TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M volleyball team officially opens its 2024 season on the road at the GSU Invitational (Aug. 30-31). The two-day meet will be hosted by Georgia State at the GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta.
 
GSU Invitational (Aug. 30-31)
 
Friday, Aug. 30 
vs. South Dakota State | 11 a.m.
vs. Indiana State | 4:30 p.m. 
 
Saturday, Aug. 31
at Georgia State | 2 p.m. 
 
Live stats will be available for all three matches. The match against GSU will be live streamed on ESPN+. 
 
Exhibition Action
 
Florida A&M's 2024 season didn't begin as hoped with a 3-1 defeat to West Florida (25-22, 23-25, 19-25, 23-25). Brooke Lynn Watts finished with a match-high 19.5 points (14 kills, four aces, and three assisted blocks) and newcomer Jada Rhodes added seven kills. Both wrapped play with seven digs.
 
A Year Ago

• Florida A&M reached the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship match for the third consecutive season but fell short of a three-peat, losing 3-0 to Jackson State.
• The Rattlers finished the season with an 18-14 overall record and a 12-4 mark in SWAC play. Before facing JSU in the title match, they were riding an eight-match winning streak.
• Brooke Hudson was honored as the SWAC Libero of the Year and earned First Team All-SWAC honors alongside Brooke Lynn Watts and Camila De La Rosa. Isis Williams and Iyonnie Sanford were named to the Second Team All-SWAC.

Key Returners
The Rattlers enter the 2024 season without two-time Libero of the Year Brooke Hudson and their key facilitator Camila De La Rosa. However, they return three pivotal contributors: Brooke Lynn Watts, Isis Williams, and Iyonnie Sanford. The trio recently received SWAC preseason honors, and the list was starred by newcomer Jada Rhodes who was named the conference's Preseason Player of the Year. 
 
Brooke Lynn Watts | OH | 5-9 | Sr. | Odenton, Md. / Murray State University
 
2023 (Senior at FAMU):  All-SWAC First Team … SWAC Commissioner's Honor Roll … SWAC Preseason Player of the Year … Preseason All-SWAC First Team … Appeared in 29 matches, 105 sets … Finished the regular season with team highs in the following categories: kills (365), points (410.5), and kills per set (3.48) … Led the SWAC in attacks per set (9.99) and kills per set (3.48) … Possessed 258 digs (the second most on the team) … Recorded a team-best 12 double-doubles this season, seven in SWAC play  … Named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week twice

Isis Williams | MH | 6-2 | Gr. | Lewisville, Texas / Lewisville HS
 
2023 (Senior):  All-SWAC Second Team … SWAC Commissioner's Honor Roll … Preseason All-SWAC Second Team … Appeared in 31 matches, 114 sets  … Led the Rattlers while tying for fourth in the SWAC in total blocks (100) – 24 solo, 76 assisted … Recorded a season-high eight blocks at Bethune-Cookman (Oct. 13), the third most recorded in a SWAC match this season … Managed a team-best .286 hitting percentage (fourth highest in the conference), the average improved to .358 in SWAC matches (second highest) … Finished fourth on the team in points (212) and fifth in kills (150)  
 
Iyonnie Sanford | OH | 6-1 | So. | Fort Walton Beach, Fla. / Choctawhatchee HS
 
2023 (Freshman): All-SWAC Second Team … Saw action in 111 sets, 31 matches, as a true freshman … Finished second on the team in kills (237), points (277.5), and blocks (69) … Ranked sixth in the SWAC in hitting percentage (.264), the average improved to .323 in conference play (fourth in the conference) … Recorded at least 10 kills in 11 matches including a career-high 17 at Texas Southern (Oct. 8) … Named the SWAC Newcomer of the Week three times
 
Jada Rhodes | OH | 5-8 | Sr. | Tallahassee, Fla. / Alabama State
 
2023 (at Alabama State): 2023 AVCA Southeast Region Honorable Mention … 2023 SWAC Player of the Year … 2023 All-SWAC First Team … 2023 Preseason All-SWAC … Recorded her 1,000th career kill against Jackson State, and currently has 1,027 for her career … Finished fourth in kills, 10th in digs, and 14th in service aces all-time at Alabama State … Recorded a team-leading 332 kills … Recorded 15 matches in double figures kills, including a season-high 22 against Prairie View A&M 
 
Welcome Back, Dominique & Kaitlyn
Head coach Gokhan Yilmaz is gearing up for his seventh season at the helm of the program and has added familiar faces to his coaching staff with Dominique Washington and Kaitlyn Scroggins. 
 
One of FAMU's all-time greats, Washington made waves during her two seasons (2021-22), earning back-to-back SWAC Player of the Year and AVCA All-American honorable mention honors. Washington also left her mark in the record books, ranking eighth all-time in kills (989) and ninth in total attacks (2,528). A key player in the Rattlers' 2021 and 2022 SWAC Championship victories, she is now set to bring her championship experience to the sidelines.
 
Scroggins joined FAMU during the 2023 season after a stellar five-year campaign at Texas Southern. She appeared in 31 matches for the Rattlers, 127 digs and 26 services aces, the second most on the team. Over the course of her career, Scroggins has totaled 929 digs, 146 assists, and 93 aces. 
 
Fresh Faces 
This offseason, the Rattlers bolstered their lineup with nine additions – four true freshmen and five seasoned transfers. 
 
#3 Bryshanna Brown | L/DS | 5-8 | Sr. | Helotes, Texas / Houston
#4 Jada Rhodes | OH | 5-8 | Sr. | Tallahassee, Fla. / Alabama State
#6 Mackenzie Taylor | S | 5-9 | Fr. | Charlotte, N.C. / Mallard Creek HS
#9 Natalie Johnson | M | 5-10 | Fr. | Austin, Texas / Connally HS
#15 Yarciel Rodrieguez | OH | 5-11 | Sr. | Bayamon, Puerto Rico / Pikewell University
#16 Tamia Coleman | RS | 6-2 | Fr. | West Palm Beach, Fla. / West Palm Beach HS
#17 Brookelynn Thomas | MB | 6-0 | Gr. | Blythewood, S.C. / Winthrop
#20 Tinons Galmés | L | 5-7 | Fr. | Spain 
#23 Farah Farooq | MB | 6-1 |So. | Houston, Texas / East Carolina
 
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