Although boasting one of the deepest rosters in college soccer, it was not always a guarantee that the Seminoles and Brian Pensky would return to a second College Cup semi-final in three years. For one, only eleven players can take the field at a time, giving the coaching staff a near-impossible job of keeping the squad content and happy. Two, with the roster containing only five players that played in the 2023 national championship victory, Florida State(w) came in mostly inexperienced, yet facing the daunting expectations of the teams that came before.

Through it all, the 2025 group has excelled where the 2024 team could not, achieving a final four berth despite a season offering several intense setbacks such as losing at home for the first time in three seasons, suffering back-to-back losses for just the second time in six years, and seeing their streak of five consecutive ACC tournament titles end. While disappointing at the time, those moments offered the team and the staff valuable learning opportunities on what an ideal rotation would look like for a College Cup run.

That explains why, despite starting the most players (22) of any College Cup team this season, the Seminoles used only 15 in the tense Sweet Sixteen victory over Georgetown. Settling on that core rotation, plus the brilliance of TDS Player of the Year Finalist Jordynn Dudley, gives Florida State plenty of confidence that a second championship in three years is in order.

Ten Key Moments:

08/14/2025 - Kicks off season with 5-0 rout of rival Florida.

09/17/2025 - Florida State sends a message to the country by going on the road to defeat defending national champion North Carolina 1-0.

10/03/2025 - Through ten games, the Seminoles have conceded just two goals.

10/09/2025 - Jordynn Dudley comes in at No. 15 in the TDS Midseason Player Rankings. Following Dudley are No. 27 Heather Gilchrist, No. 35 Janet Okeke, No. 77 Wrianna Hudson, and No. 83 Yuna McCormack.

10/16/2025 - In a wake up call, Florida State loses to Stanford, ending a three year unbeaten streak at home.

10/23/2025 - Hudson scores 89th minute winner to defeat No. 6 Virginia on the road to earn three vital ACC points.

11/02/2025 - The Seminoles are held scoreless for the first time since October 2022 in an ACC tournament penalty loss to Virginia.

11/05/2025 - The ACC All-Conference recipients are recognized with Florida State receiving five honors to Jordynn Dudley, Wrianna Hudson, Taylor Suarez, Heather Gilchrist and Mimi Van Zanten.

11/14/2025 - The Seminoles knock off Samford 4-0 to begin the NCAA tournament.

11/28/2025 - Florida State defeats Ohio State 4-1 to reach their second College Cup in three seasons.

Ten Key Statistics:

• Florida State is playing in a second College Cup in three seasons.

• Five players who appeared in that 2023 College Cup final victory are still on the roster (Jordynn Dudley, Mimi Van Zanten, Heather Gilchrist, Peyton Nourse, Sophia Nguyen).

• Dudley is a TDS Player of the Year Finalist.

• Wrianna Hudson leads the team with 13 goals.

• Dudley leads the team with 36 points and 14 assists.

• Dudley (36), Hudson (27), Suarez (18), and McCormack (15) all have double-digit points.

• Dudley has recorded a goal or assist in 16 of the last 18 games.

• The .746 goals against average is the best of any College Cup team.

• Only losses this season are to Notre Dame and Stanford, who ended the regular season ranked No. 1 and No. 2.

• 16 different goal scorers.

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