Florida State's women are heading to the NCAA Tournament for a fifth straight year and Coach Sue Semrau has a bigger smile each time.
"Every year is more special than the last," Semrau said Monday evening after learning her 12th-ranked Seminoles would start this year's tournament play in Duluth, Ga., an Atlanta suburb that's roughly a five-hour drive from the Florida State campus.
Semrau's Seminoles (25-7) earned a No. 3 seed in the Trenton (N.J.) Region and will meet North Carolina A&T (26-6), a No. 14 seed, Saturday.
"We're thrilled to be this close to home," said Semrau, who has started tournament play in recent years in California, Colorado and Iowa. "It's nice to be somewhere where our fans can travel to see us."
If the Seminoles win their first-round game they will meet either Arizona State or Georgia, with the winner of that game advancing to the Sweet 16.
The Seminoles shared the regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference title and lost to Duke in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.
Undefeated UConn is the top-seeded team in the Trenton Region that also includes Florida, Texas A&M and Virginia - teams the Seminoles played during the season.
"It gives you a sense of familiarity," Semrau said. "Not only have we played these teams, but beat some of them."
FSU senior guard Mara Freshour said the team was excited about starting play in Duluth.
"Half of our team is from Georgia," said Freshour, who is from Nashville, Ind. "No region was going to be easy. Anybody could be a tough game."
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