Rattlers Days Away from SWAC Cluster

10/6/2022 5:58:00 PM

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M volleyball team is days away from facing three stiff competitors, including the only other unbeaten team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, as it heads to Huntsville, Ala. Alabama A&M will host the first SWAC cluster tournament Oct. 2-3.

Sunday, Oct. 9
Grambling State (7-7, 4-0 SWAC) | 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-13, 2-2) | 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT

Monday, Oct. 10
Prairie View A&M (3-16, 1-2) | 10 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. CT

Those Striking Rattlers

FAMU (6-11, 3-0) and Grambling State (7-7, 4-0) are the only SWAC teams currently undefeated in league play
Florida A&M is coming off a 3-0 victory over Alabama A&M; the decision captured the team's 15th 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 52 at the helm of FAMU
FAMU manages four straight set wins this season (UNCG, NCAT, Bethune-Cookman, Alabama A&M)
Dominique Washington, the SWAC's reigning Player and Newcomer of the Year, guides the conference in kills (215); the grad is working 13-straight matches with 10-plus
Washington also ranks 22nd in the country in total attacks (683)
Aja Jones possesses the best hitting percentage in the SWAC (.338) while Irem Ucar maintains the most assists (358)
Ucar is the only athlete in the SWAC with 300 or more digs; she averages 9.42 per game
Brooke Hudson leads the conference and ranks 35th in the nation in digs (290)

In The SWAC
As a team, Florida A&M ranks "Top 3" in several SWAC categories, including:
Hitting Percentage | .187 | First
Assists | 717 | First
Assists Per Set | 11.03 | Second
Kills | 770 | First
Kills Per Set | 11.85 | Second
Total Blocks | 116.0 | First
Blocks Per Set | 1.78 | Third
Service Aces | 88 | T-First
Service Aces Per Set | 1.35 | Third
Digs | 917 | First
Digs Per Set | 14.11 | Third

SWAC Weekly Recognition
The Rattlers have secured 13 weekly awards this season. The most recent, announced Oct. 5, marked the second sweep of the season.

Brooke Hudson has received a team-best four weekly accolades, all defensive.

Oct. 5
Offensive Player & Newcomer of the Week – Brooke Lynn Watts
Defensive Player of the Week – Brooke Hudson
Setter of the Week – Irem Ucar

Sept. 28
Newcomer of the Week – Brooke Lynn Watts

Sept. 21
Defensive Player of the Week – Brooke Hudson
Setter of the Week – Irem Ucar

Sept. 14
Offensive Player of the Week – Dominique Washington
Defensive Player of the Week – Brooke Hudson
Setter of the Week – Irem Ucar
Newcomer of the Week – Aja Jones

Sept. 7
Defensive Player of the Week – Brooke Hudson
Setter & Newcomer of the Week – Nina Sharpton

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

Jones boasts the team's best hitting percentage (.338) and is also pacing the team and conference in total blocks (53.0), while Sharpton sits second on the team (fifth in the SWAC) in assists (233). Hudson manages a league-best 290 digs to go alongside 11 service aces.

Taylor ranks fourth on the team in aces with 12. Watts' statistical highlights include: 183 points (sixth in the SWAC); 162 kills (sixth in the SWAC); 13 service aces (second of the team); and 100 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

Print Friendly Version