FLORIDAFIRST BANK TO PURCHASE SEVEN HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK BRANCHES IN FLORIDA

FloridaFirst  Bancorp,  Inc.  (Nasdaq NMS:  FFBK)  December 6, 2001.  Gregory C.
Wilkes,  President,  of FloridaFirst Bancorp,  Inc.  ("Company"),  the Lakeland,
Florida parent savings and loan holding company of  FloridaFirst  Bank ("Bank"),
announced  today that the Bank has signed a  definitive  agreement  to  purchase
seven  Florida  branches  from SunTrust  Bank  coincident  with SunTrust  Bank's
acquisition of such branches from Huntington National Bank ("Huntington").  Four
of these Huntington branches are located in Lakeland,  Florida,  and one each in
Avon Park and Sebring in Highlands County, and one branch in Wildwood,  Florida.
The  transaction  will  include  assumption  of  approximately  $165  million in
deposits and the purchase of approximately $25 million in loans related to these
seven branches. The Bank will pay a premium of approximately 7.6% of the deposit
liabilities being acquired. This transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

"We are pleased to have an opportunity to strengthen our presence in Polk County
and to expand  into two  contiguous  counties,"  commented  Wilkes.  "When  this
transaction  is complete,  FloridaFirst  Bank will have eighteen (18)  financial
service  centers  serving central  Florida.  Our  projections  indicate that the
transaction will be accretive to earnings in the first year" he added.

FloridaFirst  Bank has a reputation  for being a community  bank that focuses on
the needs of its customers,"  remarked Wilkes.  "This is an exciting opportunity
to offer our new  customers  the  continuation  of a wide range of products  and
services, while also giving them the personalized attention of a community bank.
Also, we are pleased to announce that,  once the transaction has been completed,
we anticipate retaining these branch employees."

As reported in the Company's  press release for the quarter ended  September 30,
2001,  the Company had total assets of $660  million and total  deposits of $400
million.

Statements  contained in this news release  which are not  historical  facts are
forward-looking  statements  as that term is defined in the  Private  Securities
Litigation  Reform Act of 1995. Such  forward-looking  statements are subject to
risks and  uncertainties  which could cause actual results to differ  materially
from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors,  which include, but
are not  limited  to,  factors  discussed  in  documents  filed by  FloridaFirst
Bancorp, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. The
Company does not  undertake to update any  forward-looking  statements,  whether
written  or oral,  that may be made  from  time to time by or on  behalf  of the
Company.

Visit our Website at www.floridafirstbank.com.  For further information, contact
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Kerry P. Charlet, Chief Financial Officer, at (863) 688-6811, extension 1004.