By Jerry Kutz
Special from the Osceola
Brooks and Peercy recognized
Derrick Brooks and Allison Peercy have been chosen as the ACC Outstanding Senior Scholarship Athletes for 1994-1995. The selection is made on a weighted scale, 25 percent based on academic excellence and citizenship, and 75 percent on athletic achievement. The award is given to the top student athletes at each Atlantic Coast Conference institution.
Brooks, a senior linebacker, led the football team in interceptions last year and was second in tackles. He carried a 3.2 grade point average earning a bachelor's degree in advertising and he earned academic All-America honors.
Peercy finished her senior year on the women's basketball team as FSU's all-time assist leader and led the 1994-95 squad on scoring. She maintained a 3.5 grade point average in elementary education.
In recognition of the honor, a $50,000 scholarship has been endowed by friends of Louis and Mart Hill. Lou Hill was national chairman of Seminole Boosters Inc., and Mart Hill has been a member of the FSU Foundation's Board of Trustees.
FSU extends pro draft streak
When Bob Sura was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 17th pick in June's NBA Draft, it was the third consecutive year Florida State has had at least one first-round pick in basketball, baseball and football. FSU was the only school to have that distinction each of those years.
Sura joined baseball counterparts Jonathan Johnson and David Yocum and football's Derrick Alexander, Derrick Brooks and Devin Bush to give FSU a total of six first-rounders this year. Last year, baseball's Paul Wilson, basketball's Charlie Ward and football's William Floyd did the honors. In 1993 it was pitcher John Wasdin, hoopsters Sam Cassell and Doug Edwards and linebacker Marvin Jones.
Sura became the fourth player from FSU's Elite Eight team of 1992-93 selected in the first round. Edwards was recently chosen by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the NBA's expansion draft after two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
Also, a total of 20 Florida State players were selected in the three drafts. That is believed to be a national high. FSU's 10 in football and nine in baseball tied for high marks nationally.
Baseball All draftees sign
Each of the nine FSU baseball players selected in the June 1 Major League draft has signed and reported to a minor league club. Jonathan Johnson, the number-seven overall pick of the Texas Rangers, received a reported $1.1-million signing bonus and guaranteed call-up to the bigs in 1996. Florida State also lost four underclassmen in pitcher David Yocum (first round, 20th overall, L.A. Dodgers, reported $800,000 signing bonus), first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz (fifth round, Minnesota Twins, $85,000 bonus plus three semesters of college tuition), second baseman Mickey Lopez (twelfth round, Milwaukee Brewers), and pitcher Phil Olson (20th round, New York Mets).
Former 'Noles in the pros
Currently, four former FSU baseball players are making a living in the Major Leagues. Deion Sanders, who was recently traded from the Reds to the San Francisco Giants, was batting .240 with a home run, 10 RBI and 16 stolen bases for Cincinnati. The others are Boston Red Sox second baseman Luis Alicea (.259-2-21), San Diego Padres second baseman Jody Reed (.263-1-17), and Cleveland Indians first baseman Paul Sorrento (.253-14-45).
Five former 'Noles have spent time in the bigs this season but are now back in the minors: pitchers Roger Bailey (Colorado Rockies), Tim Davis (Seattle Mariners), Richie Lewis (Florida Marlins) and Matt Dunbar (Marlins-traded to New York Yankees), and third baseman Eduardo Perez (California Angels).
Basketball 1988 graduation rate 100 percent
Florida State was among four Atlantic Coast Conference schools with a graduation rate of 100 percent for its 1988 basketball recruiting class. Given six years to graduate in a recent NCAA study, basketball players entering FSU, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Virginia all earned degrees.
FSU's 1988 class had two players, Byron Wells and Lorenzo Hands.
Schedule completed
Florida State's 1995-96 basketball schedule is complete and looks every bit as tough as last year's, which Basketball Times rated the nation's toughest.
Fourteen of FSU's 28 regular season games are scheduled for television. Besides nine regional broadcasts by Jefferson Pilot/Raycom, ABC will televise games against DePaul, Virginia and North Carolina while ESPN picks up contests with Connecticut and Duke.
Florida State will play 11 games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament in 1995.