By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
The Florida A&M Rattlers are champions once again. On Sunday, they defeated Jackson State 3-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship match held at Grambling State University’s Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center in Grambling, Louisiana. This victory marks FAMU’s third SWAC title in four years, adding to their 2021 and 2022 championship wins.
FAMU claimed the championship by winning three of the four sets: 25-23 in the first and second sets, and a commanding 25-15 victory in the fourth set. Jackson State took the third set with a decisive 25-8 win but could not maintain momentum.
The Rattlers’ performance was powered by outside hitters Brooke Lynn Watts and Jada Rhodes, who combined for 25 kills. Watts also recorded her 11th double-double of the season with 15 digs. Middle hitter Isis Williams was a defensive force, tallying a season-high 10 blocks while contributing five kills and five digs. Setter Makenzie Taylor led the team with 16 assists, and libero Tinons Galmés anchored the defense with a match-high 19 digs.
FAMU’s path to the championship included a 3-1 victory over Grambling State in the opening round on Friday and a 3-0 sweep of Bethune-Cookman in Saturday’s semifinals.
The Rattlers’ SWAC Championship win secures them an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Their first-round opponent will be revealed during the NCAA selection show on Sunday, Dec. 1, broadcast on ESPN. The tournament kicks off on Thursday, Dec. 5.
FAMU enters the NCAA Tournament with an impressive 27-6 record, their best single-season performance under head coach Gokhan Yilmaz.
