What stands 5'6", blonde hair, big smile, hales from the upper Northwest, employs a feisty attitude, and is transforming a cellar dweller program at a football mecca into a conference contender in arguably the best league in all the nation? Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Sue Semrau--Yes, the always energized and never tiring head coach for the Lady Seminoles of Florida St University.Many outside the women's basketball landscape do not know about Coach Semrau, but those within the confines of women's NCAA hoops know all to well about this up and coming leader...a raw talent...a new figure head in the Atlantic Coast Conference.Coach Semrau hales from Seattle where she initially attended the University of Puget Sound before transferring to University of California-San Diego to play her collegiate ball. Following her playing days, Semrau joined forces with head coach Jane Albright-Dieterle at Northern Illinois in 1991 and then both went on to take over the program for the Baders of Wisconsin. Then, finally...a huge opportunity for Semrau to take on a struggling basketball program that had gone 0-16 the season prior and a program that continued to be in the shadows of the prestigious Florida State Football program and legendary coach Bobby Bowden. What could Sue be thinking? A huge risk for an untested assistant coach from the Big 10 and a risk that could play spoiler to her young career.An unproven program in the midst of woeful seasons, Coach Semrau wanted the challenge and opportunity to make her mark in the ACC--The year 1997.By the time the end of the 2000-2001 season, she sported a 19-12 record, a #25 national ranking, and garnered FSU's first winning season since 1991. The highlight of that season may have been FSU's massive upset of the ACC's elite coach Gail Goestenkors and national power Duke within the rabid confines of historic Cameron Indoor Stadium. She was honored by her peers for her drastic turnaround that season and was announced The Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of The Year! She rolled along the recruiting trail accumulating top 50 recruiting classes and orchestrated a football approach to her coaching philosphy placing associate head coach Cori Close as the offensive coordinator, assistant coach Lance White as the defensive coordinator, and Angie Johnson as the recruiting coordinator. Seemed clever considering her encircling football culture.Fast forward to 2004.The '04-05 season was initially met with sadness and despair as one of the heralded returning sophs, Ronalda Piece, suddenly died of an anortic aneurysm. Semrau and the FSU program was extremely hurt and many thought they would not be able to overcome this loss, but she never wavered. She rallied her troops and went 24-8 in the rugged ACC and made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament, and once again captured the attention of the media and her peers by being selected as ACC Coach of The Year again--her second such honor in 4 years.The 2005-2006 season was met with great success as well as her team celebrated 10 ACC victories and went 20-10 in the regular season and yet another NCAA appearance. In fact, this marked the first time since 1991 that FSU had back to back NCAA appearances.Semrau's passion for the Florida State program has translated into a great deal of success for the Seminoles. In her 10 years at the helm of the FSU program and with 155 victories, Semrau is the most winningest women's basketball coach in Florida State history. She has guided the Seminoles to double-digit victories in seven straight seasons, four straight postseason appearances, both program bests, and to three NCAA Tournaments - more than any other FSU women's basketball coach. Currently, she is 19-8 and 8-4 in conference play and continuing her football strategy with her personell. Ironically, the legendary FSU football program is now falling on tough pastures, but the 5'6" master mind, relentless recruiter, feisty blonde from Puget Sound is rising to the top of the coaching ranks and taking the Florida State Women's Basketball program to national prominence! Tallahassee has something to be proud of!
Dr Anthony Smith, a native of Convoy, Ohio, currently resides in Perrysburg, Ohio as a physician, and is a regular contributor to Galhoopsavenue.blogspot.com. He can be reached at anthonysmith101@msn.com
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