FSU named Luke Loucks head coach of the men’s basketball program on March 9, 2025. Loucks was a former Seminole and two-time NBA champion as part of the Golden State Warriors coaching staff.
The most successful coach in Florida State history, Leonard Hamilton is the Seminoles’ all-time winningest coach and is the fifth all-time winningest coach in ACC history. He became the Seminoles’ winningest coach as Florida State defeated Pittsburgh on March 7, 2015 and became the fifth all-time winningest coach in ACC history as he guided the Seminoles past Syracuse on February 15, 2020. He is the fifth winningest all-time coach in ACC history with 404 total wins and 203 ACC wins (ACC regular season and ACC Tournament games). In 2020, he led Florida State to the first ACC Regular Season Championship in school history. The Seminoles finished ACC play with a 16-4 record — the 16 wins established a school record for ACC wins in a season. The Seminoles finished the 2020 season ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll — the highest final national ranking in school history. Hamilton was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 2020 for the third time in his career. In 2019, he guided the Seminoles to a school-record 29 victories. The Seminoles’ 2019 team also defeated six nationally ranked teams, advanced to the ACC Tournament Championship game and to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Coupled with the Seminoles’ appearance in the Elite Eight of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, the 2019 season marked the second time in school history the Seminoles had advanced to at least the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons.
Steve Robinson was named the sixth head coach in Florida State basketball history on July 1, 1997 and he made an immediate impact on the Seminole program. Robinson’s first season at FSU saw the Tribe return to national prominence. Florida State went 18-14, earned an atlarge bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the tourney’s second round. The Seminoles also reappeared in the Associated Press Top 25 with a peak at No. 13, finished as Preseason National Invitation Tournament runners-up and defeated defending national champion Arizona.
Pat Kennedy is credited with leading the Florida State program back to national prominence. Kennedy registered a Metro Conference regular season and tournament championship before the school joined the ACC in 1991-92. Kennedy led the Seminoles to five NCAA Tournament berths and two NIT appearances in his 11 years. FSU advanced to the Elite Eight of the 1993 NCAA Tournament, marking the second-best season in FSU history. Florida State went 202-131 under Kennedy, posting a .607 winning percentage in his 11 seasons. Kennedy set a then-record for road wins and total ACC wins by a first-year coach with six and 11, respectively.
Joe Williams took over as head coach of the Seminoles in 1978 after very successful stops at Jacksonville (1964-70) and Furman (1970-78). He led the FSU program for eight seasons and won 129 games while losing 105. He took Florida State to the NCAA Tournament in 1979-80 (1-1) and to the National Invitation Tournament in 1983-84 (1-1). The Seminoles had two 20-win seasons under his tenure.
Hugh Durham’s tenure at Florida State included four 20-win seasons and saw the program play for the National Championship in 1972. Durham led the Seminoles to a 229-96 record and his .705 winning percentage was among the nation’s best. He took FSU to three NCAA Tournaments. Durham also made an impact with the Florida State program as a player in the late 1950’s. From 1956-59 he scored 1,381 points, an average of 18.9 per game. His name is still prominent in many FSU records lists.
J.K. Kennedy was better known as “Bud” during his 18 years as head coach of the Florida State program. A warm and compassionate man, Kennedy led the Seminoles from a limited program to major college status. He compiled a record of 234-208 from 1948-49 to 1965-66. His finest single season came in 1954-55 when he coached the Tribe, led by future Hall of Famers Jimmy Oler and Ham Wernke.
Don Loucks, one of the most respected members of the Florida State athletic family, was the first coach of men’s intercollegiate basketball at FSU. He guided the team to a 5-13 record during the 1947-48 season. Loucks would go on to become a member of FSU’s Hall of Fame after six decades with the University. The tennis courts at FSU are named in honor of Don Loucks.
