Noles News: FSU softball set for Women’s College World Series

Recruiting

2024 four-star offensive tackle Manasse Itete released his official visit list on Wednesday, consisting of four of the top five schools he previously identified — the USC Trojans (June 6), Oregon State Beavers (June 9), Utah Utes (June 16) and Florida State (June 23), with a scheduled visit with the Washington Huskies unannounced.

QUARTERBACK: 4 star Luke Kromenhoek (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Kam Davis (GA)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Camdon Frier (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Tawaski “TJ” Abrams (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Lawayne McCoy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star BJ Gibson (GA)

TIGHT END: 5 star Landen Thomas (GA)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jamorie Flagg (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Jayden Parrish (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star CJ Heard (GA)

Football

FSU officially has kickoff times and broadcast info for its first three games of the season — LSU (September 3, 7:30 p.m. on ABC), Southern Miss (September 9, 8:30 p.m. on ACC Network), and Boston College (September 16, 12 p.m. on ABC).

ESPN wrote on Florida State’s opener vs. LSU in its early season preview:

The 2022 season opener between these two teams delivered a wild, heart-stopping, back-and-forth game that ended up being one of the most memorable of the campaign. But the stakes for both teams are vastly different headed into their season opener this year, this time in Orlando. Florida State used the win over LSU last year to help propel the program to its first 10-win season since 2016, and with the vast majority of its team returning, the expectation is for the Seminoles to be big-time contenders this year. Meanwhile, LSU also goes into this season with huge expectations in Year 2 under Brian Kelly, coming off an unexpected 10 wins of its own. There is already talk this game could have College Football Playoff implications. At the very least, we will get a sense of whether these teams are for real in 2023. Get your popcorn ready.

If LSU wins, here’s a hilarious built-in excuse to anybody you want to infuriate:

Softball

Today’s the day — No. 3 seed Florida State softball is set to kick off its title run with a matchup vs. the sixth-seeded Oklahoma State Cowgirls:

Series History

— This will be the 27th time that Florida State and Oklahoma State have met.

— The two teams met earlier this year in Stillwater where OSU took two out of three.

— This is the 11th time the two teams have met in the postseason, and the third time the teams have met in the Women’s College World Series.

Florida State NCAA Tournament History

— The Seminoles are 103-75 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

— The Seminoles are making their 12th appearance in the Women’s College World Series, which is the third-most among this year’s WCWS field.

— The Seminoles are 19-21 all-time at the Women’s College World Series.

— The Seminoles have reached the championship series in their past two trips to Oklahoma City.

— This is the 35th time the Seminoles have qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

— The Seminoles have qualified for 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

OKC Trip No. 12

— The Seminoles clinched their 12th trip to Oklahoma City after defeating No. 14 Georgia (8-1, 4-2) in the Tallahassee Super Regional.

— The Seminoles last made a trip to OKC in 2021 where they went on to the championship series before falling to Oklahoma.

— The Seminoles are 10-4 in their last two trips to Oklahoma City.

— As the No. 3 seed, this is the highest seed the Seminoles have ever had entering the Women’s College World Series.

WCWS Experience

— 11 out of the Seminoles’ 22 players were on the 2021 National Runner-Up team.

— Devyn Flaherty, Kaley Mudge, Kalei Harding, Josie Muffley, and Kathryn Sandercock were all starters for the 2021 team.

— Mudge and Sandercock were each named to the 2021 WCWS All-Tournament Team.

Dominance in the Circle

— The Seminoles’ pitching staff has been dominant so far in the NCAA Tournament.

— In six games, the Noles have given up just five earned runs for a 0.80 ERA.

— The Seminoles are led by senior ace Kathryn Sandercocck, who has allowed just two earned runs in 21 innings of work in the NCAA Tournament.

— Sandercock is 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament and has also recorded a save.

Florida State senior pitcher Kathryn Sandercock was named a Second Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association:

This is Sandercock’s third All-American honor as she was named an All-American in 2021 and 2022.

Sandercock has been stellar for the Seminoles all season posting a 26-3 record while also adding a school record nine saves. Sandercock holds a 1.10 ERA and has won her last 19 decisions in the circle. Sandercock was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year after going a perfect 14-0 in ACC play with a 1.03 ERA. So far in the NCAA Tournament, Sandercock is 3-0 while also recording a save and has allowed just two earned runs in 21.1 innings pitched.

Sandercock is all over the Florida State record books as she is the school record holder for career appearances (180), career saves (17) and saves in a single season (9). Sandercock is also fourth all-time in school history with 105 wins and needs just four wins to tie Lacey Waldrop’s school record of 109 career wins.

Sandercock and the Seminoles will be in action at the Women’s College World Series on Thursday at 6 p.m. on ESPN against Oklahoma State at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.

All Sports

Florida State women’s tennis team placed two in the final ITA national singles rankings (Anna Arkadianou, 74th and Vic Allen, 89th) and one pair in the doubles rankings (Millie Bissett and Arkadianou, 70th):

Arkadianou was ranked in singles for 11 consecutive weeks and was as high as No. 52 in the nation. The Greece native earned six wins in the spring season, one of them being a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 24th-ranked Kylie Bilchev of No. 20 Georgia Tech.

Allen finished with a 15-7 record, which included seven victories against ranked opponents. The England native’s biggest win came against 42nd-ranked Anna Brylin of No. 5 NC State. Allen was ranked in singles for seven consecutive weeks and reached No. 73 in the nation on the week of April 23rd.

Bissett and Arkadianou finished with an 8-4 record at No. 2 doubles. The duo’s biggest victory came against the 9th-ranked duo of Amella Rajecki and Nell Miller from No. 5 NC State. The pair was ranked for seven consecutive weeks and were as high as No. 49 on the week of March 21st.

All three student-athletes are eligible to return next season to help Florida State compete for an ACC championship and return to the NCAA Tournament.

On the other side, the Florida State men’s tennis team ended the season ranked 20th in the final ITA Rankings and with a 20-9 record:

The Seminoles earned their 24th bid to the NCAA Tournament and earned the 18th NCAA Tournament victory in program history with a 4-0 sweep of Baylor. In the ACC Tournament, Florida State defeated No. 55 Clemson and upset No. 14 North Carolina en route to an ACC Semifinal appearance and earned the program’s 28th and 29th ACC Tournament wins.

Florida State finished the season with two players in the ITA singles ranking.

Junior Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc ended the season ranked No. 8 in the ITA singles rankings. Cornut-Chauvinc led Florida State with 16 dual wins this spring while playing at No. 1. With 11 wins over nationally ranked opponents, Cornut-Chauvinc anchored Florida State’s singles lineup and ascended as high as No. 2 in the national singles rankings, earning the highest singles ranking in program history.

Cornut-Chauvinc was a unanimous All-ACC first-team selection for singles and earned third-team all-conference honors for doubles alongside Joshua Dous-Karpenschif. Cornut-Chauvinc also earned three weekly conference awards throughout the spring season.

Sophomore Youcef Rihane was ranked 105th in the final ITA singles ranking of the season. Rihane finished the season with 16 dual wins, including a 5-0 record while playing at No. 4. Rihane clinched the upset over North Carolina and a berth to the ACC Semifinals with a come-from-behind, three-set victory.

Cornut-Chauvinc and Dous-Karpenschif finished the spring season ranked 45h in the nation in doubles play. The duo played 14 matches together this spring, posting a 10-4 record and a 4-3 record over nationally ranked doubles teams to earn a berth to the NCAA Doubles Tournament.

Four members of the Florida State track and field and cross country teams were selected to the 2023 Academic All-District Teams — Cooper Schroeder was named to the men’s team, while Alyson Churchill, Caisa-Marie Lindfors, and Agnes McTighe were named to the women’s.

The next frontier of higher learningnis here — per a FSU press release, a pilot program this fall will allow Florida State University College of Business students to “learn in virtual reality, guiding avatars of themselves in digital replicas of the college’s classrooms and spaces:”

Students will be selected for three courses: undergraduate courses in marketing and accounting and a graduate or undergraduate course in management. To provide the high-tech experience, the college is partnering with Victory XR, a provider of augmented and virtual reality content for educational institutions, and Meta, the owner of Facebook and a leader in social technology.

The courses will be offered one at a time over a two-year period and taught by faculty members Darren Brooks, the assistant dean for executive and professional programs, MBA program director and leader of the pilot project; Jonathan Jackson, an associate lecturer in the Dr. Persis E. Rockwood School of Marketing; and Geoffrey Adams, an associate lecturer in the Department of Accounting.