kills from Henke gave the Noles the sweep.
Filimaua and Henke led the Noles with 15 kills each while Nenu Kpea added six kills. Filimaua added 11 digs while Lily Nicholson also recorded 11 digs.
FSU men’s basketball continues its profile series with a look at Maximo Garcia-Plata Nieto — named after Russell Crowe’s character in Gladiator:
His mom loved the movie franchise and decided to call her firstborn son Maximo.
For Garcia-Plata, the words of the speech by Russell Crowe’s character proclaiming his name in the movie roll off his tongue like he’s recited them a thousand times or more.
“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, Loyal Servant to the True Emperor, Marcus Aurielu.”
For Garcia-Plata, whose game is as unique as his name, his role as a point guard on head coach Luke Loucks’ first Florida State team is appropriate. Not only will he continue to grow his skill set under one of the top point guards in school history, but he will be in a familiar position as an offensive leader on the court.
The Spaniard, who played soccer early in his athletic career, has always been an offensive-minded player – a mindset that will fit Loucks’ system very well.
“On every team I have been on I have always had a very important role on the offensive side,” said Garcia-Plata. “I am confident that I can create for my teammates as well as score many points.”
