Undefeated Rattlers Welcome Bethune-Cookman Friday

10/19/2022 12:49:00 PM

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The undefeated Florida A&M volleyball team seeks its first success inside the Al Lawson Center this Friday (Oct. 21) when it hosts Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m.. The Rattlers kicked off their Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule with a 3-0 win over the Wildcats and have swept their Florida rival in their last three meetings.

Those Striking Rattlers

FAMU (11-11, 7-0) is the only SWAC team currently undefeated in league play
Florida A&M improved to .500 overall in a 3-0 victory at Mississippi Valley State; the decision captured the team's 20th consecutive victory over a SWAC opponent
The Rattlers claimed their first Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship title a season ago – in their inaugural season as league members
Gokhan Yilmaz secured his 50th career win as a head coach in a 3-0 decision over Alcorn State (Oct. 10) last year; he compiled 17 in a single season at Charlotte (2014-15) and currently manages 57 at the helm of FAMU
FAMU has recorded seven straight-set wins this season (five against SWAC opponents)
Dominique Washington, the SWAC's reigning Player and Newcomer of the Year, guides the conference in kills (284); the grad is working 18-straight matches with 10-plus
Washington also ranks 27th in the country in total attacks (833)
Aja Jones possesses the best hitting percentage in the SWAC (.371) while Irem Ucar maintains the most assists (539)
Ucar is the only athlete in the SWAC with 400 or more assists; she averages 9.8 per game
Brooke Hudson leads the conference and ranks 41st in the nation in digs (349)

All-Time Greats
In just two seasons with the Green and Orange, Ucar sees her name listed amongst the Rattler greats in career assists. The red-shirt senior possesses 1,735 at FAMU to rank fifth all-time.

1. Tracy Parker | 1993-96 | 4,960
2. Mariela Portocarrero | 2001-04 | 3,872
3. Delisha Peterson | 1999-02 | 2,725
4. Zaire Manzo | 2006-07 | 2,236
5. Irem Ucar | 2021-Present | 1,735

Washington is 50 kills away from etching her name into FAMU's record book as a Top 10 career leader. She already ranks 10th in total attacks (2,158).

Career Attacks
1. Adriana Kostadinova | 2002-05 | 3,441
2. Maria Andonova | 2003-06 | 3,168
3. Jovana Blazeski | 2007-09 | 3,027
…
9. Kim Funchess | 1985-88 | 2,544
10. Dominique Washington | 2021-Present | 2,158

Career Kills
1. Kim Funchess | 1985-88 |1,569
2. Adriana Kostinova | 2002-05 | 1,563
3. Maria Andonova | 2003-06 | 1,547
…
9. Chaon Graham | 1991-94 | 945
10. Emerald Smith | 1995-98 | 897

In The SWAC
As a team, Florida A&M ranks "Top 3" in several SWAC categories, including:

Hitting Percentage | .205 | Second
Assists | 947 | First
Assists Per Set | 11.55 | First
Kills | 1,026 | First
Kills Per Set | 12.51 | First
Total Blocks | 144.0 | Third
Blocks Per Set | 1.76 | Third
Service Aces | 122 | Third
Digs | 1,169 | First
Digs Per Set | 14.26 | Second

The Newcomers
All five Rattler newcomers have received considerable playing time this season.

Aja Jones boasts the SWAC's best hitting percentage (.371) and is also pacing the team in total blocks (60.0), while Nina Sharpton sits second on the team (fifth in the SWAC) in assists (252). Brooke Hudson manages a league-best 349 digs; Jada Taylor adds 64 and ranks fourth on the team in aces with 12.

Watts' statistical highlights include: 239 points (fifth in the SWAC); 213 kills (fourth in the SWAC); and 140 digs (third on the team).

#1 Jada Taylor | L | 5-5 | Jr. | Chicago, Ill. / Grambling State
#2 Brooke Lynn Watts | OH | 5-9 | So. | Odenton, Md. / Murray State
#8 Nina Sharpton | S | 5-10 | R-Sr. | Palm Beach, Fla. / N.C. State
#9 Brooke Hudson | DS | 5-3 | Sr. | Houston, Texas / Colorado State
#11 Aja Jones | MB | 6-1 | Sr. | Venice, Fla. / Florida Gulf Coast University

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