Florida State University Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox announced today the contract extension of women’s basketball head coach Sue Semrau through the 2019-2020 season.

“Sue’s 18 seasons of sustained success at Florida State place her in an exclusive group nationally among her peers,” Wilcox said. “Our student-athletes and the Tallahassee community have been the direct beneficiary of her long-standing commitment to excellence.

“I am very pleased to announce her contract extension.”

What started as an enormous task in rebuilding and resurrecting FSU’s Women’s Hoops program in 1997 has turned out to be a great success for Semrau. The winningest head coach in program history has recorded 348 victories that include two NCAA Elite Eight appearances (2010, 2015), three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances (2007, 2010, 2015) and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.

“It is an honor to continue as the head women’s basketball coach at Florida State University for the foreseeable future,” Semrau said. “FSU has a culture of excellence, both academically and athletically, that I am proud to be a part of. Thank you to President Thrasher and our Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox for having faith in me and allowing my time at this great university to continue into the next decade.”

Semrau is coming off of a record breaking 2014-2015 season. She was recognized for her hard work and that of her team when she was named National Coach of the Year by three different organizations (Associated Press, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and ESPNW). The Seminoles, comprised in large part of players with one or less years of experience in a Florida State uniform, set program records for total wins in a season (32), ACC wins (14), wins versus Top 25 opponents (6) and regular-season victories (27). FSU went undefeated at home in the Donald L. Tucker Center (16-0), appeared in the ACC Tournament Championship Finals and reached the NCAA Elite Eight.

Throughout her tenure at FSU, Semrau and her teams have compiled an impressive list of accolades and achievements. A Seattle, Wash., native, Semrau has coached 22 All-ACC players and has totaled 40 All-ACC selections. Fifteen of her players have signed professional contracts to play basketball in the WNBA and overseas, highlighted most recently by Natasha Howard, a three-time All-ACC First Team selection, who was chosen fifth overall in the 2014 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.

“Coach Semrau has done an outstanding job of coaching her players both on and off the court,” said FSU President John Thrasher. “Her focus on academic success and teaching her teams to be leaders on campus and in the larger community by contributing their time and effort to help others reflects so well on her program and the entire university.”

Semrau’s credentials since taking over the head coaching job at FSU on June 13, 1997, are endless – she is a four-time ACC Coach of the Year (2001, 2005, 2009, 2015), which is the most among active ACC head coaches. Prior to her tenure at FSU, the program had not recorded a 20-win season since the 1990-91 year. She has guided the Seminoles to nine 20-win campaigns, including nine of her last 11 years.

Semrau’s leadership and impact reach far beyond the basketball court. Her emphasis on the importance of performance in the classroom has produced All-ACC Academic honors for 28 of her student-athletes. Semrau and her players are fixtures in the community both in the Big Bend area and nationally, donating their time to serving the community with organizations such as Samaritan’s Feet and Girls on the Run. In 2013, Semrau was presented with the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award given by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Also a leader among her women’s basketball peers on the national level, Semrau recently completed a two-year term as president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, where she helped champion several ground-breaking initiatives, including the new NCAA rule changes that will improve game flow for the upcoming 2015-16 season, such as going from two 20-minute halves to four 10-minute quarters.

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Photo Courtesy Florida State Athletics

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