Athlete Testimonies:

Sue Semrau

The phone call came at 3 a.m. "Coach, I have some bad news. They took Ronaldo to the hospital and she didn't make it," said her roommate, Florida State guard Alicia Gladden. How could this be, Florida State Women's Basketball Head Coach Sue Semrau wondered?

Now, as the Seminoles headed into what many believed would be a "make-or-break" season for Semrau and her staff, they would face it without the top six scorers from 2003-04. Hired in 1997 to rebuild Florida State's women's basketball team, she had enjoyed only two winning seasons so far. However, Semrau's faith did not waiver. Despite the record, the coach believed she was accomplishing what she set out to do. She felt that God had put her at FSU to build a national program despite the degree of difficulty involved.

While the skeptics wondered if FSU would even win a game in the tough ACC, the Seminoles would go on to finish 24-8, fourth on the ACC, and earn a trip to the NCAA tournament. "I think I realized that God's blessing is not in what we human beings always think is good. His blessing can also be a difficult thing for us," says Semrau.

Uncommon Challenge