FAMU Volleyball Claims Fourth SWAC Title in Five Years
By: Nay’Ron Jenkins, Staff Writer

The Florida A&M volleyball team added another championship on Sunday afternoon, captured the SWAC Championship for the fourth time in five seasons. The Rattlers defated the Southern Jaguars 3 sets to 1.

From the opening whistle, FAMU controlled the tempo with aggressive serving and a balanced offensive attack. Their defensive pressure kept the Jaguars hitters off rhythm, allowing the Rattlers to build momentum early and never look back.

Head coach, Gokhan Yilmaz, who has led the team through all four titles in this five-year stretch, said the win reflected the program’s commitment to consistency.

“This group never quit,” Yilmaz said. “Every day they came hungry, wanting to get better. Championships don’t happen on game day they happen in practice, and this team understood that.”

Players and fans celebrated at midcourt after match point in the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center. The team that had a balance of veterans and underclassmen shows a pattern of sustained excellence.

Coach Yilmaz credits the lady's resilience through a rough start to the regular season.

“As a team we talked about how hard it was going to be to fight back to the top of the conference,” Coach Yilmaz said. “They knew it was possible and believed in me but they also believed in themselves to get it done.”

With the SWAC championship secured, the Rattlers now shift their focus toward the NCAA Tournament, where they’ll look to compete on a national stage. The Rattlers opponent has yet to be announced, but the NCAA Tournament selection show is Sunday Nov. 30th at 6 p.m.

For the fourth time in five years, the Rattlers have hoisted the trophy to continue one of the SWAC’s most dominant runs.

Lady Rattlers pose after their SWAC Championship win over Southern at the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center.