In what has become almost an annual tradition at this point, Florida State soccer's path to this year's College Cup runs through the Seminole Soccer Complex.

The Seminoles found out Monday they will once again be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with all four of their potential matches before the College Cup in Cary, N.C., set to be played at their home stadium.

It's the third time in as many seasons under head coach Brian Pensky and the seventh straight year overall that FSU earned a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Considering FSU is 60-2 (.967) all-time in home postseason games, that sets up quite the home-field advantage for the Seminoles entering their NCAA Tournament opener Friday (5 p.m. on ESPN+) vs. Samford (12-6-3). FSU looks to advance to its fifth consecutive College Cup and repeat as national champions.

"It's massive," Pensky said of FSU's home-field advantage for the start of its NCAA Tournament run. "We just played essentially an away game against (North) Carolina in Cary (in the ACC Championship). You look up in the stands, there's a whole sea of blue with a little pocket of garnet. To know that for each game, we're going to have our fans, our students, our parents, all the people from the community. And on our own practice field. It's where we train, it's our home. We'll walk out from our locker room, we'll sleep in our own beds, we won't have to get on any planes, any buses. It all matters a lot."

About a month ago, it seemed quite unlikely the Seminoles would be able to earn another No. 1 seed. After FSU lost consecutive games at Wake Forest and Virginia Tech in early October, the Seminoles plummeted to 22nd in the United Soccer Coaches poll.

Since that point, FSU has won its last eight matches by a combined margin of 23-7, bringing home the program's fifth straight ACC Championship last weekend vs. UNC.

"I feel like it had to be after that Boston College game where we got our first win after the two losses we had previously," freshman forward Wrianna Hudson said when asked when things began to change. "I think that's when we realized where we are as a team and the kinks that we needed to iron out. That game was monumental."

After he had some concerns about his team's physicality earlier this season, Pensky is now very confident from what he saw last weekend in the ACC Tournament.

"Very ready. I think (physicality is) one thing that we really took a step up in from that Wake, Virginia Tech weekend. We pretty much got bullied all weekend..." Pensky said. "We've become a more physical team, but then on Sunday, we stepped up another level."

Follow The Osceola on Facebook

Follow The Osceola on Twitter

Subscribe to the Osceola's YouTube channel

Subscribe to the Osceola's podcasts on Apple