Story: Seminoles.com
Florida State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford announced Tuesday that women’s basketball Associate Head Coach Brooke Wyckoff has been named the Seminoles’ head coach replacing the recently retired Sue Semrau.
Wyckoff, who is one of the finest players in Seminole history and a 2001 All-American, has been a member of the coaching staff for the past 11 seasons and served as the Noles’ interim head coach during the 2020-21 season.
“Brooke Wyckoff is an excellent choice to lead the women’s basketball program,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “She’s a highly sought-after coach, and we’re fortunate to keep her in the FSU family. Not only has she proven to be a capable leader with a track record of success, she is an amazing role model for our student-athletes.”
In her year as interim coach, the West Chester, Ohio, native led the Seminoles to the 2021 NCAA Tournament and a fourth-place finish in the ACC despite being picked eighth in the conference preseason poll. Since the league expanded to 15 teams in 2014-15, Wyckoff’s 2020-21 Seminoles were the first team to be picked as low as eighth and earn a Top 4 seed in the ACC Tournament
“Brooke has the qualities that make a successful head coach and I am very excited about the future of our program,” said Alford. “She has been a very important member of our staff over this historic period which established our basketball program as a perennial NCAA Tournament team and ACC title contender.
“She brings great energy and enthusiasm to the position. She is excellent at building relationships with her players. It is a great day for our women’s basketball program.”
Wyckoff is credited with skillfully navigating the Covid-impacted 2020-21 season that included 15 schedule changes, the loss of 65 percent of the team’s scoring from the season prior as well as being the only team in the nation to play a schedule consisting of all Power 5 opponents. She earned ESPNW National Coach of the Week honors after leading the Noles to a win over No. 3 Louisville in the regular season.
“It is hard to put into words what a humbling honor it is to be the next head coach at Florida State,” said Wyckoff. “When I stepped onto campus as a student-athlete 25 years ago, Coach Sue (Semrau) took me under her wing and showed me what it means to build something impactful and lasting here at Florida State.
“It is my great honor to be a part of the legacy of excellence at this university and with a program with a tradition built over the years. It is truly a full-circle moment for me and I am committed to serving our current and future players, alumni, community and university to the best of my ability every single day. Go Noles!”
As a senior, Wyckoff led the Seminoles to a 19-12 record and a berth in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, FSU’s first appearance in 10 years. She averaged 14.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game from her power forward position and was one of the nation’s top defenders.
Wyckoff was a standout player in the WNBA for nine seasons and brought a winning culture to Florida State where the Noles have reached three NCAA Sweet 16s and two Elite Eight since 2012.
Wyckoff is one of four FSU women’s basketball players whose jersey is retired. She was also inducted into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
Her experience and knowledge in coaching post players has produced All-America careers for Cierra Bravard, Natasha Howard, Adut Bulgak and Shakayla Thomas. Being fluent in Spanish, Wyckoff also attracted a strong pipeline of Spaniards in Leticia Romero, Leonor Rodriguez and Maria Conde – all of who have been Olympians in either 2016 or 2020.
Wyckoff is known as a strong recruiter, developing an FSU connection in her home state of Ohio and also attracting key players elsewhere. She has contributed to several Top 15 recruiting classes in her time at FSU, most recently securing the 13th-ranked class in 2021 in current freshmen O’Mariah Gordon, Makayla Timpson and Mariana Valenzuela.
Wyckoff has one daughter, Avery, and is married to Jose Ramon Esmoris. She is a founding member of Moms in Coaching, a group of mothers who coach basketball that meet every year at the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
Tagged with: ACC Brooke Wyckoff Florida State
