Brennen Oxford expected Florida State to be one of the final 16 teams in 2024

The No. 8 national-seeded Florida State Seminoles dominated the Tallahassee Regional, securing their third straight win on Sunday to advance to the Super Regionals for a record 18th time in program history. Defeating Wofford 12-4 as they now look ahead to a three-game Super Regional series against UConn.

After missing out on the postseason entirely last year, the Seminoles have now bounced back and returned to NCAA Tournament glory this season. An outcome that senior left-handed pitcher Brennen Oxford forecasted last fall in an interesting moment despite the team’s 2023 shortcomings.

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“Yes. I think there was a day this fall where we had a practice on a Sunday sort of like today and it was abysmal,” Oxford admitted. “We played a three-inning scrimmage and it was trash in every aspect of the game.”

Even the greatest teams across all sports are prone to bad practices every once in a while. Which may have even seemed on brand for the Seminoles after winning just nine games in conference play last season and missing out on the ACC Tournament.

But Florida State head coach Link Jarrett‘s response to the Seminoles’ poor showing at practice let Oxford and his teammates know that the expectations were still high for their squad. Challenged to uphold a standard previously set by years of being one of college baseball’s premier programs.

“He sat us down in the dugout and I’ve never seen him so angry or upset at us,” Oxford said. “And when I saw that that’s sort of the expectation he had. That one bad day was just not gonna cut it because of the vision he had for this team, then I think we all sort of all got behind that and said if he thinks we can do it, he’s been around a lot longer than all of us have, so he knows.”

Jarrett has now led the Seminoles to their 45th win of the year following a 23-31 finish last season along with their first appearance in the Supers since 2019. Quickly turning things around in Tallahassee in his second season at the helm for Florida State.

Florida State outscored their Regional opponents 24-8 and will look to keep their momentum going this weekend. Hosting UConn in a three-game Super Regional series that starts on Friday at noon ET in a game airing on ESPN.