Noles News: Signing day approaches

The end of the month is near, the weather is finally starting to inspire bonfires, and the No. 13 Florida State Seminoles are headed to their first bowl game on December 29 to face the Oklahoma Sooners in a series that has been brewing since the last time the two teams met in the early 2000s. The transfer portal is heating up, the FOF is a full go, and hoops dropped two in this weekend of Seminole Athletics.

Football

The shovel has finally hit the philosophical dirt outside of the Albert J. Dunlap Indoor Practice Facility, and the new stand-alone football-only facility will undoubtedly stand out when you're crossing Stadium Dr.

“This new facility will be a fitting and well-deserved home for our legendary football program,” Athletic Director and Vice President Michael Alford said on the project, “that will provide our student-athletes with the proper environment in which to train while addressing deficiencies that arise naturally as facilities age and needs grow.”

It has been a long time coming, and the vision is starting to take hold. The Noles upgraded their locker and weight rooms last season.

In case you missed it, FSU is heading to Orlando for the Cheez-It Bowl next week and are currently favored over Oklahoma: Odds, over/under. Many veteran guys on both sides of the ball for the Seminoles have announced their return for 2023 and their intentions on playing in the bowl game.

Recruiting

The portal market has taken unprecedented steps as far as the volume of options searching for new destinations. FSU is no different with their own haul of players announcing to enter the portal, most recently, defensive back Demorie Tate. With some of the departures expected, Florida State managed to land the consensus top two tight ends in the transfer portal. Kyle Morlock and Jaheim Bell announced their intentions for Tribe ‘23 and with National Signing Day this week, be sure to check out the FSU Football: OFFICIAL Tribe ‘23 Recruiting and Transfer Portal Thread #18 and join the conversation.

Basketball

Women’s hoops fell to No. 9 UConn 87-77 Sunday afternoon, bringing their record to 11-2. It should come as no surprise that Ta’Niya Latson led the charge.

From Prince Akeem Joffer:

Ta’Niya Latson led the Seminoles with 24 points despite fouling out with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. Erin Howard had 18 points while Makayla Timpson and Marianna Valenzuela both chipped in with 11 points each.

Men’s basketball suffered a similar fate falling to St. John’s 93-79. Junior Darin Green led the team with a career-high 30 points, followed by Matthew Cleveland’s career-high of 23.

Men’s hoops are set to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on December 21 at 8:30 p.m., while women’s hoops are set to host the Miami Hurricanes on December 21 at 12:00 p.m.

All Sports

Members of the No.16/RV Florida State swimming and diving teams raced in the CSCAA College National Open Water Championship on Sunday in Biscayne Bay, finishing in 9th place. Women’s finished 12th in the 5k. To read a full list of participants and their scores, head on over to Seminoles.com and get the recap.