Rattlers Set to Return to NCAA Tournament, Gainesville

11/30/2022 7:26:00 AM

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M volleyball team returns to Gainesville Friday (Dec. 2) for its 13th trip to the NCAA Tournament, where it will meet Florida in an opening-round match.

The outing will be carried live on ESPN+.

Gainesville First & Second Rounds
First Round | Friday, Dec. 2
Florida A&M at Florida - 7 p.m.
Second Round | Saturday, Dec. 3
Winner of FAMU/UF vs. Winner of Florida Gulf Coast/Iowa State - 7 p.m.

Ticket Information
Florida will serve as the site host for the first and second rounds of the 2022 NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament. General admission tickets will go on sale Monday at 9 a.m. and can be purchased online, at the Gator Ticket Office, or by calling the Gator Ticket Office at 352-375-4683.

All-Session Tickets
Reserved Seating – $15
Adult General Admission – $12
Child General Admission (12 & U) – $8
Loge Seats – $30
Courtside Seats – $40

Single-Match Tickets
Reserved Seating – $10
Adult General Admission – $8
Child General Admission (12 & U) – $5

Those Striking Rattlers

Florida A&M claimed its second Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament title in a 3-0 victory over the top-seed, Alabama State (Nov. 20) – the two were crowned co-regular season champions with mirror 15-1 records (FAMU defeated ASU, 3-2, in their first meeting (Oct. 2) and ASU responded with a 3-1 decision in the second (Nov. 6))
The Rattlers enter the NCAA Tournament having won 18 of their last 19 outings; before the 3-1 regular-season loss to Alabama State (Nov. 6), FAMU was 12-0 in SWAC play and had recorded 24 consecutive wins versus conference opponents
Gokhan Yilmaz compiled 17 victories at Charlotte (2014-15) and currently manages 67 at the helm of FAMU; he has coached the Rattlers to back-to-back, 20-win seasons
FAMU boasts 15 straight-set wins this year (13 against SWAC opponents; three occurred in the SWAC Tournament)
Dominique Washington, named the SWAC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons, 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 & 2022 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 match
The SWAC Libero of the Year, Brooke Hudson, leads the conference with 487 digs, a school single-season record

NCAA Tournament Appearances
The Rattlers have 12 NCAA appearances under their belt, with nine straight qualifications from 2001-2009. Their postseason record is 1-10, with their lone win occurring in a 3-0 victory over Winthrop in 2003.

FAMU has met Florida five times in NCAA tournament play, most recently in the opening round of the 2021 event.

2021 NCAA First Round
Florida def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-8)

2009 NCAA First Round
Jacksonville State def. Florida A&M, 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13)

2008 NCAA First Round
Florida def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-15)

2007 NCAA First Round
Oklahoma def. Florida A&M, 3-1 (30-25, 32-30, 29-31, 30-14)

2006 NCAA First Round
Florida def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (30-18, 30-16, 30-26)

2005 NCAA First Round
Kansas State def. Florida A&M, 3-1 (27-30, 30-14, 30-27, 30-28)

2004 NCAA First Round
Florida def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (30-19, 30-25, 30-23)

2003 NCAA First Round
Florida A&M def. Winthrop, 3-0 (30-19, 30-16, 30-27)

2003 NCAA Second Round
Georgia Tech def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (30-25, 34-32, 30-25)

2002 NCAA First Round
Georgia Tech def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (30-21, 30-27, 30-17)

2001 NCAA First Round
Florida def. Florida A&M, 3-0 (30-20, 30-13, 30-22)

Rattlers Headline SWAC Postseason Awards
Dominique Washington - Player of the Year/All-SWAC First Team (Outside Hitter)
Irem Ucar - Setter of the Year/All-SWAC First Team (Setter)
Brooke Hudson - Libero of the Year/All-SWAC First Team (Libero)
Brooke Lynn Watts – Newcomer of the Year/All-SWAC First Team (Outside Hitter)
Aja Jones – All-SWAC Second Team (Middle Hitter)

All-Time Greats
In just two seasons with the Orange and Green, Irem Ucar sees her name listed amongst the Rattler greats in career assists. The red-shirt senior possesses 2,141 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 | 2,141

Dominique 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 | 985

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 | 2,499

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
4. Dominique Washington | 2022 | 1,174

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

Digs
1. Brooke Hudson | 2022 | 542
2. Rosa Rojas | 2006 | 526
3. Emerald Smith | 1995 | 523

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