The end of the athletic year in quickly approaching for Florida State and a number of programs will put their seasons on the line this weekend while one other is fighting for ACC and NCAA Tournament seeding.
As the work week hits the midway point and the weekend approaches, here’s what to pay attention to across the FSU athletic spectrum:
1. FSU softball begins NCAA Tournament
Fresh off a sixth straight ACC title, Florida State softball will begin the NCAA Tournament on Friday at JoAnne Graf Field. The Seminoles are coming off their first national championship as a fastpitch program and were recently awarded the No. 4 national seed for the NCAA Tournament. FSU opens action on Friday against Bethune-Cookman.
FSU has advanced past the regional round in each of the last six seasons and has not lost a game in an NCAA Regional since falling to South Alabama in 2013 before ultimately rebounding to advance. Joining the Seminoles and Wildcats in the Tallahassee Regional will be second-seeded South Carolina and third-seeded South Florida. FSU faced none of those teams during the regular season.
2. FSU baseball’s final series of the regular season, ACC seeding
Florida State baseball will wrap up the the regular season with a 3-game series at Louisville, beginning on Thursday. The Cardinals have been difficult to beat at home since joining the ACC, but the Seminoles have been one of the few teams to have success on the road against Louisville. Two years ago, FSU took both regular season meetings at Louisville before topping the Cardinals in Louisville during the ACC Tournament.
Both Florida State and Louisville have clinched spots in the ACC Tournament, but seeding will be on the line when the teams meet this week. At 19-8 in ACC play, the Cardinals have the best record in the ACC. FSU, at 16-11 in conference, could conceivably capture the No. 1 seed by sweeping Louisville. The Seminoles are tied for the third-best ACC record with NC State, North Carolina and Miami. FSU dropped series at NC State and Miami. Georgia Tech, at 17-10 in ACC play, currently has the second-best record.
3. FSU men’s golf in the final round at Myrtle Beach
Florida State men’s golf enters the final round of the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional with work to do. Last year, the Seminoles missed the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2011. They enter Wednesday in danger of letting it happen again. The top five teams will advance, but FSU enters the day in eighth place. It is four strokes back of fifth-place California to begin the day and one stroke back of both Oregon and Texas Tech.
4. FSU women’s golf at the NCAA Championships
While the men are hoping to reach the NCAA Championships, Florida State women’s golf will begin them on Friday. After finishing 12th last year, FSU hopes to reach match play this season. The Seminoles are led by freshmen Frida Kinhult, Beatrice Wallin and junior Amanda Doherty. FSU finished second in both the ACC Championships and Auburn Regional. The top eight teams through three rounds will advance to match play.
5. The NBA Combine
With slasher Terance Mann being a late invite, Florida State will have two players participate in the NBA Combine in Chicago from Wednesday to Sunday. The NBA Combine is an opportunity for players to showcase their talents to NBA teams. Joining Mann among Seminoles will be forward Mfiondu Kabengele, FSU’s leading scorer and the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year. The NBA Draft will be held on June 20. FSU has had three players selected since 2016.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook. To pitch an idea, author a post or to learn more about The Daily Nole, email Mike Ferguson at Mike@TheDailyNole.com.
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