Viera senior Michael Toppi made his college decision this past week as Florida State University will now take one of the top in-state distance recruits off the board and keep him in the state of Florida. Toppi announced on social media on Thursday that he will join the Noles next fall and be their first big commit of the 2022 class.
Their 2021 freshmen class of distance recruits were led by sub 9-minute two-miler Bradley Anderson Ball of Nease and two more top tier runners that were also Florida's homegrown in Mac Updike of Lake Wales and Wynne Thomas of HB Plant.
Toppi could certainly make an instant impact on the FSU program headed by long-time coach Bob Braman. Toppi joined a select group of past Florida high school runners to ever break 15 minutes for 5K in cross country with a runner-up 14:55 personal best run at the New World Fall Spectacular last weekend in Jacksonville.
This past spring, Toppi also clocked personal best times of 4:15 for 1600 meters and 9:08 for 3200 meters an All-State finisher in both races for the 4A classification.
The front runner for the top-ranked team in the entire state of Florida currently at Viera, Toppi will be looking to go out as a state champion with his squad at season's end while also being arguably Rheinhardt Harrison's greatest threat and challenger individually for the 4A state title.