TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champions officially open their 2023 season with three matches in the UAB Invitational (August 25-27). Florida A&M is scheduled to meet Austin Peay, Buffalo, and Alabama at Birmingham. 
 
UAB Invitational | Birmingham, Ala. 
 
August 25
Austin Peay | 4 p.m.
 
August 26
Buffalo | 1 p.m.
 
August 27
UAB | 2 p.m. 
 
Recapping Another Historic Season 

• Florida A&M claimed its second Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament title in a 3-0 victory over the top-seed, Alabama State – the two were crowned co-regular season champions with mirror 15-1 conference records 
• The team finished the 2022 season 21-13 overall, further highlighted by a 12-match winning spell and 15 straight-set victories 
• Head coach Gokhan Yilmaz compiled 17 victories at Charlotte (2014-15) and currently manages 67 at the helm of FAMU; Yilmaz enters his sixth season having coached Florida A&M to back-to-back 20 win seasons with a pair of SWAC titles 
• FAMU swept conference accolades with the Player of the Year (Dominique Washington), Setter of the Year (Irem Ucar), Libero of the Year (Brooke Hudson), and Newcomer of the Year (Brooke Lynn Watts); Hudson and Watts are set to return this upcoming season

Key Returners 
Watts was recently named the SWAC's Preseason Player of the Year while Hudson was elected the Preseason Libero of the Year. The preseason list also saw the two named First Team All-SWAC. Emerald Jacobs and Isis Williams were second team selections. 

#2 Brooke Lynn Watts | OH | 5-9 | Jr. | Odenton, Md. / Murray State
#9 Brooke Hudson | L/DS | 5-3 | Gr. | Houston, Texas / Colorado State
#10 Isis Williams | MH | 6-2 | R-Sr. | Lewisville, Texas / Lewisville HS
#17 Emerald Jacobs | OH | 5-10 | R-Jr. | Houston, Texas / Klein Oak HS

Newcomers
The Rattlers welcomed nine newcomers this offseason – four true freshman and five transfers. 

#1 London Hatch | S | 5-9 | Jr. | Olympia Fields, Ill. / Lamar University
#3 Shelby Chamblin | OH | 5-8 | Fr. | Atlanta, Ga. / Whitewater HS
#5 Alexandra Koleva | S | 5-9 | Jr. | Sofia, Bulgaria / Miami Dade College
#8 Kaitlyn Scroggins | L/DS | 5-7 | Gr. | Pearland, Texas / Texas Southern University
#13 Iyonnie Sanford | OH |6-1 | Fr. | Fort Walton Beach, Fla. / Choctawhatchee
#14 Autumn Hamilton | RH | 6-2 | Sr. | Chamblee, Ga. / University of Memphis
#15 Camilia De La Rosa Herrera | S | 5-9 | Gr. | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic / Florida International University
#19 Sydney Humes | L/DS  | 5-5 | Fr. | Homewood, Ala. / Homewood HS
#22 Milana Thornton | M | 6-1 | Fr. | Atlanta, Ga. / Kennesaw Mountain HS

Next Up
The Rattlers head to the First Coast for the Jacksonville University Invitational (Sept. 1-2).