Seminole Saturday Summary: FSU Football Lands No. 22 Class, Noles Start 4-0 at JoAnne Graf Classic

Florida State is about seven months away from taking the field, but first-year head coach Mike Norvell can now look forward to his 2021 recruiting class.

The Seminoles wrapped up the 2020 recruiting cycle with National Signing Day on Wednesday. FSU finished with 25 total signees and the No. 22 overall class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

On Wednesday, FSU was able to land commitments from 3-star defensive back Sidney Williams and 3-star linebackers D.J. Lundy and T.J. Davis. The lone real piece of bad news from Wednesday was 4-star wide receiver and 2-sport athlete Malachi Wideman ultimately flipping to Tennessee.

Overall, FSU landed 11 top-500 prospects, according to the Composite, and eight 4-star prospects. For the first time since 2017, FSU signed a quarterback as it brought in 4-star Chubba Purdy and 3-star Tate Rodemaker. 4-star cornerback Demorie Tate was the highest ranked prospect for the Seminoles.

Eight players will enroll early. The No. 22 finish is the lowest in the history of the 247Sports Composite. The 25 signees is the most for FSU since 2016.

Cassidy Davis homered and earned a victory for FSU over the first weekend of the season. (FSU athletics)

Florida State softball opened the season with four straight wins at the JoAnne Graf Classic.

On Friday, the Seminoles won a pair of contests in walk-off fashion. FSU won by run rules in each of its two games on Saturday. The first weekend included two wins over No. 1 Alabama.

Both wins on Friday came in eight innings. The Seminoles beat North Carolina 2-1 on a walk-off bunt single by Kiersten Landers.

Against the Crimson Tide on Friday night, FSU trailed 7-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning. After scoring one in the sixth, FSU drew even with five runs in the seventh.

Dani Morgan’s grand slam tied the game. In the eighth inning, Elizabeth Mason delivered the game-winning RBI single to lift the Seminoles to an 8-7 victory.

On Saturday, FSU needed just five innings to beat Detroit Mercy, 22-0, and Alabama, 8-0.

The Seminoles plated 13 runs in the first inning against the Titans. FSU hit four home runs in the win and allowed just one hit.

In the rematch with Alabama, FSU used a 6-run third inning to blow things wide open. Anna Shelnutt and Cassidy Davis each finished with a home run and three RBIs.

The Seminoles will wrap up the JoAnne Graf Classic on Sunday against Detroit Mercy.

Football

Weekly Commitments: Luke Altmyer, 3-star 2021 QB (No. 389 overall)*; D.J. Lundy, 3-star ATH (No. 963 overall)*; Sidney Williams, 3-star ATH (No. 557 overall)*; T.J. Davis, 3-star OLB (No. 1,374 overall)*; Branden Jennings, 4-star 2021 OLB (No. 39 overall)*
Weekly Decommitments: Malachi Wideman, 4-star WR (No. 116 overall)*
2020 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 22 nationally, fourth in ACC (25 total commitments)*

Men’s Basketball

Record: 20-3 (10-2 ACC)
Ranking: No. 8 AP Poll; No. 8 USA Today Coaches Poll
Past Week: (2-0), defeated North Carolina, 65-59; defeated Miami, 99-81
Upcoming: at Duke (Monday); vs. Syracuse (Saturday)
Recognitions: Devin Vassell, G/F (Julius Erving Award finalist)
Weekly Commitments: Bryce McGowens, 4-star 2021 SG (No. 48 overall)
Weekly Decommitments: Malachi Wideman, 3-star SG (No. 163 overall)*
2020 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 45 nationally, ninth in ACC (2 total commitments)*
Big Picture: FSU took care of business on its home floor as it prepares for a big game against Duke on Monday night. The Seminoles also hit 20 wins for a school-record fifth straight season.

Weekly Review

North Carolina 59, (8) FSU 65
Monday, Feb. 3
The Florida State defense held North Carolina to 31 percent shooting and at one point, 11 minutes without a field goal, to edge the Tar Heels on Monday night. The Seminoles trailed by as many as eight early, but used a 12-1 run in the second half to go ahead for good. Freshman Patrick Williams finished with 14 points and nine rebounds for FSU. RaiQuan Gray added 12 points in the victory. Cole Anthony led North Carolina with 16 points, but on just 5-for-22 shooting.

Miami 81, (8) FSU 99
Saturday, Feb. 8
Miami opened the game on a 10-2 run, but Florida State rallied to lead at halftime and pulled away in the second half. The Seminoles shot 53 percent as a team to complete the season sweep of the Hurricanes. FSU also held a healthy 46-24 edge on the glass. Patrick Williams and M.J. Walker each scored 14 points to lead the Seminoles. Devin Vassell and Wyatt Wilkes totaled 13 and 11 points, respectively, in the win. Trent Forrest added 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Miami’s Isaiah Wong led all scorers with 23 points. Sam Waardenburg added 15 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.

Women’s Basketball

Record: 19-4 (8-4 ACC)
Ranking: No. 17 AP Poll; No. 18 USA Today Coaches Poll
Past Week: (1-0), defeated Louisville, 67-59
Upcoming: vs. Virginia (Sunday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: Florida State scored its most impressive win of the season on Thursday night at Louisville. FSU is currently sitting as the No. 3 seed in the ACC.

Weekly Review

(17) FSU 67, (5) Louisville 59
Thursday, Feb. 6
After relinquishing an 11-point first-half lead, Florida State broke a fourth-quarter tie with a 13-0 run to seize control of the contest and hand Louisville just its third ACC home loss in three seasons. Nicki Ekhomu, Nausia Woolfolk and Kiah Gillespie all hit 3-pointers for FSU during the run. Gillespie finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds in the win. Ekhomu and Louisville’s Dana Evans each finished with 18 points and six assists. The Cardinals were held to 34 percent shooting and 3-for-16 from deep.

Baseball

Record: 0-0
Ranking: No. 12 D1Baseball; No. 12 Baseball America; No. 14 NCBWA; No. 15 Collegiate Baseball
Upcoming: vs. Niagara (Friday and Saturday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: FSU is set to begin year No. 1 under Mike Martin Jr. on Friday. The Seminoles have reached the College World Series in two of the last three seasons.

Men’s Tennis

Record: 7-2
Ranking: No. 22 ITA
Past Week: (1-0), defeated Auburn, 4-3
Upcoming: vs. Tennessee Tech (Feb. 22)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: FSU scored a nice road victory on Friday afternoon. The Seminoles are 3-1 against SEC teams this season.

Weekly Review

(22) FSU 4, Auburn 3
Friday, Feb. 7
Rana Roop Bhullar broke a 3-3 tie and clinched the match for Florida State with a thrilling 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Auburn’s Spencer Gray. After losing the doubles point, the Seminoles were forced to win four of the six singles duals. Loris Pourroy, Juan Martin Jalif and Loris Pourroy all won in straight sets for FSU. Marcus Walters was the only FSU player to fall in straight sets as he lost to Auburn’s Matteo DeVincentis, 6-4, 6-4.

Women’s Tennis

Record: 6-1
Ranking: No. 9 ITA
Past Week: (1-1), FSU defeated Texas, 4-3 (ITA National Indoor Championships); lost to UCLA, 4-0 (ITA National Indoor Championships)
Upcoming: vs. Air Force (Saturday); vs. Florid A&M (Saturday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: FSU suffered its first loss of the season, but not until after it scored yet another impressive win.

Weekly Review

(7) Texas 3, (9) FSU 4
Friday, Feb. 7 (ITA National Indoor Championships, Chicago)
Winning the doubles point turned out to be the difference for Florida State on Friday night as the Seminoles scored another huge victory to remain perfect on the season. With the score knotted 3-3, Nandini Das won the match for FSU with a 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 win over Texas’ Adri Nagy. Of the six singles duals, that was the only one to go three sets. Andrea Garcia and Victoria Allen each won in straight sets for the Seminoles.

(4) UCLA 4, (9) FSU 0
Saturday, Feb. 8 (ITA National Indoor Championships, Chicago)
UCLA had little trouble with Florida State in Chicago on Saturday. The Bruins cruised with a doubles win and three straight-set singles victories. Sasha Vagramov clinched the match for UCLA with a 6-0, 6-4 win over FSU’s Andrea Garcia. Victoria Allen was the only FSU player to win a set.

Track and Field

Ranking: Men No. 1 USTFCCCA; Women No. 18 USTFCCCA
Past Week: Idle
Upcoming: David Hemery Valentine Invitational (Friday and Saturday); Tiger Paw Invitational (Friday and Saturday)
Recognitions: Trey Cunningham (ACC Track Performer of the Week, The Bowerman midseason watch list); Isaac Grimes (ACC Field Performer of the Week)
Big Picture: After a nice week off, Florida State will participate in two events for the second time in three weeks, beginning on Friday.

Swimming and Diving

Ranking: Men No. 15 CSCAA; Women No. 25 CSCAA
Past Week: FSU began the Auburn Invite on Friday and Saturday
Upcoming: Auburn Invite (Sunday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: In its final event before the ACC Championships, FSU kicked off the Auburn Invite on Friday night. The Seminoles wrap things up in Auburn on Sunday.

Softball

Record: 4-0
Ranking: No. 10 NFCA Coaches Poll
Past Week: (4-0), defeated North Carolina in eight innings, 2-1; defeated Alabama in eight innings, 8-7; defeated Detroit Mercy in five innings, 22-0; defeated Alabama in five innings, 8-0
Upcoming: vs. Detroit Mercy (Sunday, JoAnne Graf Classic); vs. Florida A&M (Wednesday); vs. Washington (Friday, St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational; vs. Minnesota (Friday, St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational); vs. Northwestern (Saturday, St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: Florida State opened the 2020 season with a couple of statement wins. The Seminoles appear to be in very good shape as they prepare for another tough tournament in Clearwater.

Weekly Review

North Carolina 1, (10) FSU 2
Friday, Feb. 7 (JoAnne Graf Classic, 8 innings)
Kiersten Landers’ RBI bunt single in the eighth inning scored Josie Muffley and gave FSU its first win of the season in walk-off fashion. Landers had three of the four FSU hits in the win and scored a run. Kristina Burkhardt had two of North Carolina’s four hits and plated the only Tar Heel run. Brittany Pickett was solid from the circle for North Carolina, but took the loss. FSU starter Caylan Arnold allowed just an unearned run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings. Cassidy Davis retired the only two hitters she faced to earn the win for FSU.

(1) Alabama 7, (10) FSU 8
Friday, Feb. 7 (JoAnne Graf Classic, 8 innings)
Florida State trailed top-ranked Alabama 7-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, but pushed across a run in the inning and five in the seventh to force extras. Dani Morgan tied the game with a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh. In the eighth, Elizabeth Mason delivered the walk-off single for FSU, scoring Kiersten Landers. Landers finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Taylor Clark homered, drove in two runs and scored twice for Alabama in the loss.

Detroit Mercy 0, (10) FSU 22
Saturday, Feb. 8 (JoAnne Graf Classic, 5 innings)
FSU wasted no time blowing things open with 13 runs in the first inning. Sydney Sherrill, Anna Shelnutt, Chloe Culp and Devyn Flaherty all homered for the Seminoles. Culp drove in five runs while Sherrill scored four times. McKenna Tanguay had the only hit for Detroit Mercy.

(1) Alabama 0, (10) FSU 8
Saturday, Feb. 8 (JoAnne Graf Classic, 5 innings)
Florida State used a 6-run third inning to run rule Alabama. Cassidy Davis and Anna Shelnutt each homered and each finished with three RBIs. Josie Muffley also went yard for the Seminoles. Caylan Arnold allowed just two hits and two walks in five shutout innings to pick up the win for FSU.

Men’s Golf

Ranking: N/A
Upcoming: Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate (Monday and Tuesday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: After a lengthy rest, FSU returns to action on Monday.

Women’s Golf

Ranking: N/A
Upcoming: Guadalajara Collegiate Invitational (Feb. 16-18)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: After beating Virginia in match play, FSU is just a week away from returning to action.

Other News

Seminole Boosters announced its 2019 and 2020 Femina Perfecta Award honorees.

The NCBWA has renamed its Coach of the Year award in honor of former FSU head baseball coach Mike Martin.

FSU baseball hosted Fan Day on Saturday.

Former FSU players Cam Erving and Derrick Nnadi were members of the Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs.

FSU baseball was picked to finish second in the ACC Atlantic behind Louisville.

FSU beach volleyball’s Alaina Chacon and Madison Fitzpatrick were named preseason All-Americans by collegebeachvb.com.

FSU baseball has unveiled its 2020 broadcast schedule.

FSU running back Cam Akers and cornerback Stanford Samuels III were each invited to the NFL Combine.

*247Sports Composite rankings

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.