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Several Seminoles competing, coaching in Tokyo Olympics

Izaak Bastian (swimming), Nick Lucena (volleyball) have South Florida ties
Izaak Bastian, Florida State Seminoles swimmer in Tokyo Olympics
Posted at 2:02 PM, Jul 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-22 14:02:56-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Several Seminoles will be representing their respective countries in the Tokyo Olympics.

Headlining the list of Florida State athletes who will be competing in Tokyo is swimmer Izaak Bastian, who will represent the Bahamas in Tokyo.

Bastian, who hails from Nassau, Bahamas, was a standout swimmer for St. Andrew's School in Boca Raton.

He is the fifth athlete with ties to FSU swimming and diving to earn a trip to Tokyo -- the second-most in school history behind the six representatives in 1996. The Seminoles also sent five swimmers to the Olympics in 2000 and 2004.

Bastian joins Katrina Young (U.S.), Ida Hulkko (Finland), Emir Muratovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Julio Horrego (Honduras) in Tokyo.

Katrina Young performs at 2019 diving tournament in South Korea
Katrina Young performs in the mixed team event diving final at the World Swimming Championships, Tuesday, July 16, 2019, in Gwangju, South Korea.

FSU head diving coach John Proctor will also serve as a personal coach for the U.S. team.

In other spots, Nick Lucena will represent the U.S. in men's volleyball. Lucena, who grew up in Davie, graduated from FSU and is married to Brooke Niles, the head coach of FSU's beach volleyball team.

Nick Lucena, beach volleyball player, in 2012
Nick Lucena receives the ball during the men's match against Swiss pair Sebastian Chevallier and Sascha Heyer in the Beach Volleyball World Tour Grand Slam at Jinshan, outskirts of Shanghai, China, Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Luke Loucks, who helped lead the Seminoles to their first Atlantic Coast Conference basketball championship in 2012, will serve as an assistant coach with the Nigerian national team. He is a player development coach for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Nigeria's head coach, Mike Brown, is an assistant coach for Golden State.

Luke Loucks celebrates after making game-winning basket vs. Duke Blue Devils in 2012 ACC Tournament
Florida State guard Luke Loucks celebrates after making the last basket of the game as Duke forward Josh Hairston reacts in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Saturday, March 10, 2012, in Atlanta. Florida State won 62-59.

Two former Seminoles will suit up for the Spanish national women's basketball team. Maria Conde played at FSU from 2015-17, while Leonor Rodriguez played for the Seminoles from 2009-13. Rodriguez also represented Spain in the 2016 Olympics.