The Daily Nole

What to Watch For Wednesday: FSU Swimming and Diving Teams Celebrate Senior Day

FSU athletics

We’re now in our fourth week of 2020 and believe it or not, we’re at the point where Florida State winter sports are actually heading toward the home stretch.

As is our “hump day” tradition, we’ll tell you what to watch for over the next week in FSU athletics. Without further ado, here’s what to keep an eye on for the garnet and gold:

1. FSU swimming and diving celebrate Senior Day
For the final time this season, Florida State’s swimming and diving teams will be in front of its home crowd on Saturday. The teams will celebrate Senior Day against Florida Atlantic. The FSU women will also be taking on Miami. For the season, the No. 14 FSU men are 5-3 in head-to-head competition while the women are 5-5. The meets begin at 11 a.m. EST. After this weekend, all that will remain for FSU will be the Auburn Invite before the ACC Championships.

2. FSU hoops returns home for Notre Dame, visits Virginia
For the first time since December 1972, Florida State’s men’s basketball team is ranked in the top 5. The No. 5 Seminoles will come in as winners of nine straight as they host Notre Dame on Saturday night. FSU was tested last week against Virginia and Miami, but rallied late in both games to improve to 16-2. Senior forward Josh Mooney averages better than 15 points and nearly 14 rebounds per game to lead four Notre Dame players who average in double figures. For the season, the Fighting Irish are just 11-6 and 2-4 in ACC play. FSU was forced to squeak out a 68-61 win over Notre Dame last season in Tallahassee, but are 4-0 all-time against the Fighting Irish at home. Saturday’s game begins at 8 p.m. EST and airs on ACC Network.

Pacing FSU this season have been the guard trio of Devin Vassell, Trent Forrest and M.J. Walker. Vassell came up big in last week’s home win against Virginia with 18 points and will try to do so again as the Seminoles head to Charlottesville on Tuesday. FSU won the first match-up, 54-50, and will try to beat the Cavaliers twice in the same season for the first time since notching a pair of 3-point victories during the Seminoles’ 2011-12 ACC championship campaign. Mamade Diakite led Virginia with 16 points in the first meeting. Tuesday’s contest takes place at 7 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN.

3. FSU women head to Wake, aim for season sweep of Miami
After a week off, No. 14 Florida State women’s hoops will have a busy end of the week. The Seminoles will visit Wake Forest on Thursday before hosting rival Miami on Sunday. At 15-3 and 4-3 in ACC play, FSU is led by a talented trio in Kiah Gillespie, Nausia Woolfolk and Nicki Ekhomu. The Seminoles are in a 3-way tie for fourth place in the ACC and will try to break that against a Wake Forest team that has already quadrupled its ACC win total from last season. Senior Ivana Raca leads the Demon Deacons, averaging 16.5 points per game. Thursday’s contest begins at 7 p.m. EST and streams on ACC Network Extra.

After visiting Winston-Salem, FSU will go for the season sweep of rival Miami. The Seminoles topped the Hurricanes when the teams met in Tallahassee earlier this season, 73-62. FSU’s Kiah Gillespie and Miami’s Mykea Gray each scored 21 points in the contest. The Hurricanes are 10-8 on the season and just 2-5 in ACC play. Miami’s Beatrice Mompremier is one of the top players in the ACC, but has been hampered by a foot injury since Jan. 2. Sunday’s contest in Coral Gables begins at 2 p.m. EST and airs on ACC Network.

4. ITA Kick-Off Weekend for FSU tennis teams
Both Florida State’s men’s and women’s tennis teams are coming off huge early-season wins as they each prepare for the ITA Kick-Off this week. The FSU men are off to a 5-0 start and coming off a 5-2 upset of No. 21 Mississippi State. They’ll be in Austin, beginning on Friday against Vanderbilt. The No. 16 FSU women opened the season with a 4-3 win over No. 14 Washington in Hawaii. At 2-0, the Seminoles will host the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. They’ll open things up with UC-Santa Barbara on Saturday.

5. FSU track and field participate in Bob Pollock Invitational
The third event of the indoor season for FSU track and field takes place on Friday and Saturday. The Seminoles will return to where their season began — Clemson — for the 2-day event. FSU scored two victories last week in Nashville for the Vanderbilt Invitational. On the men’s side, Isaac Grimes and Fabian Edoki claimed first and second for FSU in the long jump. The women’s 4,000-meter distance medley relay team took first place as well.

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.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply