Florida Senate declares FSU national champs after NCAA cancels men’s basketball tournament

They won’t get a chance to play for the NCAA championship on the court, but the Florida State men’s basketball team is the winner, at least on paper.

Late Friday, the Florida state Senate voted 37-2 to declare the Seminoles the national champions.

The Seminoles were 26-5 on the season and won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title. They were No. 4 in the most recent Associated Press top 25 poll and could have earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before the coronavirus pandemic forced its cancellation.

The Senate took care of the unfinished business.

“Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

“That the Florida State University Seminoles basketball team, by virtue of tremendous skill on the court and the heart and spirit shown by the players and coaches this basketball season, is declared the 2020 National College Athletic Association basketball champions by default upon cancellation of the NCAA tournament due to concerns raised by the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to Coach Leonard Hamilton and Florida State University President John Thrasher as a tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.”

State Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), a Florida State alum, introduced the symbolic resolution.

“The (virus) will continue to impact all areas of our life but this is Florida State’s year,” Gruters tweeted. “Congratulations to our 2020 National Champions and Go Noles! #FSU”

–Field Level Media