Rattler Volleyball: SWAC Tournament Preview

11/15/2022 1:29:00 PM

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | It's tournament time for the Florida A&M volleyball team. The defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions recently claimed another title – sharing the regular season honors with Alabama State – and will enter the upcoming league tournament as the No. 2 seed.

The 2022 SWAC Volleyball Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 18-20 and will be played inside H&PE Arena on the campus of Texas Southern.

Quarterfinals (Friday, Nov. 18)
No. 2 Florida A&M vs. No. 7 Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET | SWAC Digital Network

Should the Rattlers advance to the semifinals, they will face either No. 3 Grambling State or No. 6 Bethune-Cookman Saturday (Nov. 19) at 4:30 p.m. CT / 5:30 p.m. ET. The championship match, streaming live on ESPN3, is set for Sunday (Nov. 20) at 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET.

The tournament quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be broadcasted live on the SWAC Digital Network.

Those Striking Rattlers

FAMU saw its undefeated streak come to an end in a 3-1 decision to Alabama State; the team was previously 12-0 in SWAC play and had won 24 consecutive matches versus conference opponents
It finished its regular season 18-12 overall, 15-1 in the SWAC, en route to regular season co-champion honors; Alabama State and FAMU each manage one conference loss this season (FAMU defeated ASU, 3-2, in their first meeting (Oct. 2) and ASU responded with a 3-1 win (Nov. 6))
The Rattlers claimed their first Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship title a year 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 64 at the helm of FAMU
FAMU has recorded 12 straight-set wins this season (10 against SWAC opponents)
Dominique Washington, the SWAC's reigning Player and Newcomer of the Year, ranks No. 1 in the conference in kills (391) and total points (443.5)
Aja Jones possesses the best hitting percentage in the SWAC (.342)
Irem Ucar, the 2021 SWAC Setter of the Year, maintains a league-best 836 assists, and is the only athlete in the SWAC with at least 600; she averages 10.20 assists per game
Rattler newcomer Brooke Hudson leads the conference with 487 digs, which is also the third most in FAMU's single season records

All-Time Greats
In just two seasons with the Orange and Green, Ucar sees her name listed amongst the Rattler greats in career assists. The red-shirt senior possesses 2,032 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 | 2,032

Washington also adds career records to an already impressive resume, as she sits eighth in kills and 10th in total attacks.

Career Kills
1. Kim Funchess | 1985-88 |1,569
2. Adriana Kostinova | 2002-05 | 1,563
3. Maria Andonova | 2003-06 | 1,547
…
7. Brandi Charleston | 1993-96 | 1,026
8. Dominique Washington | 2021-Present | 955

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 | 2,417

FAMU Single-Season Records

Kills
1. Maria Andonova | 2006 | 614
2. Dominique Washington | 2021 | 564
3. Kim Funchess | 1987 | 523

Total Attacks
1. Maria Andonova | 2006 | 1,437
2. Dominique Washington | 2021 | 1,325
3. Iva Lakic | 2007 | 1,240
…
6. Dominique Washington | 2022 | 1,092

Assists
1. Tracy Parker | 1993 | 1,570
2. Tracy Parker | 1994 | 1,346
3. Irem Ucar | 2021 | 1,196

Digs
1. Rosa Rojas | 2006 | 526
2. Emerald Smith | 1995 | 523
3. Brooke Hudson | 2022 | 487

SWAC Weekly Recognition
The Rattlers have secured 18 weekly awards this season; the most recent was announced Nov. 9, when Brooke Lynn Watts was named newcomer of the week. The sophomore outside hitter joins Hudson with a team-best five weekly accolades. Watts was a significant contributor in the Rattler's split weekend versus Alabama State and Alabama A&M recording 20 kills (3.33 kills per set), 19 digs (3.17 digs per set), and four blocks.

Nov. 9
Newcomer of the Week - Brooke Lynn Watts

Nov. 3
Defensive Player of the Week – Brooke Hudson
Setter of the Week – Irem Ucar

Oct. 19
Newcomer of the Week - Brooke Lynn Watts
Setter of the Week – Irem Ucar

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

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