Florida State Women's Basketball: Seminoles Optimistic Heading Into 2024-25 Season

It was all smiles in Charlotte, North Carolina from the team in Garnet and Gold Tuesday afternoon. Florida State Head Coach Brooke Wyckoff was joined by her players Ta’Niya Latson, O’Mariah Gordon, and Makayla Timpson to represent Florida State at the ACC Tipoff event. It’s a breath of fresh air for all the teams in the conference to be seen as they prepare for the new season. Florida State is looking ahead at what could be a great year for the team. 

Let’s date back to March. The last time we saw the Florida State Seminoles was in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Alabama in the first round. It was a disappointing loss as the team lost momentum in the third quarter and couldn’t fight their way back to a win. The loss stung for the Seminoles throughout the off-season. Luckily, it allowed the team to take a deep dive into their team and figure out what adjustments needed to be made. 

During the summer, the Seminoles were locked in. If you follow them across their social media pages, it’s proof that they remained in the gym. They continued to get stronger in the weight room while also creating a feel for how they wanted to play on the court. There’s a chip placed on this team this upcoming season and their work over the offseason will show. 

“We’ve been to the NCAA Tournament. It’s just a matter of going deeper in those Tournaments,” Ta’Niya Latson stated in her sit down on the ACC Tipoff show. The Seminoles have been to 11 consecutive NCAA Tournaments but haven’t made it past the first round since 2019. In the Brooke Wyckoff era, that has to change soon. The Seminoles are on the same page as a team heading into this season. They want to prove they are one of the top contenders in the country and can battle against the best teams. 

Fans know about the fast-paced offense that Florida State runs. Once they grab a defensive rebound, it’s off to the races. The Seminoles feature multiple players who can push the tempo and search for high-percentage shots. Not only is it fun for fans to watch but it also shows players’ quick decision-making as they have to read and react at a fast rate. Florida State’s offense was one that many teams could not contain. By the time their opponents got down the floor, it was hard to set up their half-court defense as the Seminoles were already around the rim for a high-percentage shot. 

If there’s one thing that had been an emphasis in the Florida State locker room, it's defense. The team was ranked last in the ACC in defense last season and gave up a tremendous amount of points. Interestingly, Florida State was one of the worst defensive teams in the country. They featured an elite rim

protector in Makayla Timpson while also having other players apply ball pressure. However, a new defensive scheme is set to be placed for this team this upcoming season.

The players describe this new defensive scheme as more physical, tenacious, and versatile. “All of our roles is to be able to guard 1-5,” Makayla Timpson stated. Pressure is the key behind this new Florida State defense. Not only do they want to play physically but also throw different bodies at offensive players to make them uncomfortable. The Seminoles have the potential to emerge as one of the top defensive teams in the country. Their new defensive sets will take the country by surprise as we see the improvements that have been made. 

Last season, the Noles finished with a 23-11 record (12-6 in the ACC). As the league continues to get more competitive, the team must play elite on both ends of the floor. Florida State has unfinished business after losing in the first round of the Tournament last season. As they return with their core players while making proper adjustments, this team is prepared for another winning season.